Onboarding a new employee—that is, introducing them to the company's procedures and processes—can be tricky to get right. Many businesses fumble this part of the process, leaving the new hire feeling overwhelmed and confused. Yet how well you onboard can significantly affect how well a new employee integrates into the organization, as well as their future success. To find out best practices employers should take to ensure a smooth employee onboarding process, we asked YEC members for their best advice.
What's one important step employers should take during onboarding to ensure their new hires are successful from day one?
Provide new hires with a list of team members who can offer help
We give new employees a short list of team members in different departments who can be a resource to them. These team members know that they're one of the resources so they are ready and available to answer questions. This process helps new employees feel more comfortable to ask questions or go for help. —Nanxi Liu, Blaze.tech
Set clear expectations
One crucial step employers should take to ensure their new hires succeed right away during the onboarding phase is to provide clear expectations and support. This includes offering thorough training, assigning mentors or buddies, and regularly checking in to address any questions or concerns. —Evan Nierman, Red Banyan
Ensure learning materials and tools are up to date
If you want to ensure that new hires have a successful onboarding process, I'd suggest reviewing and constantly updating the tools and materials you provide. It's best to offer information in multiple formats, such as printouts and videos, to accommodate different learning styles. For best results, combine this with personal mentoring with one or more experienced employees. —Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting
Assign an onboarding buddy
Combine a thorough orientation with the assignment of an onboarding buddy for up to 90 days. In addition, provide a supportive direct supervisor for higher-level tasks, and grant access to a comprehensive employee handbook and training materials. Along the way, offer positive reinforcement for early successes. —Givona Sandiford, Melospeech
Monitor the progress of new employees
Assuming the onboarding process is streamlined, employers should try to check in with new hires to monitor progress throughout their onboarding. Several small check-ins in the first few days, with frequency tapering off over time, will ensure success. Issues arise quickly in the first few days, and employees are often shy about asking for assistance. —Jack Perkins, CFO Hub
Ask for feedback
The best way to see if there are any gaps in your onboarding process is to solicit feedback, talking to those who recently went through the process. Ask new hires if there was anything they felt was missing during their onboarding. Without talking to those who have actually gone through your company’s process, you are shooting in the dark.—Jordan Conrad, Writing Explained
Thoroughly document standard operating procedures
The first step is thoroughly documenting SOPs (standard operating procedures). Provide clear guidelines for carrying out tasks and ensure that all team members can follow standardized processes regardless of experience level. This streamlines workflows and promotes smooth operations, even during times of transition or turnover. To set a new team member up for success, it's important to create a foundation even before they start. —Thomas Smale, FE International
