It’s one of the most important processes of recruitment, yet onboarding is something that is rarely given the attention it truly deserves.
Most companies will invest all sorts into their recruitment processes, whether by putting together extensive benefits packages or just being extra-diligent with their job descriptions. They’ll set up the swanky modern offices, arm themselves with all of the legal essentials such as liability insurance, and then… well, hope for the best.
Suffice to say, onboarding generally gets forgotten about. It means that new employees are regularly left to their own devices, resulting in umpteen long-term issues that can make staff loyalty difficult.
In truth, a successful onboarding process is going to differ between companies. Through today’s post, we’ll take a look at some of the best generic steps you can take to make sure your business is in an optimum position to retain the best talent.
Define what success looks like
The first step is to sit down and define what success looks like for your business. This might sound like an obvious one, but it’s something that many businesses fail to do.
Work out the key performance indicators (KPIs) that you want your new employees to hit, and make sure that these are communicated from day one. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page, making it much easier to track progress.
Get the basics right
The basics might sound like a bit of a cop-out, but they’re essential. Things like ensuring that your new employees have the right equipment and know where everything is are vital.
If you don’t get the basics right, it will be tough for your new employees to hit the ground running. This can lead to problems further down the line, so it’s worth getting things right from the outset.
Make sure there’s a mentor
One of the best ways to ensure long-term loyalty is to provide a mentor for your new employees. This is someone who can act as a sounding board and help smooth the transition into the business.
On a similar note, don’t be afraid of booking time in with the rest of your team. Even if not all individuals work together, these short sessions can reveal a lot about the inner workings and help your new member settle in.
Set up regular check-ins
Finally, it’s vital to set up regular check-ins with your new employees. This gives you a chance to see how they’re getting on and provide any feedback they might need.
It also allows you to nip any problems in the bud, which will be beneficial in the long term. You should attempt to build career roadmaps into these sessions as well to show your recruits that your company is one worth sticking around for.