Accuchex Blog

6 Steps To A Successful New Hire Onboarding Journey

Posted by Leslie Ruhland on Apr 13, 2018 4:48:26 PM
Accuchex Payroll Solutions
Find me on:

One of the most costly investments for any business, especially SMBs, is a new hire. And the process of bringing on new employees is one of the most critical steps in retaining your investment.

6-steps-to-a-successful-new-hire-onboarding-journey

Finding, recruiting and hiring a new employee can be a time-consuming and even costly venture that is often fraught with uncertainty. Despite the advent of recruiting software, apps and online services, finding the right fit for a position and your organization is challenging.

And losing a good new hire within the first few months can be a major setback for a smaller business.

The Common Mishaps of New Hire Onboarding

Probably the most common mistake businesses make when onboarding a new member of their team is to not have a process at all. Far too many companies - even enterprise level firms - lack a documented process with established procedures for effectively bringing new employees onboard.

According to a survey conducted by OfficeTeam, more than half of employees surveyed reported that they experienced at least one problem during their onboarding process. For example:

  • 33 percent said that their work space technology was not set up properly
  • 22 percent reported that necessary supplies were not provided
  • 16 percent did not have an overview of the organization's structure and policies
  • 15 percent were not introduced to their new coworkers

And another 14 percent said they didn't even get a tour of the office.

What was equally distressing from the survey is that 92 percent of the HR managers questioned believed that their company's onboarding processes were somewhat to highly effective!

 

employee handbook guide

 

A Successful Onboarding Journey

While a comprehensive new hire onboarding process involves a number of elements over a specific period of time, there are some common and essential steps that should be involved along the way. At the very least, having a comprehensive new hire checklist is recommended.

Here is a great road map of these six steps from Inc.com:

six-steps-to-onboarding-success

(image courtesy of Inc.)

Taking Steps to Improve Your New Hire Process

Too many organizations give a cursory effort to their new employee onboarding. Yet, many of these companies also like to say that their employees are their "most valuable resource." If this is true, then they should be invested in from the very beginning in the form of time, attention, and guidance.

In fact, the larger an organization is, the more likely the value of this process may be overlooked. According to a Gallup report,

The larger an organization, the greater the chance of inconsistency and misalignment. Managers may be responsible for more employees than they can support effectively. Workers may feel like just another number with no understanding of how their role connects to the company's vision or strategies.

In small companies, people are more likely to know each other and the leaders of the organization -- they know how all the pieces fit together and understand the value of their role.

With a comprehensive and documented new hire onboarding process this oversight can be eliminated, even if your company employs thousands.

Onboarding and HR Management

You can always make improvements to your onboarding process. Or create one! In fact, right now is a great time to review your current recruiting and hiring processes with a view to upgrade and optimize them for your planned new hires.

In addition to their role in recruiting, hiring, and training employees, the HR staff is responsible for many other functions including payroll management, tax filings, employee records compliance, and workforce management.

Considering alternatives such as outsourcing is increasingly becoming a cost-effective and strategic option. Accuchex can help you in managing your HR needs, payroll processes, and staying on top of compliance demands.

free hr consultation on employee handbooks

 

Topics: recruiting and hiring, new hire, onboarding best practices, employee onboarding process, employee onboarding

Subscribe to the Accuchex Blog