Onboarding Reduces New Employee Turnover

First impressions are hard to erase.  After spending countless hours of writing job descriptions, marketing available positions, sifting through resumes, interviewing candidates, and making job offers, wouldn’t it make sense to have an organized onboarding process to set the stage for success?

Unfortunately, many small employers neglect to properly onboard new employees.

It’s during the onboarding process that a new employee prepares to sink or swim – it generates excitement or kills enthusiasm. To get things going on a positive note and reduce possible turnover, here are preparations you should make before the employee starts their new job, as well as how the process should look on that anticipated first day.

Onboarding Before the First Day

1. Prepare everything in advance. 

   Have all credentials and paperwork ready to go, such as the employee’s new email address, login information, and anything else they may need as a new employee at your workplace. This may include resending Outlook invitations to meetings that they may not have been included on previously.
   • If you really want to impress a new employee, have all of the new hire paperwork available online to be completed before the first day at the office.
     
     

2. Let coworkers know when a new employee is starting. 

   Consider sending an email out the day before telling employees to watch for the new employee and encourage a warm welcome. Don’t let it be a surprise to anyone.
   
   

3. Have work ready. 

   A bored employee on the first day sets a negative tone. You hired this employee because you need extra help, so put them to work as soon as orientation is complete! Help them feel part of the team from the beginning, but be careful not to overload.

Onboarding On the First Day

1. Welcome them. 

   Watch for the new employee and greet them when she arrives.
   
   

2. Introduce them. 

   If you are personally unavailable, assign a “buddy” to mentor and introduce the new employee to everyone and help them get settled in.
   
   

3. Show them around. 

   Take them to their new office or work area and all other important areas of your workplace, such as the restroom, your team’s area, the lunchroom, conference rooms, and so on.
   
   

4. Orient them. 

   Go over critical policies and procedures, particularly timekeeping and reports, as well as important details included in the employee handbook. Provide copies of each to the new employee or show the employee where to find digital copies, and then get a signed acknowledgment form.
   
   

5. One-on-one meeting. 

   If the onboarding process was primarily handled by the mentor, take time to meet with the employee individually to go over your expectations and to discover what they may need from you personally.
   
   

6. Put them to work!

Set the standard from the beginning to let employees know that you care about them and are invested in their success with your company. 

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