The purpose of onboarding is to instill a sense of belonging in your new employees. They need to feel a personal investment in order to succeed with your company. If your new hires are not quickly brought up to speed on the organization and their role, they will begin feeling frustrated and may start looking elsewhere for a job. Avoid having to spend even more time and money on recruiting by improving your onboarding process.
Is Your Onboarding Digital?
Your onboarding should be digital. New hires can access the information before, during, and after starting work and have the information they need on demand. Along with traditional forms and policies, including unique aspects of the culture, team profiles, organization charts, and upcoming company events.
Is Your Onboarding Customized?
Your onboarding needs to be customized for each level in the organization. New hires need to know what is critical for their level in terms of strategic direction, key challenges, emerging opportunities, and top priorities. Levels include corporate, location, departmental, team, and individual. Customizing the information shows the new hire how the company is structured and how their role fits with the bigger picture.
Is Your Onboarding Confusing?
Ensure that your onboarding process is clear. Onboarding is more than just adding a new hire to the payroll, setting up their benefits, and providing information about the company. You also need to convey your company’s brand and values, explain your culture, align your expectations with job performance, and provide the necessary tools for assimilating into the role and becoming productive. Keep in mind that onboarding may take weeks or months and should reinforce everything the new hire was told during the recruiting process.
Are You Overloading on Information?
Watch how much information is being given at one time. Sharing everything about both the job and company will make the new hire feel overwhelmed. They already are under pressure to learn their role and quickly begin producing. Adding to a new hire’s stress level typically will block their retention of the material and discourage them from asking questions. Instead, limit the number of forms and information provided on the first day so that the new hire spends no more than two hours on those tasks. Also, pair them with a colleague so they can learn to complete their work. Focus more on making them feel welcome and happy that they joined your company.
Are You Abandoning Your New Hires?
Set aside time to help your new hires with their first few days of work. For instance, share information on the dress code, lunch policies, parking, and other daily items the employee needs to understand. Also, be available to answer questions as they arise. Additionally, set regular check-in times to see how the onboarding process is progressing and address any issues that may arise.
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As one of Southern California’s top accounting recruiters, Alliance Resource Group offers thorough interim, staffing and executive recruitment solutions for organizations of all sizes – from startups to the Fortune 100. We bring our high-touch, sophisticated screening process and unparalleled industry knowledge to every search, from interim professionals to C-level retained searches to temporary accounting operations needs.
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