Step 6: Onboarding
How do I onboard new employees?
Having a strong onboarding process is crucial to retaining employees. The first three months on the job are essential as a poor welcome can be a strong motivator for new hires to leave.
Why should I onboard new employees?
Welcoming new employees is important for several reasons:
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Smooth Transition: It helps them quickly get used to the way you do business and who their teammates are
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Role Clarity: Good onboarding helps new team members understand their role and what is expected of them
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Training and Productivity: Accurately training employees on their tasks boosts productivity and overall job satisfaction
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Workplace Culture: Good onboarding makes the new employee feel welcomed into your workplace culture, enhancing their wellbeing at work.
By focusing on how the employee feels about their work and how integrated they are into the workplace, you can significantly boost the chance of them staying with your business longer.
What should I do to prepare for onboarding?
Before your new employee arrives, it's important to inform your team and prepare for the onboarding process. This includes setting up a buddy system, which you can read more about in Workplace Wellbeing and Culture. Here are some steps to take during this phase:
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Inform Current Employees: Let your team know about the new arrival and what their role will be
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Identify a Buddy: Choose a buddy for the new employee who can help them settle in
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Prepare the Buddy: Provide the buddy with checklists of what needs to be completed and the expectations of their role
Schedule Training and Induction Sessions: Organise any necessary training and induction sessions to help the new employee get up to speed.
What should I do on day one?
An employee's first day should be relaxed while focused on setting them up with the right information and letting them get to know the team. While onboarding plans will differ from business to business, some suggested activities are listed below:
Manager Responsibilities
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Meet and Greet: Meet the employee at an agreed location and time on their first day. Depending on how you conduct your welcomes, a mihi whakatau or a pōwhiri may be an appropriate way to welcome your new employee. For more information see Māori Cultural Confidence
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Introductions (whakawhanaungatanga): Introduce the employee to the team and their buddy to build connections and relationships
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Complete Paperwork: Finalise any outstanding paperwork (see above for more information)
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End-of-Day Meeting: Schedule a brief meeting at the end of the day to address any questions or concerns.
Buddy Responsibilities (or other responsible person)
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Tour: Give them a tour of the grounds or facilities
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Policies and Procedures: Go over key business policies or procedures
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Health and Safety: Provide a health and safety briefing
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Training and Induction: Deliver scheduled training and induction sessions for their role
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Equipment Setup: Ensure the new employee has all the right equipment.
What should I do on week one?
The first week should build on the activities of day one, ensuring the new employee feels welcomed and comfortable with their role and expectations. Here are some suggestions:
Manager Responsibilities
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End-of-Week Meeting: Schedule a meeting at the end of the week to discuss the employee's progress and any challenges they might be facing. Allow time for the new employee to provide feedback and address any questions or concerns.
Buddy Responsibilities (or other responsible person)
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Training and Induction: Complete any scheduled training and induction sessions for their role
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Tool and System Familiarity: Ensure the employee is comfortable using all necessary tools and systems
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Shadowing Sessions: Set up shadowing sessions where the new employee can observe their buddy or a colleague to learn about day-to-day tasks
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Planning: Set a plan for the following months to ensure the employee is confident in their role.
What should I do in the first three months?
The next three months builds upon the activities of week one to ensure the new employee is confident in their role, understands what is expected of them, and delivers to the best of their ability. Here are some suggested actions:
Manager Responsibilities
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Skill Development: Identify areas where skill development is needed and build a plan to address this. See Training and Development for a step by step process of how to effectively do this
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Setting Expectations: Set clear expectations for the role and performance moving forward.
Buddy Responsibilities (or other responsible person)
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Regular Check-ins: Conduct regular check-ins to ensure the employee is fitting in well
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Ongoing Training: Continue delivering training and induction sessions as needed
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Skill Assessment: Test the employee's ability to operate tools and equipment if necessary.