Onboarding a new employee has generally a low-priority unpleasant task—whether you’re a busy HR person checking off items on their list, a distracted manager trying to find time to plan, or a newly hired individual who just wants to jump in and get started. But when you treat a process like a chore, you miss its potential.
1. Automate the administrative part of the onboarding process.
While accuracy and compliance are critical, completing a W-4 and a direct deposit form is not making magic for anyone!
Instead, invest in good onboarding software to enhance the process and create an efficient, streamlined experience for you and your new hires. Most payroll software providers have onboarding options where you only need to enter the person’s name and email address, and the software takes it from there.
2. Remember you are integrating a real person into your organization.
You want new employees to continue to feel valued and excited to start after they accept your job offer. Keep in mind that many candidates are still getting interview requests or offers from their job search efforts. Their current employer may try to entice them to stay. It’s up to the hiring manager to create an ongoing positive experience, including:
- Staying in communication: Ask if they have questions and ensure they’re prepared for their first day.
- Setting up their workstation: Ensure they have all necessary equipment before they start.
- Making them feel valued so they want to stay!
3. Focus on relationship-building from the beginning.
As a leader, your role is to be a good listener, vocalize appreciation, show empathy, and mentor your team. With new hires, you should:
- Provide the time and resources to set them up for success.
- Practice transparency and clear communication to build trust.
- Follow up with an email summarizing important and complex conversations, particularly performance-related matters.
- Address mistakes calmly, give employees a chance to learn and correct them, and move on.
Visit our blog for the complete article for creating the best onboarding experiences.
Inside Look: Leadership Coaching
Perhaps you’re considering leadership coaching for yourself and/or certain leadership team members. But before you dive in, you might be curious—what is working with a coach like?
A coach’s primary job is to provide motivation, structure, and purposeful feedback. Two key aspects of the process are perspective and constructive dialogue. Your coach will ask questions, in a respectful spirit of inquiry, as a way to:
- Address your goals and challenges
- Question your assumptions
- Improve your listening or conflict management skills
- Initiate role clarification
- Align your leadership goals and characteristics
At the end of the day, your coach will provide resources to sustain focused learning and development for short and long-term personal and professional goals.
Upcoming HR Events
Nonprofit Peer-to-Peer
Our Nonprofit Peer-to-Peer group is back on September 20th! This time, Stephanie Chabot of Chabot Creative will be discussing email marketing and how best to reach your current and future donors and other organizational stakeholders
UNH Partner Workshops
Check out our upcoming HR workshops in partnership with UNH Professional Development & Training! Our next sessions will cover Employment Law and Interest-based Negotiation Skills & Strategies.
Coming Soon!
Stay tuned for our upcoming September complimentary 90-minute webinar on wage and hour compliance and best practices. Details TBA!
A Cause We Care About
The HR ROI team loves giving back, and one cause we love supporting is The Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick, ME! For 36 years, the Center for Wildlife has treated over 50,000 injured and orphaned wild animals and presented annual programming to thousands of community members.
The Center for Wildlife offers more than a wildlife clinic and education resources. Their beautiful facility includes several spaces for rent, perfect for parties, company gatherings and presentations, kids’ field trips and birthdays, and more! Check out how you can visit, donate, or get involved today.