Definition:
Designing the optimal new hire ramping up a process that delights the employee and initiates value creation by the employee.
- What it is: How a new employee is introduced to the company, provided the training and tools they need to begin work, and the orientation to their manager and team, will determine the level of initial productivity and employee satisfaction. Onboarding is the process designed to create the optimal ramping up experience for new hires. As with any process in business, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Many organization has little or no onboarding process, and it is obvious to new employees when that happens. Human Resource Development (HRD) organization defines onboarding this way: New employee onboarding is the process of getting new hires adjusted to the social and performance aspects of their new jobs quickly and smoothly. It is the process through which new hires learn the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to function effectively within an organization. The bottom line is the degree that organizations can make new hires feel welcomed into the organization and feel prepared for their new jobs, the faster they will be able to successfully contribute to the organization’s mission.
- What does it do: If a well-designed onboarding process is developed and implemented, new employees will have the tools they need to start their job, an understanding of their job responsibilities and deliverables, and an orientation to the company culture. This will allow the employee to have lower discomfort and concerns and to become productive as fast as possible. Employee satisfaction will increase and disruptions to the workflow will be minimized.
Uses:
- How is it used: The onboarding process is used to optimize the workflow associated with bringing a new employee onboard and providing them with everything they need to start work happily and productively. This process should include both checklists of activities to complete and creating interactions between the employee and their new team and company leadership and culture.
- Where: No matter how small the company or how big the corporation, there is always a value in developing an onboarding process for new employees. It will limit cost and frustration for the existing workers and the new employee.
- Why: There are many things that need to be in place for a person to start work. If you just wait for each problem to pop up before it is resolved, it could be weeks or months before the new employee becomes productive.
Limitations:
- Where it shouldn't be used: There should always be an onboarding process. Sometimes the process will be small and concise, and sometimes it may roll out over several months. But it should always be used to some extent.
- Any restrictions: None
- Warnings: Be careful that the private information of the individual is not compromised during the onboarding process.
Demonstrations:
- Establish a Process: You first need to have a complete process documented that includes each of the groups that will interact with the new employee. There are a number of resources that need to be available for the employee on the first day. There are many topics that need to be addressed on the first day and week, etc. The SHRM Foundation which represents Human Resources Professional suggests that companies need to cover the Fours Cs with new employees.
- Compliance is the lowest level and includes teaching employees basic legal and policy-related rules and regulations.
- Clarification refers to ensuring that employees understand their new jobs and all related expectations.
- Culture is a broad category that includes providing employees with a sense of organizational norms—both formal and informal.
- Connection refers to the vital interpersonal relationships and information networks that new employees must establish.
- Onboarding has four distinct levels, the Four C’s:
- Socialization and Culture Introduction: This will include the involvement of at least some of the people and groups listed below:
- Office Professionals
- Management assistants
- Team members and co-workers
- Human Resources representatives (benefits, payroll, insurance, etc.)
- Managers and Supervisor
- Department, division, site, and other local leaders
- Company leaders
- Pre-Planning for what needs to be completed before the employee arrives: There are great lists of these things in the templates and example documents included on this page. Review those documents for the examples of the kind of things to plan for the first day. Some of the top items include:
- Have an office and desk ready to go
- Phones and numbers set up
- Computers in place with usernames, passwords, and employee identification set up in the system
- Security passes and company cards and keys
- Business cards ordered and on the desk
- Cell phones, tablets, and other electronics needed for the job in place (some of these things may require communication with the employee before day 1)
- Company rulebooks, literature and office procedure documentation
- And anything else a person will need to get started on the first day
- Establish a schedule for the first day and the first week: The schedule should be fairly structured to let the person have access to all of the people, training, and orientation needed to bring them up to speed as fast as possible. The new employee should meet and become familiar with those they will work with, their managers, leaders, and people who represent the culture and structure of the company.
- Successful Onboarding programs have been found to promote the following outcomes
- Self Efficacy or Self Confidence: Organizations should target specific onboarding programs to help boost employees’ confidence as they navigate new organizational waters. Self-efficacy has been shown to have an impact on organizational commitment, satisfaction, and turnover.
- Role Clarity: How well does the employee understand what they are responsible for and how they fit in the larger organization.
- Social Integration: Help the employee become socially integrated into the organization to help them feel comfortable and become effective working within the organization.
- Knowledge of Culture: Even the most talented and effective employees will struggle if they do not understand the culture of the organization and all of the unwritten rules. Providing a mentor that can help them understand the inner working of the organization can help them navigate the waters early and learn the culture and how things get done in the organization.
Template for capturing data:
Output representation and recommendations:
The Onboarding Planning Tool is a good example of how you present the onboarding process to the organization: 
Onboarding_Planning_Tool.docx
Examples:
new employee checklist.doc
Additional resources:
