Employee Onboarding Tips

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Employer Onboarding Tips

The experience a new employee has after accepting a position will set an important precedent for what life at your company will be like. Harnessing the energy and enthusiasm a new hire has in the weeks leading up to their first day and beyond is an easy task but one many businesses fail.

This guide is here to help you to onboard new staff and set them up for success.

First Day Plan

The onboarding process starts well before the first day. It begins when the candidate formally accepts an offer of employment. Some managers may wait until their new employee's first day, but this can hamper your ability to develop an immediate and strong working relationship.

You should aim to keep the new hire excited and as informed as possible. Arrange an informal catch up before they start so you can go over practical information such as dress code or what they need to bring with them on their first day. You may also use this opportunity to give them a welcome pack.

Providing the new employee with a welcome pack containing helpful information can be a great way to leave a lasting impression. You can reduce the amount of paperwork they will need to do on their first day and give them some of the important documents early. 

You should also ensure that security clearance, network and hardware requirements have been arranged prior to their first day. It’s useful to create a simple seating plan with the names of colleagues who are seated around them. 

Week One Plan

Week one will give you the opportunity to set expectations. Don’t expect too much though. The first week should be focused on making connections and learning the basics. 

If you are lucky enough to have a handover with the outgoing employee, create an action plan with that staff member before the first day. Don’t overload them and spread training out over the week with some networking and catch-ups in-between.

Throughout their first week, start introducing the new employee to their immediate team, and key stakeholders, and allow them the opportunity to develop an early rapport. 

Plan for the Future

A detailed three-month plan with key milestones for each month will be the cornerstone to a successful onboarding process. The new starter may have some ideas of their own that they want to explore so make time to discuss these and set clear goals and objectives for the first, second and third months. Whilst this plan should address the immediate needs of the business, you should also include some developmental goals too. You can expand on these goals and convert them into a full professional development plan for the years to come.

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