About 82%. That’s how much a great onboarding process can your employee retention rate. On the other hand, a negative onboarding experience can cause the employee to leave, costing the company up to 200% of the employee’s salary to find a new replacement.
Moral of the story? The onboarding journey you design directly impacts your company’s success. The right onboarding experience can:
- Help new hires adapt to your company with ease and enthusiasm
- Help them forge strong relationships with their coworkers and leaders
- Allow them to unleash their full potential and become long-term ambassadors for your company’s growth
Now that the numbers have spoken, let’s discuss how your home improvement business can tap into the power of positive onboarding to ensure your employees excel at their jobs and become the building blocks of their company’s success.
First, How Many Stages Does Onboarding Come With?
The process of opening your company’s door to new employees involves the following stages:
- Preboarding. This process kickstarts your employee’s onboarding experience before their start date. Preboarding is the perfect time to address any questions your new hires may have, share your onboarding schedule with them, and send them a warm welcome package.
- Onboarding. Defined as “the process of helping new hires adjust to social and performance aspects of their new jobs,” onboarding is the proverbial bridge that connects your new hires to your overall company culture.
- Training. Training is one of the most important elements of every employee’s onboarding journey. The training you craft for your new hires must ease them into blending with your company and processes.
The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Powerful Onboarding Process
When creating your onboarding plan, try to put yourself in the shoes of your new hires. Ask yourself, “How can I ensure new employees understand the company culture and what is expected of them without feeling overwhelmed?” and “What can I do to make them feel more supported during the process?” Below are a few solid steps to help you design an onboarding process for your employees (and business) to succeed:
Get the Paperwork Out of The Way
It’s your new hire’s first day at work. What can you do to ensure they have a productive time instead of feeling isolated (or worse, bored)? The answer: get them started on administrative tasks such as completing HR paperwork or setting up their company email address. You can even start to get them familiar with the general contractor management software that your company uses. Some examples of paperwork you should get out of the way include: direct deposit forms, tax forms, employee handbook acknowledgment forms, and NDAs. To make the process easier for your employees, get them to fill out their paperwork digitally instead of having them do it manually.
Start with a Company Introduction
Onboarding is largely about familiarizing your new hires with your company and its culture. Take your new hire’s first day as an opportunity to introduce your business. Talk about its history, people, goals, achievements, values, and vision. This step can get them excited about their new workplace and perhaps even help them share a few stories of their own!
Shine the Light on Your Company Culture
It takes more than just healthy compensation for your employees to be satisfied with their work life. Most employees prioritize working at a company with a great culture so they can connect with their work better, stay productive, and feel motivated.
This is why talking about your culture throughout the onboarding journey matters. Put the spotlight on what makes your company so unique. Share your values and mission statement. Let your new hires ask questions about how your business operates and share some stories of long-term employees who have always been so loyal.
Don’t Forget to Mention Your Commitment to Employee Safety and Compliance
If your company culture values ethics and compliance, your onboarding program must talk about it in detail. Highlight how seriously you take your safety standards. Your onboarding program must go beyond just having your new hires check off certain boxes. Instead, it must paint a comprehensive picture of how your culture plays out and how your new hires can fit into it.
Encourage Them to Collaborate and Connect with Colleagues
The onboarding journey is all about striking valuable connections. For most employees, the “human” element of their new job matters above everything else. This could include meeting new team members, creating social ties, and collaborating with colleagues and management.
New hires must feel supported, valued, and included when they begin to forge new work relationships. When a new hire enters your office for the first time, don’t just show them where their desk is. Instead, introduce them to team members and help them blend in with the workplace. By encouraging collaboration from the first day of the job, you can empower your employees to bond with their coworkers and trust your process.
Dig Up Some Employee Testimonials
Employee testimonials are a great way to highlight your positive company culture and employee satisfaction. Give your current and former employees the opportunity to share their experiences with your company, with a special focus on the training they received throughout their journey with you. By showcasing the unique benefits of your company’s work ethic and training, you not only boost your credibility but also create a sense of community.
Let a Mentor Take Over
The best way to help your employees during their first weeks at your company is to assign an experienced mentor. This ensures your new employees know that they can always turn to someone if they need anything. A great mentor can make the onboarding journey less stressful and more engaging for newcomers.
Tap Into the Power of Feedback
Onboarding is the most important first step that defines how your new employee’s relationship with your company will unfold down the line.
A great way to improve this process is to solicit feedback from new hires who have recently gone through the training. Offer multiple channels of communication so employees share their experiences with ease. Follow up with employees after 3-6 months on the job to understand how they feel about their work and the workplace. Remember, receiving feedback is not enough. Make sure you use it to create a well-rounded onboarding process that puts employees first.
Over to You!
The way you onboard your new hires defines their success at your company. This is why it’s critical to invest in the right onboarding process. From role-specific training to team integration – make sure your onboarding process transforms your new hires into loyal teams that pave the path for your business’s growth and success.
