The Definitive Guide to Successfully Onboarding Your New Employees

Four Keys to Defining the Successful Onboarding of New Employees

With so much riding on employees’ first days, it’s no wonder that organizations are looking for templates, checklists, and steps for the onboarding process. While there isn’t a set-in-stone process that works for every organization, there are four key principles to keep in mind while developing an onboarding process or deciding how your onboarding process can be improved. Each of these keys helps your onboarding process shape the rest of the overall employee journey, from enjoyable first days to long-term productivity and engagement.

Develop Deep Connections

During the recruiting process, your organization does its best to leave a good impression with talented job candidates. A successful onboarding process helps complete that good impression, proving that your organization cares about a new hire’s long-term growth and development.

Here are a few suggestions to help this happen:

Take care of paperwork virtually before the first day, so new employees can focus on the onboarding process
Invite the new employee to complete a questionnaire and share the results with the team to help break the ice
Have the manager take the employee to a free lunch with their team (where possible) instead of leaving new employees to fend for themselves

Commitment to the Organization

Employees who felt their onboarding was highly effective were 18 times more likely to feel highly committed to their organization.

Connectedness at Work

91 percent of those who received effective onboarding feel strong connectedness at work, compared to only 29 percent of those who had ineffective onboarding.

Culture Integration

89 percent of those who received effective onboarding felt strongly integrated into their culture, compared to 59 percent of those who received ineffective onboarding.

Benefits Utilization

Those who received effective onboarding reported 50 percent higher benefits utilization.

Integrate New Employees Quickly

Even the most talented new hires need to learn how to best apply their skills to their roles and your organization. They need training to integrate into your processes, collaborate with coworkers, and access their salary and benefits. The onboarding process is a great time to set expectations and create patterns of communication with new employees.

Consider the following ideas:

Facilitate ongoing conversations between managers and employees throughout the onboarding process

Encourage managers to set clear training benchmarks and share them with new employees

Start integrating new hires into team projects where possible

Set the Stage for Long-Term Engagement

It’s not enough to get an employee out of the talent pool and into your organization. Your onboarding process should equip your employees with everything they need for a satisfying daily experience. Luckily, effective onboarding uses the same principles that encourage employee engagement as new hires continue with your organization.

Introduce employees to your performance management practices so they know what to expect in the future

Let employees introduce their skills and state what they hope to bring to your organization

Clarify any rewards or recognition programs, or any other methods that let employees know their efforts are appreciated

Focus on Employer Brand

Effective onboarding is an important step in improving how your employees describe your organization to the rest of the world. When your employees feel valued from the beginning of their time in your organization, the reviews they leave reflect well on your organization—not just as a great place to work, but also as an endorsement of your organization’s future success.

Conduct an entry interview to discover why the candidate chose your organization

Assign new employees to be culture detectives, asking their coworkers what’s working well in your culture as they build relationships

Plan on employee development, whether that involves preparing the employee for the management track or advancing in a chosen field of expertise

The Definitive Guide to Successfully Onboarding Your New Employees

What do your new employees think of your onboarding process?

Four Keys to Defining the Successful Onboarding of New Employees

Develop Deep Connections

Commitment to the Organization

Connectedness at Work

Culture Integration

Benefits Utilization

For additional perspective on the employee journey, check out these eight focus areas for HR best practices.

Integrate New Employees Quickly

Performance

Time to Contribution

Role Clarity

Set the Stage for Long-Term Engagement

Job Satisfaction

Engagement

Organizational Support

Continue organizational support with effective one-on-one meetings between managers and employees.

Focus on Employer Brand

Perceptions of the Organization

Perceptions of HR

Often, the most important step is the first step.

About the Research