You have just spent the last few weeks going through a lengthy and robust professional recruitment process to hire a new team member.
You are very pleased with your decision to hire, the individual is due to join the team soon and will be a welcome addition. You are sure you have hired a superstar, they are keener than mustard to get started and show all the promise in the world that they will integrate in to your established team like a duck to water.
So from day one when they commence work all of your worries will be over? They will just get right down to work and you can expect a loyal hardworking employee for years to come? Right?….. WRONG!…. With this approach they are unlikely to ever last the distance!
For a long time now many companies have realised the important of employee on boarding or induction programs. Missing out on this vital part of the hiring process can be a recipe for disaster.
What is on boarding you may ask? This term refers to the process of inducting or integrating new hires into the company, preparing them for job success and helping them to become productive, committed and engaged employees of the company and also a genuine team member. This includes far more than the initial orientation process, and often includes continued review over the ensuing few months while an employee gets up to speed in their new organisation.
While more companies are realising how important this process is, many companies still simply hire a new employee, give them a quick tour of the office then show them their desk and expect them to start working and immediately producing outcomes. They have been hired to do a job which they are skilled and trained to do, so what else do they need?…… clearly this approach is a big mistake and is destined to result in an unhappy and disengaged new employee.
I often hear from job seekers that the reason they are looking for a new job is because they are unhappy in their current role and they feel undervalued, that their boss does not have their best interests at heart, with no clear path for them to follow. Often they felt this from the outset and there was no clear understanding of expectations around the role, organisation or the direction they are all heading in. I have even heard comments suggesting many broken promises that were made in interviews, or a lack of investment and time for professional training and development.
So what should be included in a comprehensive induction program? There are many things that should be included; each company may be different in its approach due to the nature of its business however as a bear minimum the following should be covered:-
• Introductions and meet the team
• Getting to know people and spending some quality time with key employees/management
• Company structure, knowing who is who in the zoo
• History and background of the company
• Company vision and values
• Review of all lines of business and company offerings to its markets
• Company policies and procedures, OH&S
• Review of the new employees Position Description and setting expectations
• Role specific training, including setting out any formal/external training plans
• Overview of employee annual appraisals/reviews, what to expect.
• Systems overview including any internal intranet sites or role specific systems
• Payroll and personal details
• Site / office tour.
This whole process should not be completed in a few hours on the morning of their first day, parts of it may be, but much of it should be planned and executed over the first few days, weeks and even months of the employees tenure within your company. Plan ahead, fill their diary with invites to sessions covering all of the above, it is such a positive message for that employee to receive on their first day, knowing they have a comprehensive and structured process ahead of them.
Some questions to think about in advance of your next hire.
1. How did you on board your most recent hires? And what does your company on boarding process look like?
2. Day One When your new hire heads in for their first day, are they aware of what time, who and where to report to? Are they aware of the appropriate dress code for the job? Have they been told what they should bring with them on the first day?
3. Does your company make new employees feel welcome? Do you take time to introduce them to the business by having a special sign, welcome messages or a welcome lunch? That first day is a critical moment its important that your employee feels like they are being properly and formally welcomed and valued from the outset.
4. Have you established who will be responsible for the delivery of the induction for the employee? Is the employees manager (you) looking after this or is an HR professional taking responsibility? Or both? How long will the induction last and what will be covered? Have you planned all the parts in to their diary?
5. Does your onboarding program inspire company pride? Your onboarding process should make employees feel like they made the right decision in choosing to join the company. Do you inspire pride in your employees? Show off what makes your company great, and involve those individuals who accurately represent all the positives you have to offer
6. Do you show that new hires matter? Inspiring company pride is not enough. You also need to show employees that they really do matter to your business. Taking an individual and tailored approach to this process will show that they arent just on a merry-go-round of new employees, but are individually of value to the company.
Having a solid, structured onboarding program will make a difference and engage your new hires from the start. When you show you’re willing to invest in your employees, you’ll make them feel that they are joining a great team, making them more likely to stick with the job.
Effective Onboarding is time and effort well spent, a loyal and effective team is the nirvana of management, and will significantly reduce your time spent looking to hire more new employees!
© 2022, Paul Simms, – Wright Executive. www.
Paul Simms is an executive search recruiter with 25+ years of experience across the Australian and UK markets. He is the founder of Wright Executive Search, a specialist business within the Executive Search & Accounting Recruitment sector, and is considered one of Australia’s most respected Executive Search Firms.
If you would like to contact Paul, please email psimms@wrightexecutive.com.au or connect via LinkedIn here
Thats all good and well, and having a great induction process that integrates the new person quickly in to the team gives the hiring manager benefits very quickly. At a previous employer there was a full schedule of times booked in with different team members who were responsible for training on different aspects of the role – a development opportunity for the existing team members as well then. Buddies can also be quite good for the new employee….
However! At a certain level, for a certain role, for certain candidates the expectation of the manager has to also be that they are bringing in self starter who will quickly make things happen. Will make those introductions themselves, will push themselves in to meetings and situations. Put their hands up to take on actions, activities and quickly take on some responsibility – you learn on the job.
From the Project Management profession, often handovers are quick – the old PM moving out, a Project in trouble needing being brought back on track. Thats where sometimes the manger can do the early introductions, but then if you ahve hired the right person, give them a seat and a computer and if they are up to the job they’ll be integrated in no time at all!
Hi Rich,
That is completely true, as with anything there are always exceptions to the rule, and I agree in ‘Project Management’ positions and perhaps in any management role in many sectors the need for such a comprehensive induction program may not be possible, and perhaps time/pressure for delivery may not allow or afford you this perceived luxury. I do though believe in any context that if a proper induction is given, that the speed at which the new employee becomes an asset and productive will increase. Even if the basics are covered on that very first day with some level of structure around what may happen in the coming weeks, the feeling of inclusion to the business, and commitment to the employee succeeding will empower them to achieve.
Your example around Project Management with limited handover and a project in need of being brought back on track is a great one. Surely in this very instance time well invested by key people with the new PM (meeting stakeholders, understanding the business, its challenges, vision, values etc.) will enable them to quickly get up to speed and deliver outcomes?