9 Onboarding Best Practices That Improve Employee Retention & Productivity

According to a research by Glassdoor, a well-planned onboarding process increases new hires’ productivity by 70 percent and retention by 82 percent.

A positive onboarding process is crucial to any business, as it helps retain good employees and encourages them to work more effectively.

Today, Camelo is going to show you 9 onboarding best practices that you should implement when building your company’s onboarding procedure.

Start before the starting day

The onboarding process has begun way before the first day of work of the new hire, from the moment your company appears on the search bar or an ad of a recruitment website.

Everything about your business that job-seekers can find online will give them an idea of their working experience at your company.

Make sure that your branding and messages are honest, consistent, and appealing to attract high potential applicants.

If you reach out to a suitable candidate for the role you’re hiring, make the experience as professional and engaging as possible. Don’t wait until they physically appear at your business’ location to start the onboarding process.

Make expectations and tasks clear

Requirements, tasks, and expectations should be made explicit right from the beginning. If you’re a new start-up and things can get hectic, don’t hesitate to tell the candidates.

You don’t want them to run off after a few days of work just because you didn’t make the requirements clear from the start. This costs you a lot of time and money for nothing.

Inform candidates about HR processes

Essential information about salary, benefits, and company procedures should be informed to the new hires. This will ensure them that your business is credible, trustworthy, and organized.

Send them forms and paperwork they need to fill out. You can send digital documents in advance, and let them sign when you see them in person.

Prepare necessary equipment

If the new role requires the use of certain equipment such as computers, desks, or chairs, you should set them up as soon as possible. Purchase the necessary device, clean and prepare a workspace for the new employee.

And don’t forget to ask the new employee about things that he/she needs to do the job well. You don’t have to provide everything they ask for, but it’s professional and it shows that you care.

Help answer the essential questions

Besides questions about job tasks, a new employee may have numerous queries about the new environment.

You should take the new hires on an office tour so they can get familiar with the layout and culture at the new workplace.

Help them answer essential questions such as:

• Where are the restrooms?
• Who should they contact in case they need something?
• Where can they take a break?
• Where can they have lunch?
• Are there any chat groups they need to join?

These questions seem to be tiny, but they are often wondered by all new comers.

Welcoming practices

Work environment is an important factor that influences employee’s satisfaction and retention. If you have someone new on your team, introduce him/her to other members and help them build relationships.

You can set up team lunches, give small welcome gifts, or organize get-to-know activities. These small gestures help new employees feel involved and less worried.

Regular check-ins

Once everything needed is set up, don’t just leave the new hire there. Check in with them regularly so that they don’t feel abandoned.

New people often feel lost and insufficient for the job if no one in the new workplace cares about them. Assign a mentor for them if you can.

Ask new employees for feedback

There maybe little problems in your onboarding process that you can’t figure out. Asking for feedback and recommendations from employees will help you make changes and refine your practices accordingly.

You don’t have to ask your employees right away. Wait for a few days, or months, or at the end of the onboarding process. Involve both new hires and former staff.

Have a checklist for your onboarding process

Getting the practices down on paper ensures that you don’t miss any important step, and you can add them to company procedures if your company expands.

If you haven’t had a clear onboarding checklist for your business, you can download it here.

Conclusion

Although there might be numerous factors affecting the onboarding process such as the new hire’s role or your business’ needs, implementing the best onboarding practices is a vital thing to do.

If you make a positive impact on your employee’s work experience, they are more likely to be productive, engaged, and stay with your company for longer. In other words, you alleviate the headache of hiring, training, and spending on new hires.