Despite common misconceptions, the hiring and onboarding process doesn’t end once your new hire has joined you. It’s not just the first day, or even the first week that is fundamental in ensuring your new hire is settled into their new role and feels welcome.
As an employer, you want to make certain that you have a process in place for the first three months and beyond.
So, why are the first three months so important?
The first three months form some of the most important impressions that your new hire will have of your business, the role, and their colleagues. It’s easy for your business to make a great impression during the interview process or during the employees first week with you, but after the reality of their new job sinks in, doubts and challenges may occur.
How do you overcome these and make sure your new hire feels supported and certain that joining you was the right decision? In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know.
Ensure you have an onboarding process in place
No matter the seniority, or experience level, your new hire needs to be onboarded properly. Try to get specific with this, having a plan for month one, two, and three.
Every onboarding plan will be different depending on the role, but the principles will stay the same. This could include knowing what the first day entails, what their weekly and monthly objectives are, your expectations and diarising regular reviews.
Implementing a clear process will mean that your new hire is aligned and clear on what their role entails. Failing to have an onboarding process can result in them feeling uncertain, confused, and misaligned.
Regular communication
Communication is crucial in all areas of life, especially in the workplace. Make sure that there is someone to check in with your new hire regularly. You can do this informally or in a more formal way. We suggest having a blend.
Booking in reviews at the end of each month to see how they are getting on can be extremely beneficial. Setting them too often may result in them feeling micromanaged.
Keep regular communication going and ask them how they are and how they are finding the job. It will go a long way.
In the more formal review meetings, use this time to allow them to share their thoughts, expectations and experiences of the job and the business so far. Make sure it is a safe environment for them to express how they are feeling, including what they are enjoying and what has been challenging. You’ll then be able to tackle any bottlenecks together.
Provide training
No matter how experienced your new hire is, they will need sufficient training. This will ensure that they understand how your business operates and their role within it. Training can encompass many factors, typically around systems, processes, and the job itself.
Breaking the training into modules and establishing a thorough training plan will mitigate any skills gaps that could later prove challenging. It means that your new hire will be able to hit the ground running, knowing that they have the tools and support to be successful.
Failing to provide training could lead to broken processes, confusion, and loss of engagement.
Set objectives
Once you have provided your new hire with the right training, they will have all the tools needed to be successful. From here you can agree on actionable and measurable objectives that will allow them to feel motivated and engaged.
In turn, they are also more likely to feel that their role within the business is important.
Introduce them to the team
Company culture, values and purpose contribute immensely to the happiness of employees. If you want them to be with you for the long run, you need to ensure that they align with what your business stands for and the people that encompass it.
Integrating new employees into the workplace from the get-go will ensure that they feel welcome and part of the team. Why not organise a team lunch or social? That way they can get to know their new colleagues in a more informal setting and will feel more relaxed.
It can also be extremely beneficial to partner new employees with a mentor. This should be someone that has been in the business for a while and can help them to settle in. This is a fantastic way for them to ask any questions, get to know the team, and have someone they know well in the business.
Final thoughts
Onboarding new employees is always worth the time and investment to make sure that they are with your business for the long run. Ensure you are putting in the effort to make them feel welcome and valued.
If you need further advice on retaining your new hire, then please do reach out.
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