New Hire Onboarding: The First 90 Days and Beyond
After a thorough, lengthy and usually costly recruiting process, both the employer and the selected job candidate have decided to make things official. Once the ink on the offer letter is dry, the official onboarding experience for the new hire begins. It’s now time to welcome and train your new employee so they may soon become a productive and engaged member of the company.
The initial 90-day period of an employee’s life cycle is often referred to as the introductory period. It is considered the “training wheels” stage where the new employee focuses on learning about the company and how to successfully perform in their new role. It is also a time when employers share critical company information with the employee, and clarify job duties and performance expectations.
Employers who invest in developing a well-curated new hire onboarding experience set their new team members up for success and create a positive learning experience. Having a well-designed onboarding program improves the overall engagement and retention of employees.
Below are tips to help ensure your newly hired employees feel motivated and valued while having the proper tools and resources to be successful from the beginning.
Warm-Welcome
The initial welcome experience sets the tone for what’s to come. The first few days on the job are overwhelming for the new employee so think about what can be done to break the ice, begin forming positive relationships and make them feel great about their decision to join the company.
Helpful Tips:
- Day 1 Logistics: A few days before their start date, call/send a welcome email to the new hire regarding the logistics of their 1st day. Instruct them on when and where to report to work, parking details, attire, and required documents for new hire paperwork completion. If possible, offer an agenda for the day – if you’re taking them to lunch they’d appreciate knowing in advance so they can skip packing a lunch.
- Welcome Gift: On the employee’s first day, provide a welcome kit with cool company-branded swag and a personalized card signed by their supervisor or team. For remote workers, this can be mailed to their home office so they receive it on their first day.
- Equipment Set-up: Plan ahead, so that system and equipment access is squared away as early as possible. The new employee and their supervisor will be quite eager to jump in and get started. On day 1, at minimum provide them with their computer and company email address.
Orientation
Not to be confused with onboarding, orientation is just one part of the onboarding experience. It is a critical part as this is when employees are initially introduced to key company information including, mission, vision and values, key policies and processes, organizational goals, benefits, compensation, rewards and much more….
Helpful Tips:
- Day 1 Orientation: Orientation should occur on the first day or as soon as possible. It’s important to provide key information to new hires as early as possible so they know where to go to find answers to their questions and what the company expects from them in terms of conduct.
- Resource Library: Providing a centralized location (via a shared drive or internal company portal) where employees can access HR policies, processes, benefits and other company information will be most useful to the new employee.
Training Plan
It’s time for the new hire to learn how to perform their job duties. What technical skills and systems do they require? What company access do they need?
Helpful Tips:
- Training Checklist: Design a training checklist for each role within the company. This guide should include the required systems, training, processes and resources to successfully perform the job duties. Provide this guide/checklist to the new hire and follow up on their progress.
- Buddy System: Designate a work buddy for the new hire, so they can have an immediate resource. This buddy will know the job well and can help answer questions and support the new hire with acclimating to their new role and the company.
Ongoing Check-ins
Although the first 90 days are usually considered the onboarding/introductory period, the “newbie” stage can continue well beyond that – even through the first year of employment. Regular check-ins can help to ensure the employee is feeling comfortable in their new role, has all the tools and resources they need, and is connected with the company’s mission, vision and values. Received feedback helps provide employers with useful information regarding the onboarding process – making adjustments as needed.
How SDHR Consulting Can Help
Our team of consultants at SDHR Consulting can assist with all stages of the onboarding process from defining a process unique to your organization to performing the onboarding with your new employee. Contact us if you’re ready to create an onboarding process that will wow your new hires while being compliant at the same time.
