On-boarding is the practice of providing a new employee with the necessary information about their job, their department, and specifics about the new company. This process should be tailored against the goals of the organization and objectives should be set to make sure that the process is a focused one. The on-boarding process normally runs from the moment the person responds to the job listed on the company’s website until 60 days after--generally incurring some sort of feedback from the new employee and from the program itself.
The on-boarding process is important in the beginning of the employee’s life at the company because it allows them to become assimilated with the company and understand what their role will be. Studies have shown that an employee that goes through the proper on-boarding process is more engaged, loyal to that company and successful at their job. Generally, this responsibility mainly falls in the hands of two separate groups: Human Resources and Supervisors. (At times a mentor, co-workers, and the Executive team are involved, but mostly the HR representative and the new employee’s supervisor will provide the most support and information to that employee.) However, it is important to note that HR can’t be the only ones involved in providing employees with the appropriate on boarding experience. The Supervisor must play a significant role in this process because they understand the dynamics of their team members and expectations of that new employee.
The role of the HR representative is to handle all situations related to rules and procedures, such as providing the employee handbook, vacation and leave policies, performance appraisal systems, scheduled salary increases and other pertinent benefit information. (Believe me, there is a lot. The HR department should develop a disciplined way to relay that information to the new employee as to not be cumbersome.) The HR department should also provide a full or half day employee orientation to go over the mission, vision, values, company history, strategic goals, organizational structure, and company culture. (These presentations should be delivered by the leaders of the company and presented in a variety of different mediums.)
On the other hand, the role of the Supervisor in the on boarding process is to introduce the employee to their team members, show them their workspace, their surrounding work areas, tour the department and the facility, provide additional guidance on departmental goals and further speak to the employee on what is expected of them. It is also helpful to have a copy of the job description in order to make a more memorable dialogue.
The final portion of the on-boarding process should entail some sort of metric that assesses the turnover rate and the point at which employees leave the organization. This assessment will provide great feedback as to whether the objectives of the company’s on-boarding program were met.
All in all, this process should be an exciting moment for the new employee. It is a way for both HR and the Supervisor to capture the new employee’s attention and to provide that individual with the necessary information for them to be successful in their job.
As always, prioritize, set boundaries and live!
