The process of onboarding is to make new hires feel welcome, confident, and comfortable working in their new environment. When done effectively, the program will set employees up for future success, ensure they stay longer at your company, and give them the opportunity to be more engaged. In 2022, many companies are offering a hybrid remote-onsite work schedule, bringing people back into the office, and offering full-time remote positions. These different working environments are forcing companies to revisit or improve their employee onboarding programs to ensure they work for all their employees and to maintain a strong company culture.

It is important to note that many companies think that onboarding starts on the first day of work for the employees, but the reality is that it starts before you hire someone, often called the pre-onboarding phase. Taking the candidate through a great experience with your company should start with the interview and continue through the first day of work and beyond.

Three Parts to an Onboarding Program
What does a comprehensive onboarding program look like? Specifics will depend on the size, industry, nature of your company, and the location of employees. Generally, however, an onboarding program can be segmented into three parts:

1. Preparing for the Job.  The onboarding process should begin with discussing his or her specific requirements, choosing and preparing a workspace, introducing the platform, technology, or procedures for working remotely, and designating a coach or mentor to guide them.
2. Optimizing Day One.  Start with an itemized start-date schedule that lays out everything from who will greet the new employee (via video call or at the door) to what paperwork must be completed to a detailed itinerary of meetings (virtual or otherwise) throughout the day. Set expectations on work assignments, check-ins, and projects for the week to help your new employee adapt quickly.
3. Following up Regularly.  Even a great first day can mean nothing if a new hire feels ignored thereafter. An onboarding program should establish continuous check-in meetings with the employee’s direct supervisor and coach/mentor for at least the first 30, 60, or 90 days of employment. From then on, interactions with the coach/mentor or other employees could be arranged at longer intervals until the employee feels comfortable.

Start or Improve Onboarding Now
Onboarding in the year 2022 involves so much more than giving new employees their marching orders. It’s an organization-wide effort to welcome new employees to a company, and it provides them with the tools and resources required for long-term success. Remote work is here to stay, so adjust your onboarding activities now to help employees feel connected, engaged, and productive.

If you are struggling with how to start an onboarding process as you expand your workforce, contact Cordia Resources to help you. As a leading recruiting and staffing company helping clients hire temporary and permanent staff (onsite or remote), we can assist with onboarding procedures and other hiring and retention best practices.

Learn more about our recruiting and staffing services here or read the Employer FAQs.