According to Harvard Business Review, companies that onboard successfully are not only “more likely to retain their new hires” but also “report measurable profit growth”. We know this, there is a stack of evidence to back it up, and yet so many organisations continue to fall short of doing it well.

‘Death by induction’, as it’s sometimes referred to, is the act of an organisation causing avoidable disconnect through a lack of preparation in the early stages of a new employee’s appointment. First impressions – after all – are critical to long-term engagement and commitment.

So how do you implement and facilitate onboarding practices that will set new hires up for success? Moreover, how do you get your key stakeholders and influencers to contribute to driving these practices?

Inclusivity & Engagement Is Paramount

First and foremost, it is imperative that key stakeholders – particularly management – foster engagement with new hires from day one. This principle should also apply to contractors, whether they are in for a single day or a month – every new starter should be made to feel like they are part of the team.

Aside from early and genuine engagement having a lasting impact on the extent to which a new employee forges commitment and motivation, it also serves as a reputation building exercise at the very least. With contractors, you never know when you might come to rely on them in the future, so even if their contribution is initially quite short, it always pays to build a strong relationship from the beginning.

Be On The Front Foot From The Outset

Ensure you establish a detailed and well-curated schedule for training sessions and meet-and-greets with relevant stakeholders before the new employee starts. The worst possible scenario in a new employee’s first few weeks is that they are left to feel like an after-thought.

Aim For Digitalised, Streamlined and Easily Accessible Documentation

Digitalising a customisable onboarding process is not only more eco-friendly and efficient; it also saves time come a new hire’s start date. There is no reason why you can’t get all the ‘paperwork’ issued, signed, and sent back digitally before the start date. Doing so saves time and allows you to focus on the more interesting stuff (like rapport building and training) once they have come on board.

Prepare A ‘Red Carpet’ Environment

Whether it’s on the factory floor, or in the office, preparing a new hire’s environment well and truly before they have started is critical for conjuring a sense of inclusiveness, organisation and professionalism. Providing and setting up things like equipment, uniforms, safety gear, computers, email addresses, OH&S collateral, contact lists etc. should all be pre-empted, tested and readily available before day one – this helps create the most seamless and productive new hire experience possible.

Onboarding Is Management’s Responsibility, not HR’s

Without a doubt, human resources can play a critical role in attracting, growing and retaining new hires within an organisation; however, it is an incorrect assumption that HR should solely facilitate the onboarding process. In some organisations, HR may coordinate some of the paperwork, but management should always adopt primary responsibility for onboarding, particularly with factors such as relationship facilitating and ensuring new staff members meet with and understand the roles of significant colleagues and stakeholders.

It should be clear from the outset as to who upholds what role in inducting and welcoming new people, and this should be built into the organisation’s onboarding processes.

Processes Are Nothing Without Advocates

Once you have all your processes in shape, you will need advocates within the organisation to get behind the importance of effective onboarding and help you to facilitate it. These advocates, or ‘sponsors’ if you like, can be people from any level, who value the importance of induction and ensuring others have a positive experience. Doing so can also be built into KPIs, company values, and job descriptions as part of wider efforts to integrate the emphasis on sound onboarding practices as inherit components to an organisation’s culture.

Onboarding Should Be Ongoing

While onboarding is associated with the beginning of a new hire’s journey, its core principles should be nurtured and sustained throughout the entirety of an employee’s time within an organisation. Again, this applies to contractors as well. Factors such as training, relationship building, upskilling, occupational health and safety, performance management and professional development, should all be treated as dynamic, integral, and evolving components to harnessing the success of employees.

Have you got questions about this article or about staffing needs? Phone us at Blaze Staffing Solutions on 1300 008 005 to speak with one of our recruitment specialists or email us at info@blazestaffing.com.au