Employee onboarding: the checklist for modern companies
There are many good reasons for hiring new staff, for example if the company wants to expand, is looking for specialists for a specific area of responsibility or if there are departures.
And there are even more good reasons to give new employees a warm welcome and a proper induction. After all, only new recruits who feel comfortable in their workplace and get on well with their colleagues will remain with the employer in the long term and carry out their tasks quickly and responsibly.
Whether you are a working student, lateral entrant, newcomer or future manager, with the right onboarding process you can lay the foundation for satisfied employees and therefore less fluctuation in your company.
What exactly is employee onboarding?
Onboarding comes from the English and means something like “getting on board”. In relation to a company, it refers to the induction and integration of new employees into an existing team. The onboarding process begins after the contract is signed and ends at the end of the probationary period. It includes all measures that make it easier for new hires to find their way around their new workplace, understand the existing structures and work processes, familiarize themselves with their field of activity, get to know their colleagues in the department and have regular feedback meetings with their superiors. Depending on the company culture and size, the employee onboarding and integration phase can include, for example, a welcome package, an official welcome, a detailed induction plan, introductory courses and training programs.
What are the tasks of onboarding?
Employee onboarding is an integration phase. Its aim is to make it easier for new team members to get started in their future area of responsibility, but also to help them get to know their colleagues and establish contacts. Furthermore, a coordinated induction plan serves to familiarize newcomers with the corporate culture and company values. This includes internal processes and workflows, which can look different in every company.
If the new employee is “taken by the hand” and warmly welcomed by the team from the moment they start work, they will find it much easier to cope with the challenges that a new job entails. This is because qualified new recruits who experience neither recognition nor support in their first few weeks of work will look for another employer during their probationary period.
Where does employee onboarding begin and where does it end?
Hiring and onboarding new employees consists of many small steps, some of which merge seamlessly into one another. The level of detail in the induction plan depends on the job profile, the size of the company and the area of responsibility, among other things. However, in almost all cases, onboarding can be divided into three overarching phases:
Phase 1: after signing the contract
Even if the desired candidate accepts after the application process and confirms this in writing, not everything is a done deal. A lot can happen between the signing of the contract and the first day of work. To prevent another company from poaching the chosen specialist in the final stages, the following measures are recommended:
- Keep in contact with the future employee.
- Inform the new employee in advance of any upcoming appointments.
- Provide the new employee with information on starting work and the dress code in good time.
- Let the new colleague know how breaks are organized, whether there is a kitchen or canteen and whether drinks, such as water and tea, are available free of charge.
But you should also take action internally at an early stage, inform the existing workforce about the new addition and prepare everything for a smooth start.
- Select a main person responsible or contact person for the new hire in the department so that they can prepare for their role.
- Equip the workplace, apply for an employee ID card, passwords and access and provide a welcome pack.
- Organize training programs and introductory courses for the newcomers.
- Get in touch with HR or employee administration so that everything formal and contractual is clarified on the day the new team member arrives.
Phase 2: the first working day and the first few weeks of work
The new team member’s first day at work begins with their arrival. A little excitement is part of the process on all sides, but a warm welcome and a nicely prepared workplace will take away the newcomer’s nervousness. No matter how hectic the day is, at least one person should take the time to make themselves available as a contact person for the new colleague and take on the following tasks:
- Introduce the new team member officially and, if appropriate, give them a gift to welcome them.
- Show the new employee around the premises and show him or her where the relevant departments are located and where the toilets, kitchen, break rooms etc. are.
- Assign the new colleague a desk and give him or her all the necessary materials and resources.
- Take a lunch break together to build trust on a personal level.
However, it is not only the first impression at the start of work that counts, but especially the first few weeks of work. They help both parties to get to know each other. It is often during this orientation phase that the newcomer decides whether or not they want to stay with the company. To influence their thoughts positively, you should keep the following things in mind:
- Make sure that there is a permanent contact person.
- Give the new employee the feeling that there is always time for questions and discussions and that these are expressly welcome.
- Gradually explain all programs, functions, tools, products, workflows, tasks, etc. to the new employee. The induction should be systematically structured and include sufficient lead time before the new employee starts working independently.
- Explain the company values so that the new colleague knows what they are getting into and how they should behave in certain situations.
- Arrange regular feedback meetings with the responsible supervisor in which tasks, expectations and goals are discussed.
Phase 3: until the end of the probationary period
The probationary period usually lasts six months. The employee onboarding period ends at the same time. After this six-month period, the new colleague should have integrated and familiarized themselves with their area of responsibility and internalized the company’s processes and procedures. Help the new hire as much as possible by continuously adapting the induction plan, organizing additional training and courses if necessary, showing the employee recognition and appreciation and discussing progress and future tasks with all their challenges in regular meetings. Take the following advice to heart:
- Ask the new employee about his or her impressions – both positive and negative – in a personal interview at regular intervals.
- Information about the working week, tasks, employee administration, corporate culture and abbreviations and tools used should not be communicated in one go, but in chunks. This ensures that new colleagues can absorb and process everything.
- It is better to have one feedback meeting too many than too few.
- Help new employees to make new contacts. If there are several new recruits, a welcome day or a joint breakfast or lunch is a good way to welcome them and get to know them. A new start is often easier together.
What does employee onboarding look like in the digital age?
We live in the digital age. More and more people are working from home and rarely or never come into the office. Many jobs can be done completely remotely. Anyone applying for such a job profile is often trained accordingly: digitally. Personal contact is no longer necessary. However, this does not have to be a disadvantage for successful onboarding. With adapted processes and structures, a digital induction and integration phase can even bring advantages for companies and new recruits, for example more flexibility, less time and lower costs. However, there is not just one right approach for remote onboarding; the strategy must be individually adapted to each new hire and each job profile.
Employee onboarding checklist to tick off
There is a lot to consider when onboarding new colleagues. As a rule, the HR department and the responsible managers draw up an induction plan that everyone involved can use as a guide. Don’t forget any of the important points listed above, because the more professional the employee onboarding, the more likely it is that new hires will become long-term employees. To help you keep track of the recommended measures for each phase, we have created an employee onboarding checklist for you, which you can download here.
Conclusion: Invest in employee onboarding!
Good employees are not a dime a dozen. Talent is highly competitive. Therefore, once you have a promising candidate on the hook, don’t stop your efforts once the contract has been signed. On the contrary, this is when the crucial time begins: make sure that the new colleague is looking forward to their first day at work and prepare a warm welcome. Provide him or her with a permanent contact person. Ask in regular feedback meetings whether the new team member feels comfortable in their department and whether expectations are being met.
It is the many small things that ultimately determine whether the collaboration continues after the probationary period. Every little step pays off, because constant fluctuation is poison for the working atmosphere and the profitability of a company. The following therefore applies: give employee onboarding the importance it deserves and invest in a professional induction and integration phase.
