Small businesses are the backbone of the country. And every year, they create approximately 1.5 million new jobs.
If you’re responsible for hiring top-tier talent, you know that getting qualified applicants is just the tip of the iceberg. You also have to bring that new talent up to speed once you decide to hire someone.
The easiest way to do that is through a comprehensive onboarding process. But the standard onboarding experience can leave a lot to be desired. Here are a few tips to help you improve the experience quickly.
1. Ask Your Team for Feedback
The easiest way to start improving the onboarding experience is to ask your current team for feedback. Find out what they enjoyed about the onboarding process as well as what they thought was lacking.
If they have suggestions for improvement, take note and see what you can implement in your upcoming training sessions. If they mention things they loved, find ways to keep those elements in your new onboarding process.
2. Prioritize Your New-Hire Orientation
New-hire orientation is the time when you introduce your new employees to the company, its values, and everything you have to offer. Use this to your advantage. Remember, it’s your job to get your new team members as excited for their position as possible.
During that orientation, take the time to show new hires around the property. Point out key places like restrooms, break areas, and kitchens. Discuss the company’s culture and values in detail. And give new team members a quick tutorial on how to use the basic tools like the company email system and phones.
The orientation should focus on the company experience. That means you’ll want to streamline the employee paperwork process so you can focus on welcoming your new hires onto the team.
3. Encourage Socialization
The key to building a thriving company culture lies in helping your team connect with one another. Unfortunately, many employers keep orientation formal. They don’t give new team members the chance to socialize with others in the company.
Change things up. Instead, encourage your new hires to talk to others in their department and amongst themselves. Give them time throughout the onboarding process to talk with each other rather than just listening to what you’re telling them.
This will create a more open and inviting feel during their first few days with the company. Even better, it can go a long way toward encouraging high retention rates.
Improving the Onboarding Process Is Simple
When it comes to learning how to improve the onboarding process, these simple onboarding tips should help you get started. By consulting with your current team members and creating an orientation process that encourages new relationships, you’ll set your new team members up for success.
Just remember that onboarding is just one part of getting new talent up to speed. Check out our latest posts for more tips and tricks to help you get your newest employees up and running quickly.
