You did it, you finally found the perfect candidate for your organization’s job opening. You crafted an exciting  job posting, reviewed lots of resumes and cover letters, had some excellent conversations with potential candidates, and delivered an offer letter. So, now what?

Typically, the next step that takes place is the onboarding process. This is the part that entails acclimating new hires to the environment. From proper training, learning more about their responsibilities, understanding what is expected of them, and analyzing the company culture, this is the perfect opportunity for new hires to engage with the team.

With this in mind, a smooth onboarding process is not something that should be overlooked. According to research  “organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%”. Given this information, a great onboarding process provides plenty of opportunities, including reduced turnover and increased productivity.

Below, we will discuss how to create and implement the ultimate onboarding process, along with some stats from a recent LinkedIn poll published by Comrise, a global staffing & consulting firm. 

1. Create and foster a welcoming environment

First of all, creating a welcoming environment for new hires will help set the tone for a positive company culture from the get-go. Entering new workplaces and adjusting can be nerve-wracking for new hires, so it’s important to help them feel comfortable.

According to our LinkedIn poll, 33% of participants mentioned that feeling welcomed means the most to them. If new employees feel a sense of belonging, they will be more excited to get started and take on projects. Here are a few ideas on how employers can reinforce a welcoming environment:

Set up their workspace: If your company is operating in the office, make sure to set up their workspace. This can include having their work essentials ready to go and even including some company swag as a welcome gift.

Take them out to lunch: This goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip. If you’re in the office or operating on a hybrid work schedule, take your new hire out to lunch. This provides a space outside of the office to chat with them casually and get to know them.

Introduce them to the team: The most important tip of all, introduce them to the team! Whether it’s on a company video call or in-person, make sure they meet as many members as they can. If you’re fully remote or have colleagues located  in different parts of the world, it’s also  helpful to draft a mass welcome email that introduces your new hire and highlights their experience and background. 

2. Assign mentors to new hires

Providing your new hires with a mentor is a great way to set them up for success. The first 90 days are the most pivotal for new hires, so it’s key for mentors to guide them in the right direction and assist them with professional development.

In our LinkedIn poll, 18% of respondents agreed that being assigned a mentor was important to them. It should be noted that mentors should have a full understanding on how to properly guide a new hire effectively. Some key things to note when being a mentor to new hires include:

Establish goals: Mentors should assist new hires in mapping out their goals and how they will achieve them. This will be essential in monitoring progress.

Establish trust: Mentors should reflect on their own experiences on being new to a team and be transparent about it. Transparency can help create a solid foundation of trust between the mentor and new hire.

Establish strengths & weaknesses: Assessing strengths and weaknesses will be helpful in pinpointing areas that need improvement. Mentors can help new hires overcome their weaknesses and fears, essentially converting them into strengths.

3. Provide a seamless training program

To begin, training programs are undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of the onboarding process. All of the key points we’ve made up to this point make up a portion of the training program. Training programs and onboarding isn’t necessarily inexpensive, so it’s important to build a program that is totally seamless.

According to the majority of our poll participants, 38%  to be exact, a seamless training program is the most important part of the onboarding process. Building a stress-free program that provides new hires with the knowledge they need to succeed is crucial. Not all training programs will be alike; however, the following tips should be kept in-mind when building out a program:

Training in-house: Next, in-house training can be beneficial to new hires learning the ropes of business. Assigning team members as facilitators to training sessions gives new hires the opportunity to interact with colleagues in different departments and better understand each area of the business.

Perfect the training materials: Ensure that the training material provided to new hires is informational and easy to understand. This includes any documents or PowerPoint presentations that may be used during the training sessions. These tools may be helpful for them to reference later.

Create a training schedule: Create an organized document that maps out the training schedule from start to finish. This includes any training sessions, courses, sample projects, etc. that should be completed during the onboarding process. As a result, this will not only help your new hires stay on track, but it will also give them peace of mind, knowing what to expect each step of the way. 

4. Do weekly check-ins

Weekly check-ins are not limited to new hires, they are actually a great way to communicate assignment progress, questions or concerns, and new projects that may be in the works. Consequently, check-ins on a weekly basis can also eliminate micromanagement within the organization.

According to our recent LinkedIn poll, only 12% of respondents felt that weekly check-ins were important to them. However, if weekly check-ins are done correctly, they can increase employee engagement. Below, are a few ways to ensure that your weekly check-ins are engaging and effective:

Create a safe space for asking questions: Eliminate all feelings of intimidation and create a space that allows new hires to ask questions or even address any concerns they may have.

Connect with employees: We understand that work is work, but having friendly banter is healthy in the workplace. Ask colleagues about what they did on the weekend or if they have any interesting new things to share.

Be consistent with check-ins: It can be quite irritating when a calendar invite employees have been preparing for gets cancelled. If you’re conducting weekly check-ins, be consistent so that colleagues feel prioritized.

All in all, creating the ultimate onboarding process doesn’t have to be complicated. The most impactful onboarding processes acclimate new hires, give them the power and resources to excel in their new roles, and assist in retaining talent.

*Research Conducted by Brandon Hall Group