Onboarding can be an exciting time for a new employee and for the hiring managers who found the perfect candidate to fill the position. Unfortunately, onboarding doesn’t quite look the way it used to prior to the pandemic. Gone are the days of introducing co workers in person or taking a tour of the facility. Onboarding is now quite frequently done virtually and digitally. How has your business adapted to the changes in this process?
Organization Prior to the First Day
Most businesses spend most of the first day(s) of any new employee’s term helping the person get to know the parameters of the job as well as introducing key members of the team. In addition, there is usually a heap of paperwork that needs to be completed for payroll, human resources, and benefits. This can all be done remotely fairly easily.
Start by organizing an agenda for the first day (or days) for your new hire. Prepare digital copies of any paperwork that needs to be completed and arrange time in the schedule for this to be completed while having phone or video access to an HR manager or a leader in the company who can answer any questions that may arise.
In setting an agenda for the first day of onboarding, arrange a team meeting to “introduce” the new employee remotely. Allow for a quick introduction of key players and then set him/her up with the needed technology and contact info to connect with them whenever the need may come up.
After a preliminary and visual meeting, allow for some time to get the paperwork completed and get all the housekeeping things set such as logins, delivery of any hardware, and a brief rundown of responsibilities.
Break Training into Steps
Since training may be remote, make it easy to follow by breaking it down into easy-to-understand steps. Explain each aspect of the job’s responsibilities and then allow the new employee a chance to try it for themselves. After completing each step, assign the employee a series of activities that allow you to assess his or her understanding of the task. When the employee has mastered an item, move on to the next one.
This will allow them to not get overwhelmed with what needs to be done and will also give managers a chance to make sure that an understanding of how things should be done is being accomplished.
Assign a Mentor
This has been used for years but may be most helpful in this new work world we seem to find ourselves in currently. Assign a mentor who is available to answer questions and can give advice throughout the workday. This may be a great way to give a leadership role to someone rising up in the company and allow a newcomer to have a sounding board as they adjust to their new position.
For more resources on onboarding, check out our resources pages at North Shore Career Center and MassHire North Shore.
