How to onboard a new employee

Mary Youlden
Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted Thursday, September 23, 2021 - 12:43pm

Being a newbie is exciting but being integrated into the operating system is another side of the story. It is a glaring reality that both the company and as well as the “newbie” are struggling with how to fit into the system.

It may be considered a challenge for the company to have a new employee be integrated into the system and for them to absorb the culture of the company. A newbie cannot just be left behind and have him, or she goes with the flow in the system. Having a fresh talent or “employee” has an intertwined responsibility of harnessing the newbie’s potential for them to become the company’s assets eventually.

Onboarding a new employee is crucial because it spells out the difference between producing a “good one” and the “bad one.” Companies had been shelling out huge amounts of money to allocate for the appropriate onboarding of the new hire. If the company opts to utilize an employee fully, it must invest in proper onboarding. These are simple tips on how to onboard a new employee like a “pro.”

Ways to Onboard a Newbie

Make sure to have an onboarding checklist

Everything can be done systematically that is geared to lessen the task and confusion. Adopting a horizontal development systematic process of onboarding will make the complicated process into a simple one. It will also ensure that all the necessary steps of the onboarding are being followed. You can read here more about horizontal development.

Design an onboarding guide

Some companies utilize the internship program that usually within six months and eventually leads to a full-time position. It is in this period within which a “newbie” is being acquainted with the internal processes, external content, and as well as holistic onboarding guide.

Develop a mentor-newbie relationship

The first few days in the company may be the hardest, especially without anybody to supervise and guide the “newbie.” It is as if the new employee is grasping on to what are the processes in the company. Instead of giving a new and exciting work scenario, it may eventually become the worst day for the newbie.

Having a mentor can avoid such stressful and struggling days of the new hire. The mentor will guide the newbie as to the pertinent things that must be learned in the organizational system. It will also give the new employee have a sense of confidence knowing that he or she can have somebody to lean on when confronted with some complicated issues and concerns.

Directly work with the new employee

Peter Daisyme Calendar had shared his thoughts that I advise shadowing new employees for a week or longer”. The process of shadowing will make the newbie feel at ease knowing that there is somebody who can help them pout whenever they are put in a situation that requires a degree of expertise.

Strictly follow the repeatable process

The onboarding process must be consistent and as well as repeatable to have avoided any silos or, from the start, being pigeonholed by their department. Every new employee must have the same start and undergo the same onboarding process.

Assign a newbie in the customer service

Developing a deeper understanding of the customer’s wants, preferences as well of the company’s offered services and products is to have the newbie be assigned to the customer service. Being in customer service will make the new hire develop a sense of the attitude of being empathic to the needs of the customer and thereby making them be fitted to the role of which they are being hired.

Expose them to the wolves

The best way to learn is to have the new hire be exposed to the reality of the organization. Let them experience how to cope up with the competition and brushed their elbows with the wolves of the company. You may opt to have a shorter HR orientation and immediately have the newbie participate in any tasks of the company.

Engage in one-on-one mentorship

Allocate at least fifteen minutes to the newbie for at least on their first sixty days on the job. It is in this way of which the newbie and the company’s seasoned employee establish a personal relationship with the new hire. It creates an interpersonal relationship among the employees in the company.

Communication is the key

Everything is ironed out through the power of communication. It is also an effective medium to align the perspectives of the new employee to the established mission and vision of the company.  

It may be a good way to start is to have the new employee emerge with simple lunch or coffee break gatherings to have them open up about their concerns so that employees will be able to have human relationships.

First Impression Matters

The first impression is lasting, and the newbie can imbibe the culture of excellence of the company once they get acquainted with the functionalities of the different people in your company. It is in this way that the new hire will have a focus on his or her job, knowing that his task is primordially important to the company. 

As advised by Blair Thomas eMerchantBroker that “one of the most effective ways to get a new hire acclimated to your business is to get them to face time with your stakeholders or customers.” Getting acquainted with the different stakeholders and customers will develop the necessary impression to the newbie as to the culture of excellence of the company.

Employ your team

The onboarding process must be supported not by the rank and file employees but should include the entire organization, even the top executives. Most often than onboarding fails due to the lackadaisical attitude of the top executives on the process of having the newbie be successfully integrated into the system. As observed by Kim Kaupe ZinePak that ``Too often, new employee onboarding and initiation fails on upper management.” The process of onboarding is everyone’s concern.

 

 


 

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