Onboarding isn’t just an HR buzzword. It encompasses new employee experience and goes beyond on-the-job training. Onboarding includes the corporate culture, getting to know coworkers, and building a comfort level with the job and organization. Staffing agencies in Phoenix understand what it takes to integrate new employees into the team successfully.
Onboarding helps improve employee retention. A recent survey shows that 34% of new employees leave a job within the first 90 days.
The employee experience starts before their first day on the job. Interactions with hiring managers, social media reputation, online reviews, and the community shape their first impression. From the time they clock in on the first day, they see everything they know in context. It is crucial to managing that context for all new employees. Gain expert advice from professional recruiters on ensuring a smooth onboarding process.
Staffing and Recruiting Agencies in Dallas, Fort Worth, & Phoenix Break Down the Process of Successful Hiring and Onboarding of New Employees
Ensure All HR Elements are in Place
Before starting, ensure all your housekeeping tasks are in order. This includes doing as much paperwork as possible before they arrive on their first day. With the availability of e-signature technology, completing it before their start date is easier than ever.
Here is a checklist before they start work:
- Orientation paperwork
- Form I-9
- W4
- Employee Handbook
- Benefits Package Information
- Arrange for an established workspace
- Communicate with current staff about the new employee
Employee handbooks can also be electronic. Many staffing services offer access to employee portals with PDF versions.
An essential part of their pre-arrival onboarding process is to have their workstation ready. It happens far too often that people arrive on their first day and wait for the management team to locate an office, desk, or computer.
Along with this process, provide logins and passwords and set aside an hour or so for when they arrive to go through everything and make sure it works. There may be a different protocol for employees who start in-house or remotely, including the arrival of equipment and access to systems.
Working with recruiters in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Phoenix can help take some of the pressure off your organization when onboarding.
Recruiters Advise on Preparing the First-Week Plan
Once your employee arrives on the first day, have a plan for the following:
- Team Introductions
- Discussion of job responsibilities and expectations
- Share company vision, mission, and values
- Specific training
Some companies like to start with an introduction meeting or a lunch for their new employee. This is a welcoming experience and will set the tone for their career.
Recruiters Describe What to Expect in the First Week
Job training will be essential for their first few days and weeks. While your new employee may have the necessary skills for the job, they will need to learn the specific company processes. Training is not only about the work but also about establishing the expectations moving forward.
In the first week, establish expectations such as:
- Reviewing department goals
- Assigning the first project or set the first goal
- Ensuring they know important dates
- Hosting question-and-answer sessions
- Meeting one-on-one
One Week Check-In
At the week one check-in with your new team member, don’t just focus on what they need to improve or change. Make it a conversation where they can also provide feedback about their experience, and you can work together to ensure everyone is satisfied. Be sure to provide positive feedback, praising them for what they did well.
When you work with recruitment agencies in DFW and Phoenix, their recruiters can assist with this process.
Invest in a buddy System
One method to increase success rates in the first 90 days is to invest in a buddy system. Your new employee’s buddy is not their direct manager but someone in the department who understands the work and culture to provide context and additional support to your new worker.
This will make your new employee feel less overwhelmed and ensure a smooth transition into the new job. It also takes some pressure off management, who can focus on the entire department, not just training. And it creates a sense of community as the assigned buddy has a reason to invest in the new employee’s development.
Prepare the Team
Regarding teamwork, the rest of the team must be prepared to meet their new coworker. Sometimes, staff can be concerned that an unknown person coming in means more competition for resources or promotions. Or it’s a referendum on their quality of work, and they become territorial and defensive.
But good management can mitigate this by preparing the team. Let them know that the new employee is there to make their jobs easier, not harder. That it will help decrease stress and workload and improve life balance. You also want to ensure they show empathy when working with the new coworker, who may not be up to speed immediately and reach out to make them feel welcome.
Provide a Timeline for Check-Ins
Many companies throw the employee from the frying pan into the fire without checking in again until their 90-day review. This can be disastrous and lead to high turnover during their probationary period. Instead, creating a timeline of check-ins can help you stay communicative with your new team member and ensure they have all the tools they need to succeed. Regular check-ins also prevent miscommunication.
The timeline should include the following:
- End of the first day
- End of the first week
- Any time your employee needs correction
- Regular gratitude
- The first-month check-in
- 90-day check-in
The important part is not to stay rigid on the dates to check-in. If you only connect at the one-month or 90-day mark, you may miss opportunities to improve performance or answer questions critical to your new employee’s success.
Connect with our Recruitment Agencies in Dallas, Fort Worth, & Phoenix for more Tips
Onboarding doesn’t have to happen in a bubble. When you work with CornerStone Staffing, we help you through the hiring and placement process. We offer temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct placement services. We can assist with regular check-ins of your new employee until you’re both comfortable with the placement.
Our team of dedicated recruiters has years of experience working with various industries. We have built a robust pipeline of top talent and can work with you to get the right people in the right places. For recruiters in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Phoenix, contact CornerStone Staffing to learn more.
Need qualified talent? Contact our Staffing Agency in Phoenix for more info!
