The immense importance of onboarding is already established. Its effect on employee performance, productivity, and retention is also widely known in the industry. The great reshuffle and tight talent market are making it even more critical to onboard employees properly and foster employee engagement and motivation. Remote hiring and onboarding forced organizations to change their onboarding strategies and become more dynamic and agile to adapt to the changes.
These new-age organizations are always in search of new technologies and solutions and onboarding is no exception to it. So, the best HR onboarding software is getting introduced by the industry vendors. But it is not enough to get an onboarding application with multiple features. But they also need a well-defined onboarding strategy. To devise an onboarding strategy organizational leaders must analyze what consists of an onboarding program. Though there are many components depending on the people, roles, organization, and industry it involves, there are some repetitive and major components that are used in onboarding programs and practices.
Key components of the onboarding program
There is a variety of ways to conduct an onboarding program, but some essential elements are common to successful onboarding programs:
Preboarding
Some organizations believe onboarding starts after a candidate accepts the offer. After accepting the employee contact or offer and before they start working for the organization, the period is generally utilized for preboarding activities. Employers may want to connect with the employee and start making a bond between the employee and the organization.
- It is a good idea to conduct an office tour for new employees and their families. For remote onboarding, companies can use a virtual or online tour of the office, surrounding locations, and facilities for newly hired employees.
- Mailing or emailing the company literature, employee handbook, and information regarding the compensation and benefits, organizational charts, etc. is also a common practice during preboarding.
- Sending care packages is a great way to introduce the company and make a favorable impression on the new hires. It can include small gift items, cookies, coffee, coffee mug, candles, tees, or anything preferably with a company logo. Organizations may also send videos for a more engaging employee experience.
- Many organizations are now adopting a buddy system for new hire onboarding. This can start from the preboarding stage. Onboarding or HR professionals can introduce or connect with a buddy who will answer their questions like what to wear, what to expect, where to eat, etc.
Onboarding software solutions are essential for preboarding candidates. Some of the best HR onboarding software are now available with automated emailing and communication facilities. These software solutions can be utilized to conduct video conferencing or buddies can chat with new hires through the same HR onboarding application. It is an excellent time to start forging a bond with the newly hired employees which helps to prevent them from dropping out during the onboarding process.
Orientation
New employee orientation is a crucial component of the onboarding process. It is often conducted as a formal event where employees are introduced to the organization’s structure, vision, mission, and values. It also consists of new hires reviewing the employee handbook and being notified of major policies, rules, and regulations for compliance. A large part of it is spent on the necessary paperwork, reviewing and performing pertinent administrative procedures, and document processing. Though some of it can be done through digital documentation, emails, and digital signature through onboarding solutions. Best HR onboarding solutions are now incorporating these capabilities for their users. What is even better is these activities can begin with HR onboarding solutions online in the preboarding phase.
It helps to create a positive impression, reinforces the corporate image, and familiarizes the new hire with the organization. Often orientation session ends with questions where these new joiners can ask questions to the leadership. It offers these new hires a forum for open dialogue and raising questions. Best HR onboarding software are armed with features to handle most of these tasks online. For example, the HR onboarding application may have a repository with audio, video, and text materials for rules, regulations, company literature, and employee handbook. The orientation can be performed online through the video conferencing tool integrated into these solutions.
Foundation building
An organization’s distinctive pillars of culture, mission, employee value proposition, brand, and other key foundations must be lived and communicated consistently through the onboarding process. But it will take new recruits many months to understand and put this into practice. They can’t absorb it in the first week or the first month. we have to remember that an onboarding program’s development is aided by a clear understanding of the organization’s fundamental beliefs and aspirational goals. So effective onboarding should last for several months.
According to a study, onboarding should take at least a year. It informed that there are five key inquiries made during this period. These queries when answered resulted in a fantastic onboarding program that can prepare employees for success in their role and offer satisfaction.
1) What do we believe in around here?
2) What are my strengths?
3) What is my role?
4) Who are my partners?
5) What does my future here look like?
Providing answers to these pivotal questions can support the onboarding foundations and help to optimize the onboarding practices of the organization.
Mentoring and buddy system
To assist the new employee throughout the onboarding process, several organizations use official or informal mentorship or buddy systems. Buddies and mentors could be chosen by the department manager or HR specialist, or they may be volunteered to become a mentor to the new hires. In some companies, new hires are assigned to be buddies because they have direct experience of what has benefitted them the most during the onboarding process. So, what benefit does a buddy system offer?
The mentor’s or buddy’s primary responsibility is to provide the new hire with something like a connection to someone who can give advice without being directly in charge of them or operating in an official capacity. The mentor or buddy may be responsible for carrying out menial chores like providing directions to the cafeteria or bathrooms or explaining parking regulations, or he or she may be involved in assisting the employee in comprehending the complexities of working in the company.
Depending on the length of the official onboarding program and the interpersonal relationship, especially in more casual settings, mentors and buddies may be paired with a new hire for a day, week, month, or even a year.
New hires can really use an employee management chatbot that will offer them all the necessary information about the organization instead of approaching a buddy, supervisor, HR, or different department officials. Integrating a service like Mind Chat with organizational information, required documents and materials, and employee data will help new hires access any details faster, and with more ease. Mind Chat is an Omind chatbot as a service offering that can be integrated with different systems on various platforms. Now. some of the best HR onboarding software solutions are integrating chatbot software for resolving employee queries and helping them with basic tasks and procedures.
Reboarding
Reboarding refers to updating the employee on current and new projects, adapting him or her to new team cultures and dynamics, and assisting the employee in understanding varying expectations for success on the job. It occurs when the employee is returning from an extended absence (e.g., a layoff, medical leave, or secondment) or experiences an internal transfer or promotion. Investing in reboarding may enhance productivity in a shorter amount of time and provide workers the chance to re-engage with their teams and jobs on an emotional and social level, which will increase engagement and job satisfaction.
Wrap Up
It is essential to design an onboarding program keeping in mind that every organization is unique. Different departments and people are involved in the onboarding program. Also, people who are receiving onboarding can be very different. A fresher and a manager need different onboarding approaches and activities. A returning employee does not need to know about company culture, unlike a newly recruited employee. So, all the elements should be carefully implemented, and keep these things in mind for a successful implementation of an onboarding program.