Employee Onboarding - Plan

In modern organizations sharpened by technology and tough competition, the HRD of every company leave no stone unturned to go for hiring and retaining talented employees. With this intent in mind, they all go for having a successful onboarding plan for the new breed that join the organization. Onboarding plan, therefore, gives a good start towards achieving the goals of the organization.

The advocates of onboarding describe it as a comprehensive approach to bringing on new hires that goes beyond simple orientation. Managers are often so obsessed to recruit talented workers that they neglect to think about what will happen once the new hire arrives ready to work. It s really about calculating the cost of hiring new workers to the business. Companies need new hires to be productive and at a small company especially, every employee counts.

Think onboarding begins on an employee s first day? Wrong. A successful onboarding program actually begins during the recruitment and hiring process. An onboarding process is pnked to and in some ways starts with the employer brand that you create to attract people who are the right fit for your company s overall goals. Experts suggest you begin the orientation process before a candidate is formally hired by including ample information about your workplace and your culture in the Careers section on your website.

A new hire will surely be required do a lot of paperwork, so why not get a headstart? Many companies choose to send necessary legal forms along with a formal offer letter. You can also send an employee handbook ahead of time, so that new staff members aren t overwhelmed with information on the first day.

On a company Intranet, you can make available to a new hire multimedia such as videos and podcasts that state your company s overall strategic goals, talk about your company s values, and provide employee testimonials. As a bonus, these videos can feature company leaders, which will help introduce key players, cutting down on the endless name game that typically happens on an employee s first day.

Here s a pst of things you should have ready by the time your new hires walk in the door −

Sending a new employee welcome mail to everyone in the company

Set up a workstation

Get the new worker a security badge if he or she needs one

Creating the new employee s e-mail account

Have a stack of business cards waiting

Providing a nameplate on his or her desk or office door

Setting up his or her phone system and provide instructions for using voicemail

Providing guides for any necessary software he or she will be using

A new employee s immediate supervisor should also be present on the first day. The worst thing you can do is have new hires show up when their immediate supervisor isn t there for three or four days. It s pke getting married and not having your spouse on your honeymoon.