5 Tips to Successfully Onboard New Employees

Author: Victoria Cohen

Talent retention begins from day one. A structured, engaging onboarding process is a vital aspect of hiring new employees – boosting their confidence and productivity levels, and it also sets the trajectory for employee retention and reduces the burden of turnover costs.

22% of turnover occurs due to new-hires leaving within the first 45 days

4% of employees leave their job after the first day

Successful onboarding results in a 50% increase in employee productivity

Below are five tips for creating a successful onboarding process that will leave your new hires engaged in their new role at your company.

1. Welcome them before the first day

Starting a new job can easily lead to first-day jitters, so take the opportunity to showcase your company culture and make them feel welcomed before their first day! Here are some ways to make your new hire feel excited about their first day:

Send them a what to expect on their first day document with important information such as where to park, how to get in, and include a schedule breakdown for their first day
Engage your team members to send their new co-worker a welcome message on LinkedIn or via email
Let them know the dress-code and lunch/break policies

2. Set them up for success

Preparations for onboarding should begin before the first day and are critical to setting your new employee up for success in their new role at your company. Contact IT, Payrolling, and Operations to begin the set-up for your new hire’s essentials.

Set up their workspace
Prepare login passwords
Add their email to the employee directory
Prepare their email signature
Have the new hire begin onboarding forms virtually if applicable

3. Make a schedule with time-blocks

Throwing a new hire into a role without a schedule or designated orientation will likely cause them to feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Create an appropriate schedule to orient them to your team, and your company. The time required for this will differ from company to company, but we recommend creating a schedule for them to follow for at least their first week on the job. Below are some great ways to fill these time-blocks to help orient them to your company:

Presentation on the company’s mission and values
Meet with different departments for a company overview
Take them to lunch to get to know them outside of work
Extra time for completing onboarding paperwork
Set-up voicemail
Learning systems and processes required for the role

4. Give them a first project (and check-in!)

Once the new hire is set-up with their workspace, understands their role, and has been orientated to your company’s mission and culture, it’s time to test the waters. Hand them a first project to help them get adjusted and make sure to check-in to support them with any questions or assistance they may need.

5. Create a plan for continued support

Onboarding a new employee often takes up to 6 months (and sometimes longer!) for them to get adjusted to their new role and your company.

Schedule check-in meetings
Provide resources such as websites or pages to follow to learn about your industry
Identify and set performance goals
Provide positive reinforcement
Assess their performance and identify further training and development opportunities

Now that you’re ready to engage new hires with a successful onboarding process, feel free to customize

these to best fit your company’s culture and needs!