A successful recruitment process does not end when finding the perfect candidate: you also have to properly welcome and train your new employee. According to Gallup Analytics, 1 in 5 employees report that their most recent onboarding was poor -- or even worse, they received no onboarding at all!
Onboarding is a crucial step for every new employee, and doing it right benefits your company in more ways than you think. A positive onboarding experience increases employee engagement, job satisfaction, and employee retention. Did you know that it costs around 20% of an employee's annual salary to replace them? The cost of turnover is a burden to every company, so dedicating time and resources to the onboarding process is probably the best investment you can make.
At Canada Talents, we offer recruitment services covering every step of the process, from sourcing talents to supporting you with your new hire's onboarding. Let’s dive into some tips on creating the best onboarding experience.
Create a Welcome Pack
The first day in a company can be an intimidating and stressful experience for many employees. Help your new employees feel welcome and prepared by sending them personalized “Welcome Packs” beforehand. There are as many Welcome Packs as companies! It is entirely up to you to create the one that will best reflect your culture.
The main goal of a welcome pack is to share relevant information so that the employee can familiarize themselves with their new position. Provide a list of team members, a schedule for the first few days, a description of the tasks assigned, and information about where to go on the first day. Welcome Packs usually include some useful branded gifts: notebook, water bottle, tote bag, t-shirt, or best-seller products - it can be for work or just for fun! First impressions are decisive, and a thoughtful Welcome Pack is the key to provide a stress-free integration while highlighting the values of your brand.
Have Everything Ready
There is nothing worse for a new employee than realizing nobody was expecting them. Make an announcement to your team that a new co-worker will be coming and designate someone in charge of greeting and guiding them. Identify the needs for the workstation, such as a computer, a printer, or specialized software, and have everything set up. Remember to provide access to all the necessary resources so that your employee can start working in the best conditions possible. Last but not least, prepare the HR documents and have them ready to complete by the end of the first day.
Assign a Mentor
Did you know that 47% of companies now implement a system of “buddies” for their new hires? The “buddy” is generally someone with the same title having considerable experience in the company. This system creates a sense of community and mutual aid among co-workers. This person will dedicate time to welcome the new employee, tour the offices, and answer questions. It is also an excellent way for the new employee to get familiar with the job by shadowing them until being autonomous enough.
Allow Learning
Nobody arrives 100% prepared for a job. Maybe your new employee is unfamiliar with the software you use, some particular tasks, or specific vocabulary inherent to the company. It is completely normal, and the best way to optimize productivity in the future is to give your new talent the opportunity and time to learn. Provide access to online courses if they need theoretical training, and dedicate some time on their schedule for them to study. Investing a few hours in training at the beginning is a reasonable investment that will save a considerable amount of time and problems in the long run.
Schedule Training Activities
Learning by doing. Have you ever heard that expression? It is scientifically proven that learners retain more information by actively doing things than simply listening or reading them. While training can start by shadowing a co-worker to get a first taste of the job, it is primordial to provide hands-on experience. Organize various training sessions that will cover all the necessary skills to develop. Simulations and role-plays can be great options for sales or customer service positions. For employees, it is less stressful since they are not as afraid to make mistakes as if it was with an actual customer. You could also organize problem-solving exercises or quizzes evaluating their knowledge. The possibilities are endless and have to be adapted to fit the position you are training for.
Set Milestones
Setting milestones is a technique used in project management to detect a project running behind schedule at an early stage. It enables one to be aware of the problem and implement the necessary adjustments to correct it right away. This technique is transferable to an onboarding process since training an employee is a project! Set some achievable milestones to attain at a certain point in the training. It can be being proficient with a software, performing a task without help, or closing a certain number of sales. If you notice that your employee does not meet a milestone, discuss the reason why and ask them how you can support them. A positive onboarding experience also involves adapting training to individual needs.
Recognize Small Wins
Generating motivation within employees is one of the trickiest tasks of a manager. One of the most natural ways to accomplish that is to provide positive feedback and recognition for the work accomplished. Do not neglect this part by celebrating every small win during the onboarding process. This boosts motivation and confidence while showing your new hire you value them. This simple action ultimately reinforces the team and organizational dynamic as well.
Check in Regularly
A survey conducted by SkillRoad, a platform providing strategic onboarding solutions, revealed that 51% of employees expect HR to check with them regularly during their first year of employment. Arranging regular check-in sessions is a great occasion to discuss their impressions of the job and answer their concerns. You can also take advantage of these meetings to have a performance review and analyze the results together. This way, you can implement strategies with your employees to optimize their performance.
Get Feedback
Are you wondering how you could improve your onboarding strategy for future hires? Well, you just have to ask! During the onboarding, implement methods to collect feedback directly from the employees undergoing the process. You could use surveys, suggestions boxes, or organize informal meetings to discuss it. Show your investment by highlighting the best suggestions and implementing them as soon as you can. An optimized onboarding strategy is the key to attract and retain new talents.
Celebrate the End of Onboarding
When does onboarding end? There is no unique answer to this question. A successful onboarding experience should be adapted to the needs of every employee. While some might be quick learners, others will need a little more time. Your role is to support them until they are ready. The standard duration for onboarding is around three months, but more and more human resources professionals are now extending it throughout the first year to optimize the training of their talents.
Once the moment has come, organize a celebration to officially end the onboarding period. Let your employee know that they successfully completed this part and are now taking a new step into their career at the company.
Do you need help recruiting and onboarding new talents? Canada talents offer different plans depending on your needs. We can take care of everything, from finding the best candidates to supporting you with the onboarding process. Do not hesitate to contact us at welcome@canada-talents.ca. We will be glad to help you with your project.