After weeding out applicants and going through the interview process, it's always a relief for new employees to accept your job offer. But now it's time for them to complete their new hire paperwork.
What kind of impression will paper forms give about your company if you don't currently offer a paperless onboarding platform?
In today's world, most employers have already adopted employee onboarding software to streamline the onboarding process. If, however, you are still using paper forms, you may be giving employees a negative first impression of your organization while also missing out on several other benefits.
There are many personal details that employees must provide to a company to be paid, along with proof they are legally authorized to work in the U.S. Paperless onboarding is a modern, digital onboarding process that replaces traditional paper-based methods to gather this information.
While initially you may get resistance for adopting a paperless employee onboarding system, the benefits of making the change will far outweigh any drawbacks.
By utilizing paperless onboarding software, most businesses can manage the entire onboarding process electronically, from the initial offer letter to the completion of all required forms and documents. Your digital system will automatically route forms for approvals and electronic signatures from hiring managers, ensuring nothing gets forgotten in the shuffle. No more chasing down missing forms for payroll with digital documents!
A paperless onboarding system allows new employees to complete onboarding paperwork and sign forms digitally, all from any device and at their convenience. This means tax documents, direct deposit forms, company policies, and accessing the employee handbook can all be done before their first day. It also eliminates the need to handwrite, scan, or physically submit paperwork.
Keep in mind that any time spent completing paperwork and reviewing company policies, whether digital or via paper, is compensable work time.
When you eliminate the need to handwrite, scan, and physically submit paperwork, you reduce human error and the likelihood that you might lose or misplace forms. Once new employees enter data into the HR system, it can auto-populate multiple documents within the system.
Rather than using filing cabinets or scattered folders, all employee records are stored on one platform. This provides secure document storage and easy retrieval for audits, compliance, and reporting. It also helps companies maintain compliance with legal requirements, as all documents are stored safely and can be accessed by authorized personnel when needed.
In the end, this setup not only reduces the risk of lost paperwork but also enhances data security and privacy for both your business and your employees.
Built-in reminders and digital timestamps help you stay on top of deadlines for I-9 verification, benefits eligibility, and other time-sensitive requirements. They also ensure legal forms are completed correctly and stored securely.
Most new hires are anxious to meet the team and get down to business. They don’t want to fill out endless piles of paper, often repeating the same information over and over.
Instead of being handed a stack of paperwork, your new team members get a seamless, efficient onboarding experience where they can focus on meeting coworkers and understanding their new roles. Employees feel less overwhelmed and more supported when they have a smoother, more engaging employee experience that starts before day one.
Although it may feel like a cost drain at first, employee onboarding software actually helps HR teams save hours on administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-value work like employee engagement and training. Companies also save on printing, copying, and storage costs. In the end, the investment becomes a cost savings rather than an expense.
With a digital onboarding approach, HR teams can efficiently manage and track the progress of new hires, ensuring that every step of the onboarding process is completed accurately and on time. This provides the benefit of saving time while improving processes.
Paperless onboarding enables you to create a great first impression for new hires, which is crucial for employee retention, satisfaction, and positive company culture. By adopting a paperless onboarding process, you demonstrate a commitment to efficiency, innovation, and modernization of your HR processes.
Many human resources information systems (HRIS) already include paperless onboarding as a software feature. If you do not currently have an HRIS or it lacks this capability, assess your current processes and make a list of your company needs. For example, small businesses may be more concerned about safeguarding important documents and improving efficiencies than having robust features of a high-end solution.
When you have narrowed down the options to a select few, request the provider demo frequently asked questions like integration with HR systems, user friendliness, and compliance tracking. Be sure to gather feedback from your team prior to making your final decision.
Another option is to outsource your HR to a Professional Employer Organization like Stratus HR that provides paperless onboarding as part of their HRIS at no additional cost.
If your company values efficiency but your employee orientation still includes paper forms for new hire onboarding, it's time to build a business case for modernizing your process. The benefits of paperless onboarding are clear: increased efficiency, fewer errors, reduced administrative burdens, and improved compliance with regulatory requirements.
Want to make your life easier with paperless onboarding? Book a free consultation and our team will contact you shortly.