Okay, let’s be real—nobody loves paperwork. And for new hires, mountains of forms can be a seriously uninspiring welcome to your company. But onboarding is so much more than just day-one admin! It’s your path to making fresh faces feel valued, engaged, and ready to rock their new roles.
Basically, think of it like this: onboarding is your chance to roll out the red carpet for new talent. When you implement effective onboarding strategies, you set employees up for success from the jump, so they can quickly become productive and happy members of your team.
Why should you care about improving employee onboarding?
Well, for starters, a strong onboarding process can significantly reduce employee turnover. In fact, a study by Brandon Hall Group found that companies with robust onboarding practices improve new hire retention by 82% and boost productivity by over 70%!
Who wants to spend time and money hiring someone, only to see them walk out the door a few months later? Not us! Specifically, effective onboarding shows new hires you’re invested in their success, making them more likely to stick around.
Plus, when employees feel supported and prepared, their engagement and productivity go through the roof. Done right, onboarding will have them hitting the ground running and shouting your company’s praises from the rooftops (or at least in the breakroom).
10 onboarding strategies that actually work
Ready to ditch the boring, ho-hum onboarding routine and create an experience that wows your new hires? Here are 10 proven ways to improve employee onboarding:
- Pre-boarding is your secret weapon: Why wait until day one to make a good impression? Send a welcome package, introduce the team virtually, and offer a sneak peek at their schedule to ease first-day jitters. It’s like a warm-up before the big game.
- Personalized roadmaps for the win: When it comes to effective onboarding, one size does not fit all. Create a tailored roadmap outlining expectations and milestones for the first 30, 60, and 90 days.
- The buddy system, but for grown-ups: Pair each new hire with a mentor or buddy to answer questions, offer guidance, and help them navigate the company culture (or share the inside scoop on lunch spots).
- Training that doesn’t put you to sleep: Provide comprehensive training that’s engaging, relevant, and gives new hires the tools they need to excel. Hint: ditch the hour-long lectures and try interactive workshops or online modules.
- Culture club: You could just tell them about your company culture, but why not show them? Organize team-building activities, casual lunches, or fun workshops that highlight your values and create a sense of belonging. (No trust falls, please!)
- Check-ins that don’t feel like interrogations: Schedule regular check-ins with HR or team leads to address concerns, give feedback, and celebrate early wins. This ensures new hires are on the right track.
- Goals and clarity, no guesswork: Clearly define roles and responsibilities, and help new hires set achievable goals. This sets them up for success and prevents any “wait, what am I supposed to be doing?” moments.
- Automate the boring stuff: Use HR software to streamline repetitive tasks like document signing, training assignments, and scheduling meetings.
- Feedback is your friend: Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from new hires. What worked? What could be better? It’s the best way to identify areas for improvement and make your onboarding process even better.
- Onboarding is a marathon, not a sprint: Extend onboarding beyond the first month. Continue to offer support, development opportunities, and regular check-ins throughout the first six months to a year.
Reap the rewards of next-level onboarding
Gallup research finds that employees who receive effective onboarding are 2.6x more likely to be satisfied with their workplace. Thus, by investing in a stellar onboarding experience, you’ll create a ripple effect of positive outcomes, like:
- Faster productivity: Fresh talent will be up-to-speed and contributing to the team in no time.
- Higher engagement: Happy and engaged employees are more likely to stay with your company and become brand ambassadors.
- Stronger cultural alignment: New hires will feel like they belong and understand your company’s values.
- Lower turnover: Reduce those costly revolving-door scenarios and build a stable, high-performing team.
Tech to the rescue!
We know you don’t have time to chase down signatures or manually send a million welcome emails. That’s where onboarding platforms like Engage365 swoop in to save the day (not to mention your sanity). Our tech works as your sidekick, crafting an onboarding experience that’s efficient, engaging, and scalable. Think:
- Automation: You can kiss manual data entry goodbye. Onboarding platforms handle everything from sending offer letters to assigning training modules, so you can focus on the human side of onboarding.
- Task tracking: Keep everyone on the same page with automated task assignments and progress tracking. Further, new hires will know exactly what’s expected of them, and you’ll have a clear view of their onboarding journey.
- Employee feedback surveys: Want to know how your onboarding program is really doing? Gather feedback directly from your new hires with built-in surveys. This priceless data can help you continuously improve your onboarding best practices and create an even better experience for future talent.
Looking for a platform that can do it all?
Zensai’s Human Success Platform is your one-stop shop for onboarding awesomeness. From personalized welcome messages to automated workflows and insightful feedback tools, we want to empower you to create an onboarding experience that’s both engaging and efficient.
Now that you know how you can improve employee onboarding, let’s dive deeper…
Get your free digital onboarding guide today!
To foster employee success in your organization, you need to be intentional and strategic about making digital onboarding a part of your long-term strategy and way of doing business. Specifically, by implementing effective digital onboarding, you can:
- Improve new hire retention by 82%.
- Boost employee productivity by over 70%.
- Enhance employee engagement and retention.
- Reduce hiring costs and increase efficiency of your new hires.
Download your free copy of “The Hybrid Onboarding Playbook: 4 Best Practices for Digital Onboarding” below to unlock the secrets of successful remote onboarding.
