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 are able to learn the required skills and gain the required knowledge for the smooth running of the operations in an organization.
The process of onboarding can vary from organization to organization, some organizations may have a very systematic process of hiring and in some organizations, the process of onboarding is not all that systematic.
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 little thing matters as it as about making a good first impression. It is important to remember that having a formal onboarding and orientation process yields the best results.
Following are some of the key practices for onboarding:
- Making the first day a memorable one
- Implementation of basics of the role, one day prior to 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 the 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 important to make sure the employees understand the working of the organization by establishing early communication, explanation of how the role and organization work, provide 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 the new hires get comfortable in the workplace and to track his 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 share information regarding the joining by sending the joining date, time and location with other information 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 make sure everyone gets to know each other.
- Schedule and organize training sessions
- Organize activities in order 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 a software which helps in making the onboarding process efficient and easy. Apart from just removing all the paperwork, it also helps in bridging the divide between data and people to ensure an extremely 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 an onboarding software depends on who you buy it from, but here is a small list of certain 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 in order to help the new hires, as it helps in making the process much more easier and efficient.
Personalization
Personalized training modules let the new hires choose the training courses more suitable for them. 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 typically is integrated with assessment tools that send automated surveys to the new hires after the onboarding process.
Gamification
Gamification is only done to improve employee engagement. By using concepts of gaming like quests and level ups, it makes the onboarding process much more fun and engaging.
Report and Analytics
Employee retention is also an important aspect just like employee engagement. With an onboarding software managers can recognize the vital areas for improvement of the employee.
Onboarding software usually has in-built analytical tools that will help in tracking and managing the progress of the new hire.
What are the Benefits of Onboarding Software?
The benefits of implementing onboarding software are many:
- Maximize one 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 extremely important as it set the direction of the success for the new hires but without the onboarding software, this can become a cumbersome task to take on. Organizations that implement onboarding software experience efficiency in the process of onboarding, employee engagement, and retainment.
