What is onboarding? It is the process of getting the newly joined candidates accustomed to different aspects of their job without any hindrances. Through this process, the new hires can learn the required skills and gain the knowledge necessary for the smooth running of the operations in an organization.
The onboarding process can vary from organization to organization; some organizations may have a very systematic hiring process, and in some organizations, the onboarding process could be more frequent.
Best Onboarding Practices
According to research, the direction for the success of each new employee is set within the first two weeks in an organization. In the onboarding process, everything matters as it is about making an excellent first impression. It is important to remember that having a formal onboarding and orientation process yields the best results.
Following are some of the critical practices for onboarding:
- Making the first day a memorable one
- Implementation of basics of the role, one day before the first day on the job
- A formal orientation program
- Utilization of the available technology to make the process more efficient
- Tracking and monitoring the improvement of new hires
- Understanding the fact that onboarding is a long process
- Be clear and transparent regarding the terms of joining and the joining date.
It is also essential to make sure the employees understand the workings of the organization by establishing early communication, explaining how the role and organization work, providing adequate training; and while doing so, be sure to use the employee onboarding checklist; this is because the new hires of today will be the managers and trainers in the future.
The onboarding checklist consists of many tasks and should be used periodically to help new hires get comfortable in the workplace and to track their progress over time.
Following are a few tasks that must be a part of the onboarding checklist:
Sending an E-mail to the new hire and sharing information regarding the joining by sending the joining date, time, and location with other details, such as the schedule for the first day and the person to contact.
Sending an E-mail to the existing employees, basically informing them about the new hire so that they give him a warm welcome on his/her first day of the job.
- Preparing the workspace for the new employee.
- First Day Checklist
- A warm welcome and a tour of the office.
- Help in setting up the workspace.
- Make sure the new hire paperwork is done
- Arranging a meeting with the CEO and the concerned managers
First Week Checklist
Check-in with the new hire every day
- Schedule meetings
- Schedule meetings with other teams to ensure everyone gets to know each other.
- Schedule and organize training sessions
- Organize activities to get the new hire to engage more
- Checklist for the 1st,3rd and 6th Month
- Conducting an onboarding survey
- Track the progress of new hires
- Organize relevant training sessions
- Organize activities to keep the employees engaged
What Is Onboarding Software?
Employee onboarding software is software that helps make the onboarding process efficient and easy. Apart from just removing all the paperwork, it also helps bridge the divide between data and people to ensure an incredibly smooth onboarding experience.
Here are a few reasons why the Employee onboarding software is required in organizations:
- Standardization of the onboarding process
- Eliminate the need for paperwork
- To enhance transparency
- To improve engagement
- Eliminate the possibility of human errors
- Integrate with other HR tools to ensure the smooth running of the onboarding process
- Prevention of compliance risks
What are the Features of an Onboarding Software?
The features found in onboarding software depend on who you buy it from, but here is a small list of specific features that one should look for in onboarding software:
User-Friendly Interface
The ease of using software and getting around is of great importance. The interface should be user-friendly to help the new hires, as it helps in making the process much easier and more efficient.
Personalization
Personalized training modules let the new hires choose the more suitable training courses. Instead of being pushed to the same generic training system, the onboarding software automatically adjusts the training course to suit the level of the new hire to help him build the required skills.
Tools for Assessment
It is vital to measure the performance of the new employee and also to measure employee satisfaction. Onboarding software is typically integrated with assessment tools that send automated surveys to new hires after onboarding.
Gamification
Gamification is only done to improve employee engagement. Using gaming concepts, like quests and level-ups makes the onboarding process much more fun and engaging.
Report and Analytics
Employee retention is also an important aspect, just like employee engagement. With onboarding software, managers can recognize the vital areas for employee improvement.
Onboarding software usually has in-built analytical tools that will help track and manage the new hire's progress.
What are the Benefits of Onboarding Software?
The benefits of implementing onboarding software are many:
- Maximize on one interaction
- Save money
- Better insight
- Efficient tracking and managing of the progress
- Helps in staying compliant
- Helps in making a good first impression
Overview
The process of onboarding employees the right way is critical as it sets the direction of the success for the new hires, but with the onboarding software, this can become a manageable task. Organizations that implement onboarding software experience efficiency in onboarding, employee engagement, and retention.
