First Federal Bank Blog

You’ve already spent time and effort hiring the right candidate, so make sure you don’t drop the ball when you get them plugged into your staff. An effective onboarding process will ensure any new hires will be able to seamlessly graft into the workplace.
 
Begin well before they arrive
 
Begin the onboarding process 1-2 weeks before their first day by providing your new employee with reading materials and paperwork to complete in advance.
 
Send a welcome email giving the person an idea of what to expect and how to prepare as they near their start date. Include any orientation necessities or activities that can be completed beforehand, such as legal agreements, the employee handbook, tax forms, and a direct deposit form.
 
Have everything set up already
 
Prepare as much as you can before the employee arrives. Have their desk set up with furnishings, computer equipment and software, database and drive accesses, phones, IDs, parking passes, and their communication channels.
 
Populate their calendar with placeholders for orientation meetings with HR, managers, colleagues, and trainers. Your goal is to have all of the administrative preparations handled before they arrive.
 
Don’t exhaust them on their first day
 
Keep the first day upbeat and interactive. You want to spend most of the time introducing them to coworkers, taking them on tours, and beginning their basic training. Their introductory day shouldn’t be dominated by tons of paperwork or challenging tasks. Schedule time to tie up loose ends regarding paperwork, answer their questions about benefits and policies, and getting to know their supervisor.
 
Create a warm welcome
 
The way your new employee is received has a major impact on their job satisfaction and retention. Build an inviting culture by encouraging your staff to reach out and welcome the new hire, inviting them to lunch and upcoming happy hours, and appoint a buddy for their first month.
 
You can also create a welcome kit that includes corporate swag, gifts from teammates, letters from upper management, fun items for their desks, and such. “While welcome packages aren’t required, they can leave a positive first impression and convey that you appreciate your new hires,” say Anna Baluch and Kelly Main of Forbes Advisor. “Whatever you do, make sure your welcome packages reflect your unique culture.”
 
Keep in contact
 
Periodically touch base with your new hire throughout their first few months. Make sure they’re having a positive experience; show that they are a valued part of the team. “These check-ins serve as an opportunity to sit down with them to ensure they’re comfortable and happy,” explain Baluch and Main. “Don’t forget to acknowledge any of their contributions and ask them if they need additional training or support.”
 
Create clear performance goals and evaluations
 
Make sure you are clear and direct regarding their job duties and expectations from day one. Don’t leave any room for confusion or surprises. Transparency is key to making a new employee feel prepared for their role. They should know what your company defines, “success” as. A great way to do this is to create a roadmap of tasks and goals over the next one, three, and six months. Make sure their supervisor is providing timely, actionable feedback on all of their work.
 
Get feedback
 
One of the last steps in your onboarding process should be receiving feedback from the new hire and all contributors on how the system went. A thorough assessment in hindsight will help you make worthwhile improvements for future new hires. Take input seriously and act on it, showing that you value constructive feedback.
 
A successful onboarding process is an early yet essential step in unlocking an employee’s full potential and retaining them for years to come.