A new year is right around the corner, which means a new start for all things employee onboarding! Here at Baudville, we love onboarding new hires. Not only does it break the ice, but it actually has a whole bunch of long-term benefits (hello, retention!).
Whether you are looking to improve engagement, increase retention, or boost office morale (or all three, perhaps), onboarding is the shining star that will help you get there. Basically, it’s a 2024 MUST, so here is everything you need to know about the process.
The “What” of Employee Onboarding
Employee onboarding is more than a “welcome to the team” and it’s more than a whole bunch of paperwork, too. According to SHRM, it’s a comprehensive process that can last up to 12 months. It involves management, other employees, and a lot of planning.
In the first week of onboarding, introductions are key – introducing team members, introducing objectives, and introducing the new hire to their new role. It’s also about making your hire feel comfortable and welcome. So whether you are going out for lunch, having a happy hour, or giving a super awesome gift, the focus should be on comfort, warmth, and support.
For the weeks following, the onboarding focus should shift to training and communicating. Weekly check-ins are an absolute must and shadowing different positions in the business is preferred. Not only will this help new hires meet their coworkers, but it will also help them gain understanding and respect for all different positions in the building.
So what is onboarding? To wrap it up into one pretty bow, onboarding is the process of welcoming, training, and engaging new hires – all in a planned out, comprehensive, and effective way.
The “Why” of Employee Onboarding
We all know that first impressions are important. They shape our thoughts, our attitudes, and our outlook in the beginning of new relationships. At work, this is no different. New hires should feel excited, inspired, and ready to take on their new positions! The best way to spark these feelings is through solid onboarding – team outings, welcome gifts, and an overall sense of belonging!
But what about after the first few weeks of life at the new job? It turns out that while onboarding has short term benefits, it also has a TON of long-term ones, too. According to Zippia, organizations with strong onboarding processes increase new hire retention by 82% and improve productivity by 70%. Plus, employees are 69% more likely to stay with a company for three or more years if they experience a great onboarding process.
What’s this all mean? Well, it means that strong onboarding programs increase engagement, productivity, and retention. Basically, it’s the building blocks of a great company culture.
The “How” of Employee Onboarding
There are so many ways to give new hires an awesome onboarding experience!
- The first is with a little “welcome to the team” surprise gift! Even better? Two gifts – one sent to their home a week or so before their start date, and one waiting for them at their desk on the first day! Gift them some branded swag so they can start sporting your brand right away!
- First day jitters are real! New hires are nervous, they most likely don’t know a lot of people, and they are itching for some comfort. That’s why a team lunch is an absolutely MUST. Whether you go out to eat, order in, or sit down together in the cafeteria with your packed lunches, having time to get to know each other is a huge step in the process. Plus, it’s a great time to break the ice and talk about things other than work.
- Every new hire should get a tour of the building, but how about a tour of all the positions in the office? One thing we like to do at Baudville is have new hires shadow a whole bunch of different positions so that they learn more about the business, meet new people, and understand how all the positions work together to make magic happen.
- In the first couple weeks of onboarding, daily check-ins are of the utmost importance. But how about after that? We recommend weekly 1-on-1 manager meetings! This will provide a designated time for you to check in with your new hire, see how they are doing, answer questions they may have, or even just deepen your relationship. It’s important to get to know your new hire so that you can be the best manager to them possible!
In conclusion, employee onboarding is a must for engagement, retention, and productivity. Moreover, it’s a must for 2024! The time to start a kick-ass onboarding program is now. Shop a whole bunch of onboarding goodies here.
Interested in chatting with your rep? Find your account manager here – and they’ll touch base with you to find a good time to discuss your vision!
We’ve had the privilege of working with some amazing organizations to develop a branded, special experience for their team.
We appreciate their trust in finding the perfect fit, and we’re so excited to highlight how they turned out!
Whether you’re just dipping your toe into the custom experience, or you’re an old hand at it, we know that together we can pair up to make an amazing impact for you and your organization!
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