Getting your new employee onboarding process right might be the difference between a successful hire and losing time and money getting someone up to speed who ends up leaving in frustration. We hope these eight tips can help you ensure the greatest amount of success for new hires.

1. Don't Wait Until the Employee's First Day of Work

You don't have to wait until a new employee shows up for their first day of work to get them started. You'll save time if you get them prepared as soon as possible ahead of time. Give them paperwork to fill out at home and set up introductory meetings before the first full workday. You’ll have to pay for their time during these meetings, but it can help them get familiarized with people and places so they’ll be ready to jump in on the official first day.

2. Ensure They Understand Your Mission and Company Culture

Ensure that a new hire has a good understanding of what your company does and how it achieves this. Give them a detailed explanation of your company culture, including values, policies, and what exactly is expected of them when working with their fellow team members.

3. Help Them Get to Know the Team

One of the best ways for a new hire to get acquainted with the company is to know the team itself. Introduce them to their new co-workers across different parts of the company and help them get a feel for what each department does.

"The sooner a new hire understands the structure and departments in their new company, the sooner they can feel like a part of the team," explains the WorkBright website.1 "Especially in small businesses, most departments are also cross-functional and collaborative, which can really come in handy in the training process. When you use your current employees to help with the training process, not only do you expedite the learning curve your new hire is experiencing, but you also help them get to know their co-workers on a personal level. Cross training helps them get insight on the company from their co-workers’ perspective, which can be very beneficial if you’re an ethically run company."

4. Get Their Workspace Prepared

Make sure they have everything they need at their workspace on their first day. They will already have plenty of questions. To make the process as smooth as possible, make sure they have all materials they need to do their job.

5. Be Patient with the Learning Process

You will probably be eager to see major results from your new hire as quickly as possible, but try to understand that not everyone learns at the same pace. Some may need a little more time to settle into the right rhythm, particularly for more complicated processes. Don't lose a potentially good employee by being impatient at the beginning.

6. Make Sure Your Training Program is Thorough and Effective

Learning will come more easily with an effective training program. One of the best things you can do for your general onboarding process is to have regular training.

"In addition to having your new team members shadow other employees to learn the ropes, you should also create a comprehensive training program that outlines everything an employee needs to know to complete their job duties effectively and efficiently," says Katie Tregurtha at OnDeck.2 "You can either take the software approach to this or you can train your current employees to train your new hires. Ultimately, you’ll want your training to be almost autonomous. In other words, you’ll want to record the training process somehow so that it frees up your staff to focus on more important aspects of running the business, such as tending to customers."

7. Make Important Resources Easily Accessible

Make sure new employees can easily access all resources they'll need. This includes instruction manuals, policy documents, and software that they'll need to use day-to-day. Make sure they know how to access not only the applications they need to do their job, but also any information they may need to reference. Let them know you're always happy to answer any questions they have, but they might feel more comfortable being able to find these answers on their own.

8. Get Feedback From Your New Hires

As you work through your onboarding process with a new hire, ask them for feedback. You can use what they say to make adjustments to your process, so the next time you hire someone it goes even more smoothly.

Onboarding is an important element of building a great team. To be sure your new employee and your business benefit to the fullest, take the time to ensure your process is as efficient as possible.

1. https://workbright.com/small-business-tips-onboard/

2. https://www.ondeck.com/resources/5-best-practices-for-your-small-business-onboarding-process

 

The information provided is presented for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal or business advice. Any views expressed in this article may not necessarily be those of Nevada State Bank. Nevada State Bank is a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC