6 min to read
A Good Onboarding Experience: How to Get It Right
Onboarding tips for growth and productivity.
A good onboarding experience is about giving you the tools and information needed to offer value to the clients as soon as you walk in the door (or as it’s 2024, join your first zoom meeting).
Let me give you a bit of background: a specific public sector engagement I have worked on has scaled from tens of people in 2019 to hundreds in 2023. Whilst it’s unlikely that effective onboarding was the sole reason for this growth, one thing is certain – with so many new people coming through the door, getting onboarding right is crucial to avoid a disruption in business growth.
Let me share with you some of the things this organisation did, and why it’s important.
Avoid thumb-twiddling
The onboarding process starts as soon as the offer is confirmed. For example, the first day can go much more smoothly if access and devices are set up before someone arrives on their first day. Failing to do so could result in people waiting days, or even weeks, for access to the things required to get on with their job.
Lack of Access = Lack of Productivity
During a previous engagement, I observed colleagues arrive without the necessary access or kit to be able to contribute. As is the case with many organisations, the workload was carefully balanced by the team size; as our team grew in size, we took on more work, but often the new members lacked the necessary access to contribute for weeks, making it more difficult and stressful for the entire team until they were eventually up and running. Not to mention the dip in morale and feeling of uselessness in the new starter.
Last person in opens the door for new starters
On the surface, it sounds stupid, right? The person with the least knowledge is doing the training, but let’s look beneath the surface.
Here’s the key, the person who started just before you did has likely gone through the same issue you have, and has the freshest recollection of how to solve it.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a great onboarding process, but rotating the role and responsibility of onboarding new starters in this way is a simple change I recommend you make to get the ball rolling.
What even is “ABC”?
Well, obviously, it’s the first 3 letters of the alphabet, but I am using it here to symbolise an acronym. We’ve all been there, when you join an organisation for the first time and you’re not quite up to speed with their lingo. In my previous public sector engagement though, this big problem became almost irrelevant.
How? Quite simply, they kept a bible of acronyms.
My advice to organisations is this: keep a constantly updated log of all the acronyms used in your business, or else avoid them altogether.
Why? Joining a new company is daunting for a lot of people, and it can cause such imposter syndrome when you don’t understand their acronyms and abbreviations. If you keep the log, you avoid the problem.
Final thoughts
Good onboarding is paramount; it’s what engages the person and makes them feel welcome. It instils the company’s vision, and helps embed the company culture. It is make or break for a new starter’s chance to hit the ground running.
Face it. You only get one chance to make a first impression. If you get it wrong, you risk saying goodbye to 100% productivity, staff buy-in, and employee happiness. Get it right, and you set up your employee for years of productivity, happiness, and commitment to your company!
Actionable Steps for Better Onboarding
Having highlighted the importance of onboarding, let’s explore some actionable steps to help make your process more effective and seamless.
1. Start Onboarding Before Day One
As mentioned earlier, the onboarding process begins the moment the offer is accepted. Set up access, devices, and workspace arrangements before the new starter’s first day. Send an email with a welcome pack, including information about the company culture, the team’s contact details, and a schedule for the first week.
2. Create a Structured Onboarding Plan
Outline what new starters need to know and do in their first week, month, and beyond. Provide a clear agenda for training, introductions, and check-ins. A structured plan ensures that they have clear expectations and a roadmap for success.
3. Design a “Buddy System”
Assign a buddy to every new starter. This “buddy” can be a recent hire or an experienced team member who can guide the new starter, introduce them to the team, and help them navigate company processes. This fosters an immediate sense of belonging and support.
4. Gather Feedback and Iterate
Your onboarding process should continuously evolve. After the first month, collect feedback from new hires about their experience and identify areas for improvement. Encourage honesty and be open to making changes that could benefit future onboarding processes.
5. Make Company Knowledge Accessible
Creating a knowledge base or a handbook with resources like the “acronym bible,” standard operating procedures, company values, and FAQs can be incredibly helpful. Make this information accessible and easy to update, so that it remains relevant and useful for all employees.
6. Set Clear Objectives and Milestones
Define what success looks like at different stages of the onboarding process. Set clear, achievable goals for new starters, and provide regular feedback to help them gauge their progress. This approach boosts confidence and helps identify areas where they may need extra support.
7. Communicate the Company Culture
Introduce new starters to the company’s culture, values, and mission from the outset. Encourage participation in team meetings, social events, and training sessions. The more engaged they feel with the company’s culture, the more motivated they will be to contribute.
Wrapping Up
Onboarding is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process. By providing a well-thought-out onboarding experience, you set your employees up for success, contributing to overall business growth.
When done right, onboarding becomes an invaluable investment in your employees’ productivity, job satisfaction, and long-term commitment to your company.
So, take a moment to reflect on your current onboarding process. Is it setting your new starters up for success? If not, consider implementing some of the strategies mentioned above. The difference it makes will not only benefit your new employees but also enhance your company’s culture and performance.
Happy onboarding!
