Successful Onboarding

A first impression only happens once. There are no do-overs. Those first seconds, hours, days...even weeks, set the tone for the connection of your new hires to your company. How you assimilate or onboard a new staffer, has a significant impact on performance and the bottom line.

So what exactly is onboarding and what steps can you take to ensure that your new hires get the right first impressions of your company and “engage” at the onset? Onboarding practices in today’s workplace run the gamut from welcome aboard speeches to a full litany of do’s and don’ts for your new shining stars.

Successful onboarding programs share similar traits:
They Introduce: Introducing new employees to your corporate culture is key.
They Connect: Create several “touch-points” or engagements with employees beyond the orientation period.
They Nurture: Your employees need to know that they are appreciated and valued beyond day one.

Successful onboarding programs don’t just address new hires on the first few weeks of employment, but encompass the entire employ- ment cycle from pre-hire to career pathing and advancement.

People need support, reassurance, and honest answers. The more you can provide this right at the start of the employment experience, the stronger your organization’s culture will be and the better its retention of key people.