Congratulations and welcome aboard!

The importance of a well crafted, humane onboarding process

You’ve prepared a new resume, searched for challenging positions, submitted your CV to various companies, participated in many interviews, asked your interviewers about the working environment, considered your culture fit. Eventually, you’ve received several job offers, prioritized and weigh them down …. and finally, you’ve agreed to take one. 🤗

The exciting day has arrived — your first day on the job.

I bet you remember it, the thrill of starting a new place, a new position. You feel it in your bones. You want to bring value ASAP, but how? What’s the schedule of each day? where should I go now? Who can answer all those questions popping on your mind? You are confused. You feel a “reality shock”. All your expectations are shuttered.

So, what now? Onboarding to the rescue!

Nowadays, it is commonly known (as studies show #1, #2, #3) that employee recruitment isn’t ended after signing the offer. A hiring method that relies on employer brand, position marketing, and an onboarding plan is an effective recruitment process that considers the candidate in its center, helping him socialize better.

A well-defined onboarding plan starts before the first day when HR representatives sit down with the hiring manager to assemble a plan that covers:

1. Setting a schedule — Set the training timeframe, coordinate with all involved functions (direct manager, buddy, etc.). Arrange ahead of time a working environment, including laptop, mouse, keyboard, and different IT permissions. It will prevent any bureaucracy from bogging her down.
2. Find a Buddy — Look for patience, emotional intelligence, good communication skills, and knowledge around the organization’s informal channels (each org. has them) when searching for the right “buddy”. She should show her around on the first days, have lunch with her, and make sure to answer any raised question. Identify the best fit for this role, it has a significant impact on the new recruit’s success.
3. Training material — Should include scheduled meetings with key players and different team members. Furthermore, consider lectures, presentations, and video courses about general organization information and specific material for the job. All is taken into account by the hiring manager according to the job description.
4. A gesture — everybody likes to get attention, sending a welcome aboard gift will do the trick 😊, it might be anything office-related. Whatever you find respectful. Make sure she’ll get it before day one.

People, people, people

The new employee socialization is essential. It provides her higher satisfaction leading to better performance, lowering the potential of her quitting the job, eventually creating a virtuous circle.

I’ve participated in several “buddy plan” and came to the conclusions that the following principles should be adopted in any onboarding process:

1. Be part of the team’s daily life — the goal is to give the new team member the feeling she brings value. Assign some tasks that fit her knowledge and experience. The tasks’ execution is accompanied by one of her colleagues, thus preventing any frustration from her side. Along the way, many questions will be answered, and knowledge will be gained. As more tasks are being accomplished well, the more her self fulfillment will grow.
2. Socialize better — the hiring team should introduce the new employee to different social circles. Another option is to create a safe place for new employees. Where they can talk to each other, ask questions, which they don’t feel comfortable asking in their team, go to eat lunch together, keeping in touch with employees hired in the same week (or so), and in such a way, empower each other. Besides, add her to all different official distribution lists and non-official (Whatsapp group, etc.) ones too.
3. Communication is the key — create open and honest discussions. Allow enough time for questions, respond to them immediately. Remove any raised obstacles; it communicates that you are being cared for. Be sure to share your feedback accordingly. Sticking to the above will be comprehended as a good experience, resulting in a better connection to its mission.
4. Knowledge sharing — write down all the required knowledge in one place. There are plenty of tools (SharePoint, Notion, Google Docs, etc.) that fit this task. The tool will hold all the required information that any team member needs to know when doing her job. She can check there when any question is being raised, serving a twofold purpose: keeping the team balanced (instead of being bombarded with questions) and encouraging independence from the new employee side.

The onboarding process that answers the above needs provides a clear-cut message; You were hired by a company that cares for your success, which provides peace of mind to quickly join the team and, most importantly, fulfill your potential, which you were hired for.