As the economy returns to normal, there are around 6.3 million new hires per month, according to the BLS.
If you own one of those growing businesses that are regularly recruiting new team members, you’ll know that it takes a lot of effort to find the ideal person for the job. In this light, you want your new employees to stick around for the long haul.
A well-thought-out and welcoming onboarding process is one way to ensure this happens. Keep reading for some ideas to help take your employee onboarding to the next level.
- Meet and Greet for New Hires
As soon as they’ve signed their offer letter, send your new hire all the paperwork they need so they can fill it in before they start. With this aspect out of the way, you can focus fully on making them feel appreciated and welcomed.
One of the best onboarding tips is to schedule a Zoom meeting or a lunch with fellow employees. You can host this at work or at a nearby restaurant.
Be sure to include a few members of your management team in the invitation, so they feel important and valued.
- Schedule an Office Tour
Before the new employee arrives for their first shift, get in touch with more information about their work day. This may include videos about company culture, an example of a daily schedule, or maps of the building layout.
Invite them to visit your offices for a tour before they start, so they can get to meet some of their colleagues working in other departments.
- Personalize the Experience
Reach out to your new hire to find out about some of their preferences. For instance, if they have a choice, you can ask them if they prefer a Windows or an iOS operating system.
Try to glean some personal information from these interactions, so you can surprise them with a swag kit brimming with the things they like most.
- Onboarding Activities for Day One
Some of the best onboarding ideas to introduce team members to your company are a treasure hunt or a quiz. Base the questions and clues on important company information, such as the office layout.
If you have several new people starting at the same time, you can involve them all at once. Otherwise, rope in some team members to create a fun, competitive atmosphere.
There’s been a revolution in understanding how the brain works to remember information most effectively. We now know that one-time, long sessions to onboard simply don’t work. That’s especially true when the information is complex. The best onboarding and ongoing training methods are those that prioritize key concepts and deliver them in short, daily bites that last no more than five minutes.
- Keep the Momentum Going
Once you’ve integrated your new employee, don’t forget about them. Onboarding activities should continue for at least a month after their first day.
These may include meet-ups to check on their progress, follow-up emails, and phone calls to check how they’re fitting in.
6. Communicate expectations and goals up front.
It’s important that new hires understand performance expectations, key priorities for the next six to 12 months and how they fit within the overall team. One highly effective method is building a one-page goals and objectives plan for the year along with a role and responsibilities scenario exercise. The clears up unclear expectations and gray areas on how they fit in with the team.
Getting Off to a Great Start
Happy employees who know what’s expected of them are an enormous asset to any business. They’re productive, engaged, loyal, and unlikely to resign easily.
New hires are a great sign you’re doing something right when it comes to growing your business. Don’t quit while you’re getting ahead, browse our blog for more of the best business tips.
