Steps to Smooth Out the Onboarding Process

Practice in training numerous new hires over the years has helped me figure out what information I need to compile and pass on, how I am going to present this information so it is absorbed, and how we can make a relationship work from day one.

Often, the onboarding process in the majority of organizations is siloed. You have the affected department working with Human Resources (HR) to post a position. HR gathers all the candidate information for the department manager to sift through and decide on the top candidates. Then numerous interviews are conducted and a candidate is finally chosen. Too often, once a hire is made, it is then time for training to make them a successful team member for your department and your organization.

The process is anything but simple, but there are some steps that can be taken along the way to make sure the process goes more smoothly:

Communicate Early

Your department may require a new hire due to it currently being short-staffed because an individual is moving to another department, is retiring, or leaving the organization. Make your team fully aware of the situation from day one, and communicate the timeline for the new hire to ideally be onboarded. This provides the trainer a great opportunity to think about creating or updating orientation and training manuals, work with other departments for introductions, arrange onsite visits/meetings/security passes, and ensure they will have all the tools ready to hit the ground running.

What to Do Just Prior to New Hire Start Date

Make it transparent to your team who the head trainer will be for this new hire. This should be the person who is essentially the subject matter expert for the department and role of the new hire. They have been there, done that, and have experience in a variety of aspects of the team and the department. Involve team members in the training process by giving them tasks where their strengths shine daily. Provide them with a checklist of who will be doing what and for how long.

You should also inform delegated trainers on how they will conduct the training. Is it fully remote, at a physical location, or a hybrid mix? If using technology, always perform drills with other team members to ensure everything is working optimally. For physical and hybrid training, ensure you have a more detailed agenda.

Excitement Day – Your New Hire is Ready

Your new hire should be well introduced to everyone on your team. Have your manager send out communication to the organization with introductions. Details should include what they will be doing, their location, their professional accolades, their personal interests, challenges and successes.

Keep The Momentum Going

Training should not end abruptly. Make every effort to schedule weekly, biweekly, or monthly meetings with your new hire for any questions and concerns, and any areas that may require additional training. We all want to be a part of a team and feel like we are contributing the very best of ourselves to the organization.

To read more about what I’ve written about the onboarding process, click here.