If you have seen the movie The Devil Wears Prada, you will remember Andy’s first weeks at Runway Magazine. Her nervousness was exacerbated by the fact that she was thrown into the lion’s den. Andy received neither a formal orientation nor training and even got a scolding from the “Devil” (her boss) on her choice of footwear. If you were in Andy’s shoes (pun intended), what would you want as part of the on-boarding process at your new organization?

What is On-Boarding?

On-boarding is the process in which new hires are integrated into the organization and begins immediately after the offer letter is signed. It includes getting new hires up to speed and ready to contribute to the team with the information and tools they need to be successful in their job, as well as learning about the organization’s structure, culture, mission, vision, and values.

What On-Boarding Topics Should be Covered?

• The company’s history, structure, key management personnel, and departments.

• The company’s vision, mission statement, and core values.

• The new employee’s role within the organization; including obtaining clarity on their responsibilities, the tools and training available to them, and how to build relationships with others within their team and across the organization.

• Organizational culture e.g., workplace values, attitudes, standards, processes, policies & procedures, and behaviours (both the written and unwritten rules that people in the organization follow and communication avenues).

• Compensation and Benefits (pay periods, direct deposits, payroll deductions, health benefits and any other benefits to which the new employee may be entitled to).

• Attendance and leaves (meal breaks, absenteeism, expected hours of work, time off, including notices required)

• Any required trainings (both job-specific and legislative requirements).

Organizations should also have policy/procedure manuals and job-specific reference guides in place for employees to refer to as a resource when questions arise.

On-boarding and Changes to the Modern Workforce

Over the past few years, many challenges have emerged in the modern workforce.  These concerns should also be clearly addressed during the on-boarding process, examples include:

• Health and safety training, including workplace violence, domestic violence, and harassment, including sexual harassment.

• Covid-19 vaccinations requirements:  Are employees required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment?

• Remote, hybrid, and in-person work arrangements.

• Discussions around work/life balance, mental health at work, and the Right to Disconnect.

How to Make the On-Boarding More Inviting and Inclusive

Organizations also need to cultivate team ownership of the on-boarding process and there are several ways to make on-boarding more inviting and inclusive:

• Send new hires a welcome package including company swag such as notebooks, coffee mugs, t-shirts, and consumer products made by the company. Include a welcome letter with the necessary technical details such as their new email account, cell phone, and other access required to get started.

• Provide new hires with a checklist of tasks to complete during their first 90 days, so they know exactly what to expect. Reducing uncertainty can alleviate unnecessary new-hire jitters!

• Pair new hires with a team member to provide them with peer support.

• Consider having the hiring manager or team members take the new hire out for coffee or lunch on their first day.

• Managers should schedule frequent one-on-one scheduled check-ins to answer any questions or concerns.

• Pair a senior employee with the new hire to act as a mentor to assist with personal and professional growth.

Benefits of Good On-Boarding Practices

A good on-boarding process allows an employee to become properly acclimated, but it also offers opportunities for new hires to build critical relationships across the organization. Additionally, it sets clear work expectations and performance benchmarks or milestones for the new hire.

Studies have shown that creating an effective and seamless on-boarding process has also proven to be critical to overall employee retention. According to the Harvard Business Review article ‘On-boarding Can Make or Break a New Hire’s Experience’ 2022:

• Companies that implement a formal on-boarding program could see 50% greater employee retentionamong new recruits and 62% greater productivity within the same group.

• Employees who have a positive on-boarding experience are almost three times as likely to feel prepared and supported in their role, boosting their confidence and improving their ability to perform their role well.

It is important to note that an essential component of building a great on-boarding process is gathering feedback from new hires regarding their overall experience. Human Resources can help compile and review the information with hiring leaders to recognize what is working well and whether there are inconsistencies or areas of improvement. It is also a great tool in helping to identify any questions or concerns new hires may have and refining the new hire experience further.

In closing, there are plenty of ways to make a new hire feel comfortable and welcome during the on-boarding process. If things go smoothly, the process can improve the new hire’s long-term satisfaction, job performance, and retention.

A successful on-boarding process not only benefits a new hire but also the company as a whole: it rewards the great deal of time that has been spent finding the right candidate and strengthens the bonds between team members, leading to a happier, and more productive workplace.

Key Takeaways

• On-boarding is the process of orienting a new hire, getting them up to speed and ready to contribute to the team with the information and tools they need to be successful in their job.

• Organizations need to cultivate team ownership of the on-boarding process and there are several ways to make on-boarding more inviting and inclusive.

• Many challenges have emerged in the modern workforce such as remote/hybrid work, health and safety, work/life balance, mental health, and the Right to Disconnect and should also be clearly addressed during the on-boarding process.

• An essential component building a great on-boarding process is to gather feedback from new hires regarding their overall experience to recognize what is working well and whether there are inconsistencies or areas of improvement.

• Effective on-boarding can improve the new hire’s long-term satisfaction, job performance, and retention.