Firstly, let’s tackle the obvious – what is onboarding?
It is about integrating a new member of staff into your business, so they feel they belong. The term induction is commonly used, but for me onboarding goes deeper – with the end result that the new employee becomes part of the team.
OK, sounds great. What do I need to do?
The key to success is based on three things: Communication, planning and buddying.
In your plan – which should be in place for every new recruit – you need to create a checklist of all the things someone will need to know. Naturally, you will want to focus on the work related aspects, but it is often the smaller stuff that leaves people sweating:
- Where the toilet is
- When to go for lunch, and where to buy food/drink
- Tea/coffee facilities, and the need to bring money
- Where to store personal belongings
- Start and finish times, and what to do about leaving work at the end of the day
This may all seem trivial to you, but to the new person it can be a big deal.
The way to resolve this is to make sure you have shared the answers before they start. Put together a welcome pack for newbies and remember to include these details.
Choose somebody to buddy up with your new recruit for the first few days. They could go to lunch together, and be available for a quick chat during the day, to make sure everything is OK.
The buddy needs to be someone who is naturally sociable, and will make the newbie feel at ease.
Try to arrange a social gathering within the first week or two of them coming on board. This doesn’t have to be a big deal – just a quick drink after work or something similar. Getting people chatting in a social setting helps to break down barriers, and gets over the hurdle of the first non work interaction.
Getting onboarding right can be the difference between keeping your new team member, or losing them at the first hurdle.
If you would like help with onboarding in your business please contact us on 01256 328 428.