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We will explore the art of creating a better onboarding experience for all involved. If you’re starting a new job or welcoming a new team member, you’ve experienced the process of onboarding. It’s more than just paperwork and protocols; it’s the beginning of a journey in a new environment. We’ll dive into the onboarding experience, offering insights, tips, and practical advice. By the time you finish reading, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to foster a more effective onboarding process that leaves a lasting impact.

1. What is Onboarding?

Onboarding is the process of integrating new employees into an organization. It goes beyond orientation and encompasses the steps taken to help new hires become productive and engaged team members. Effective onboarding should facilitate a smooth transition for the employee while aligning them with the company’s mission, vision, and values.

2. Why Does Onboarding Matter?

Effective onboarding matters for several reasons. First and foremost, it sets the tone for the employee’s journey within the organization. A well-structured onboarding process ensures that employees have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to excel in their roles. It also helps in retaining top talent, as employees who have a positive attitude are more likely to stay with the company. Things to include:

• Retention: Effective onboarding significantly contributes to employee retention. When employees have a positive experience, they are more likely to stay with the company for the long term. This not only saves on recruitment costs but also ensures a stable and experienced workforce.

• Productivity: Onboarding equips employees with the necessary tools and knowledge to do their job effectively. When done right, it accelerates the learning curve, enabling new hires to become productive members of the team sooner.

• Cultural Integration: Onboarding is a prime opportunity to introduce new employees to the company’s culture, values, and mission. Understanding these aspects early on helps employees align with the organization’s goals and feel more connected to their work.

• Engagement: An engaging onboarding process keeps employees interested and motivated. It fosters a sense of belonging and commitment, which, in turn, leads to better job performance.

• Compliance and Safety: Onboarding ensures that new employees are aware of company policies, safety procedures, and legal requirements. This is essential for the well-being of both employees and the organization.

• Communication: Onboarding encourages open lines of communication. It provides a platform for new employees to ask questions, seek clarification, and voice their concerns. This establishes a culture of transparency and trust from the start.

• Adaptation: Change can be challenging. Onboarding helps employees adapt to their new environment, reducing anxiety and stress associated with a new job. It’s an essential step in helping them feel comfortable and confident.

3. The Onboarding Experience: A Step-by-Step Guide

Preparing for Day One

The process should start before the employee’s first day. Ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed and the employee’s workstation is set up. This way, they can dive into work from day one without being bogged down by administrative tasks.

First Impressions

The first day is crucial. Make the employee feel welcomed and valued. Assign a buddy or mentor to help them navigate the office, introduce them to colleagues, and provide a sense of belonging. First impressions have a lasting impact.

Training and Skill Development

Provide comprehensive training that equips employees with the skills and knowledge required for their roles. This should include job-specific training but also broader training on company policies and procedures.

Company Culture and Values

Introduce employees to the company’s culture and values. Explain the mission, vision, and goals. Employees who understand the bigger picture are more likely to be engaged and committed.

4. Personalizing the Onboarding Experience

One of the key principles in modern onboarding is the recognition that one size does not fit all. Every new employee is a unique individual with different needs, skills, and goals. To create a truly effective experience in onboarding, personalization is essential. Here’s how to go about it:

• Assess Individual Needs: Begin by understanding the unique requirements of each new employee. What are their strengths, weaknesses, and prior experiences? What are their career goals and aspirations? This information will be the foundation for personalization.

• Customized Training: Tailor the training program to the specific needs of the employee. If they possess certain skills or experiences, skip redundant training. Instead, focus on what’s new or crucial for their role.

• Mentorship and Guidance: Assign a mentor or buddy who can provide one-on-one support. This mentor should understand the individual’s background and goals and be able to guide them through the nuances of the company.

• Flexible Timeline: Recognize that not everyone learns at the same pace. Allow flexibility in the onboarding timeline to accommodate different learning speeds. Some employees may grasp concepts quickly, while others might need more time.

• Job Role Flexibility: In some cases, the job role itself can be adapted to suit the skills and interests of the new employee. Personalizing their role can lead to better job satisfaction and performance.

5. The Role of Technology in Onboarding

Leverage technology to streamline and enhance the onboarding process. Use digital platforms for paperwork, training modules, and communication. Technology can save time, reduce errors, and create a more engaging experience.

6. Measuring Onboarding Success

To gauge the effectiveness of your onboarding process, establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs). These could include retention rates, time to productivity, and employee satisfaction surveys. Regularly evaluate and refine the onboarding process based on the results.

7. Common Onboarding Mistakes to Avoid

Effective onboarding is crucial for the success of both new employees and the organization. However, several common mistakes can hinder this process. To ensure a seamless experience, here are the pitfalls you should steer clear of:

• Rushing the Process: One of the most common mistakes is rushing through the onboarding process. It’s essential to give new employees adequate time to acclimate to their roles and the company culture. Forcing them to absorb too much information too quickly can be overwhelming and counterproductive.

• Information Overload: Bombarding new hires with an excessive amount of information in a short span can lead to confusion and stress. It’s important to strike a balance between providing essential information and overwhelming them with details.

• Neglecting Feedback: Failing to gather feedback from new employees about their experience in onboarding is a missed opportunity for improvement. Regularly seeking input can help refine the process and address any issues or concerns promptly.

• Isolation: Leaving new employees to fend for themselves can lead to feelings of isolation. Assigning a buddy or mentor to guide them through the initial days can significantly enhance their sense of belonging.

• Lack of Personalization: One-size-fits-all onboarding doesn’t work. Neglecting to tailor the process to the individual needs, skills, and background of the new employee can make them feel like just another cog in the machine. Personalization creates a sense of uniqueness and belonging.

• Ignoring Compliance and Safety: Failing to provide information on company policies, safety procedures, and legal compliance is a serious oversight. This information is crucial for the well-being of both employees and the organization.

• Inadequate Training: Incomplete or insufficient training can leave employees ill-equipped to handle their roles. Comprehensive training, including job-specific and general company training, is essential for their success.

• Poor Communication: Ineffective communication can lead to misunderstandings and confusion. Ensure that lines of communication are open and employees feel comfortable asking questions or seeking clarification.

8. Onboarding for Remote Teams

In the digital age, remote work is becoming increasingly common. Onboarding remote employees presents unique challenges. Effective communication, technology, and a sense of inclusion are key elements for success in this scenario.

9. The Importance of Ongoing Support

Onboarding isn’t limited to the first few weeks. Offering ongoing support and mentorship ensures that employees continue to grow and adapt within the organization. Regular check-ins, training updates, and opportunities for career advancement are vital.

In conclusion, It’s a critical phase in an employee’s journey with an organization. It’s the foundation upon which their success and satisfaction are built. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create a better experience that not only attracts top talent but also retains and nurtures it.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

1. What is the ideal duration for onboarding?

The duration of onboarding can vary depending on the complexity of the role and the organization. However, a standard onboarding process often spans several weeks to a few months to ensure that employees are fully integrated and productive.

2. How can I make the onboarding experience more engaging for new employees?

Focus on personalization, interactivity, and clear communication to be more engaged. Tailor the process to individual needs, incorporate hands-on activities, and maintain open lines of communication throughout.

3. What role does HR play in the onboarding process?

Human Resources (HR) plays a central role in onboarding. They handle administrative tasks, coordinate training, and facilitate the integration of new employees into the organization. HR ensures that the onboarding process is efficient and compliant with company policies.

4. How can onboarding benefit the company in the long run?

Effective onboarding benefits the company by reducing turnover, increasing employee satisfaction, and enhancing productivity. It fosters a sense of loyalty and commitment among employees, leading to long-term success and growth.

5. Can onboarding be adapted for different types of organizations, such as nonprofits or startups?

Absolutely! Onboarding principles can be adapted to suit the specific needs and culture of different organizations, including nonprofits and startups. The key is to align the process with the organization’s goals and values while meeting the needs of new employees.

Onboarding, the critical process of integrating new employees into an organization, can be seamlessly managed with Briohr. This innovative HR software simplifies the entire onboarding journey, from paperwork and document management to training and orientation. With Briohr, HR professionals can efficiently streamline the onboarding process, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience for both new hires and their employers. It provides a user-friendly platform to centralize information, automate tasks, and enhance communication, ultimately fostering a more productive and engaging onboarding process.

Visit briohr.com for more information about experience in onboar

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However, one of the challenges that HR departments often face is the hiring of relatives or nepotism within the workplace. Nepotism, the practice of favoring relatives or close friends in employment decisions, can lead to various issues, including conflicts of interest, resentment among employees, and a compromised work environment.

Here, we aim to provide HR professionals with valuable insights and strategies for handling the hiring of relatives in a fair and transparent manner.

Why Hiring Relatives Can Be a Problem

First off, not all situations involving hiring relatives are undesirable. In close-knit family businesses, hiring relatives is unavoidable. For example, bringing sons and daughters on board is a part of corporate succession planning. In such cases, the head of the family business may see grooming the next generation as continuity of culture and business practice for the company.

On the other hand, nepotism becomes a problem in larger corporations or in government organizations. Conflicts of interest and accusations of favouritism can crop up, even if the relative hired is indeed the most qualified person for the job. Among the rest of the workforce, the appearance of fairness and neutrality must be kept.

Addressing Hiring of Relatives

Develop a Clear Nepotism Policy

To effectively address nepotism, companies should establish a comprehensive nepotism policy. This policy should outline the organization’s stance on hiring relatives, the procedures for reporting potential nepotism, and the consequences for violating the policy. By having a clear policy in place, HR professionals can ensure that all employees are aware of the company’s expectations and consequences related to nepotism.

Consistent Application of Policies

Consistency is key when it comes to enforcing nepotism policies. HR professionals must ensure that hiring decisions are made based on merit, qualifications, and skills rather than personal relationships. It is essential to apply the same standards to all employees, regardless of their familial connections within the organization. This consistency helps maintain fairness and equity in the workplace.

Transparent Hiring Processes

Transparency in the hiring process is crucial to building trust among employees. HR professionals should ensure that all job openings are posted internally and externally, allowing a wide pool of candidates to apply. Additionally, interview panels should be diverse and include individuals who are not related to the candidate. This approach helps mitigate suspicions of bias and ensures that the best candidate is selected for the job.

Avoiding Direct Supervision

One effective way to manage nepotism is to avoid placing relatives in positions where they would directly supervise or manage each other, either through a solid-line or dotted-line reporting basis. This practice reduces the potential for conflicts of interest and favoritism. Instead, consider placing relatives in separate departments or teams to minimize the risk of nepotism-related issues.

Employee Education and Training

HR professionals should conduct regular training sessions for employees and managers on the company’s nepotism policy and the importance of fair hiring practices. By educating the workforce, you can raise awareness and promote a culture of fairness and professionalism.

Reporting Mechanisms

Establish a confidential reporting mechanism for employees to voice concerns about potential nepotism. Employees should feel comfortable reporting any perceived violations of the nepotism policy without fear of retaliation. HR professionals should investigate all reports thoroughly and take appropriate action when necessary.

Ethical Leadership

Leaders within the organization should set an example of ethical behavior. They should avoid engaging in nepotism themselves and be held to the same standards as other employees. Leadership commitment to ethical hiring practices is essential for fostering a culture of fairness and integrity.

Hire Smart with BrioHR

Hiring relatives can be a minefield, but it doesn’t have to be with BrioHR. With BrioHR’s onboarding module, you can ensure that everyone, regardless of relationship, can go through a standardized onboarding process. This is essential for fairness and transparency, while also helping new joiners get up to speed as fast as possible.

The post Navigating Nepotism: Handling the Hiring of Relatives appeared first on BrioHR.

Here, we’ll explore some effective strategies for HR professionals to facilitate these connections and create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment.

Create Welcoming Onboarding Processes

The journey towards building friendships often begins during the onboarding process. HR professionals should design an onboarding program that not only focuses on job-related training but also includes activities and events that foster interpersonal connections. Consider incorporating icebreaker activities, group lunches, or team-building exercises to help new employees get to know their colleagues in a relaxed and comfortable setting.

Promote a Culture of Inclusivity

Inclusivity is the cornerstone of a workplace where friendships can thrive. HR should actively promote a culture that values diversity and encourages employees to appreciate and learn from one another’s backgrounds and perspectives. This inclusivity can be reinforced through diversity training, awareness campaigns, and open discussions about the importance of workplace friendships.

Implement Buddy Systems

Pairing new employees with experienced colleagues as “buddies” is an excellent way to facilitate friendships. These buddies can act as mentors, guides, and friends, helping newcomers navigate the workplace, introducing them to others, and offering support. Establishing a buddy system can be a formal part of the onboarding process or an ongoing initiative to ensure that every new hire has someone to turn to.

Organize Social Events

Regular social events outside of work hours provide an ideal setting for employees to connect on a personal level. HR can organize activities like teambuilding outings, sports activities, or volunteer opportunities to encourage socializing among colleagues. These events create an informal atmosphere where employees can relax and form lasting bonds.

Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Encourage collaboration and interaction between different departments or teams. HR can initiate cross-functional projects, committees, or workshops that require employees from various areas to work together. Such initiatives not only enhance professional skills but also facilitate social interactions and friendships among colleagues who might not otherwise cross paths.

Provide Comfortable Spaces for Interaction

Designing the physical workplace with comfortable common areas can encourage spontaneous interactions. Break rooms, lounges, or collaborative workspaces equipped with comfortable seating, games, and amenities can create an inviting environment for employees to chat and bond during breaks.

Recognize and Reward Team Building

Recognizing and rewarding employees who actively contribute to team building and fostering workplace friendships can be a powerful incentive. Acknowledgement through awards, certificates, or other forms of recognition can motivate employees to engage in activities that promote camaraderie.

Encourage Open Communication

HR professionals should promote open communication channels where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. This creates a sense of belonging and trust, making it easier for individuals to initiate and maintain friendships within the organization.

Lead by Example

HR leaders and management should lead by example. Their behaviour and interactions with colleagues set the tone for the entire organization. Encourage senior management to engage in team-building activities, mentorship programs, and social events to demonstrate the importance of workplace friendships.

Set the Onboarding Tone with BrioHR

Encouraging new joiners to make friends in the office is not just about improving workplace morale; it’s also about enhancing productivity, retention rates, and overall job satisfaction. BrioHR’s onboarding module helps that process along by introducing a systematic, digitalized onboarding flow that can be customized to each new joiner. While BrioHR can’t help you make friends, it can make the transition to a new company much smoother and easier.

The post 9 Methods to Encourage New Joiners to Make Friends appeared first on BrioHR.

However, many businesses’ recruitment practices are firmly rooted in the preferences of older generations. The new cohort of Gen Z employees have a different ethos to those that came before them. This is due, in part, to the rapidly changing world in which they grew up in.

Therefore, to successfully recruit and retain Gen Z employees, you need to bridge the generation gap and know what they are like. In short, Gen Z is:

• Digital first: Gen Z has never known a world without the internet. The smartphone was invented when most of them were toddlers. Previous generations adapted, sometimes unwillingly, to innovations like social media, on-demand entertainment, and an ‘always-on’ lifestyle. On the other hand, Gen Z takes these for granted, with little to no memory of the pre-smartphone age.
• Socially conscious: Gen Z came of age amidst climate change, political polarization, and increasing social and economic inequality. It’s no surprise that this has shaped a progressive worldview, in which Gen Z feels like they have to make a difference through their choices. They want to be associated with brands and organizations that share their values.
• Financially pragmatic: The parents of Gen Z-ers were hit by the Great Recession, economizing on everything from daily necessities to housing costs. Many families never really recovered from the financial shock of 2007-2008, driving their Gen Z children to adopt a pragmatic, thrifty attitude towards money.
• Astute customers: When it comes to making decisions, Gen Z have a wealth of information at their fingertips. As tech savvy customers with access to social media, Gen Z can and do make more informed decisions than their older peers, in every aspect of life from purchasing to job seeking.

Here are eight things you need to be doing right now to hire Gen Z talent.

1. Be Authentic

Disillusioned by the ‘perfect’, curated images on social media, Gen Z craves the messy reality of authenticity, warts and all. This should be reflected in your employer brand.

If your company has any shortcomings, don’t try to sweep it under the rug – Gen Z will know about it from social media. Instead, own your mistakes and clearly communicate your plan to fix these mistakes. At the same time, encourage your people to be open and honest about their experiences at the company.

The same goes with your job listings. Don’t set unrealistic expectations for candidates, for example requiring an entry-level job to have three years of experience. While it’s important to weed out inexperienced jobseekers, you could also potentially miss out on younger, suitably qualified candidates.

2. Work Towards Something Bigger

Closely related to authenticity is the purpose of the company. Prospective Gen Z talents look for companies that align closely with their values – to do good, to make a difference, to make the world a better place. In short, they want to find meaning in their work.

Hence, your organization’s mission and values need to be spelled out clearly to attract Gen Z talent. HR also needs to talk about how these values are translated into the job scope and its day-to-day functions. Show your talent how their role – no matter how insignificant – can make a difference.

3. Emphasize Learning and Career Growth

Gen Z employees have a different set of career priorities compared to their older counterparts. In particular, they want opportunities to develop and grow. This does not just mean climbing the corporate ladder – instead they are looking for ways to learn new skills and new responsibilities.

Furthermore, Gen Z is infamous for job-hopping, but they’re not job-hopping out of spite. Career stagnation sets in much earlier for this cohort, especially when they see the options available to them on social media. Employers can take advantage of this restlessness by showing them internal pathways to development, encouraging them to job-hop internally instead. This gives them the chance to find what they like and chart a long-term career path – hopefully with your company.

4. Connect Face-to-Face

Despite their digital-first mindset, Gen Z jobseekers desire face-to-face contact with potential employers. They can feel overwhelmed by the massive amount of information online, and they need to talk to a real person to validate their choices.

Hence, physical events like job fairs and open days are still key to recruiting Gen Z talent. They get the chance to talk to a real representative of the company, while the business is able to ‘sell’ its employer brand to the younger generation of talent.

5. Encourage Referrals

Similarly, when searching for a job, Gen Z candidates value referrals from a company’s current employees more than any other option. Of course, online job boards and company careers pages are important sources of information, but nothing beats a personal testimonial from someone they know.

6. Be Fast

Gen Z is used to getting everything instantly. This translates to job offers as well. Not only do 17 percent of Gen Z jobseekers expect an offer less than a week after the interview, they also expect to receive more than one job offer.

When communicating with recruiters, they also expect replies to be instant, with information available at their fingertips. Companies will need to step up and streamline their hiring processes in order to compete for young talent.

7. Be Flexible

The pandemic let the flexible working genie out of the bottle, and there’s no way to put it back in. Flexibility in terms of where and when to work has emerged as one of the most alluring perks for employees during the Great Resignation. And it’s even more crucial especially for the newest generation of talent.

Hybrid working will be the norm for Gen Z, and its all to do with work-life balance. For example, if your company emphasizes employee well-being, truly mean it by investing in employee benefits and giving flexible perks like remote working.

8. Communicate Openly

More than anything else, fairness and openness feature greatly in Gen Z values. Your company’s hiring process should also reflect that.

Subjecting candidates to paper applications, making them jump through multiple hoops, and ignoring their questions are surefire ways to turn off Gen Z talents. As they enter the workforce amidst the Great Resignation, Gen Z candidates have myriad job offers to choose from if the recruitment process is slow, cumbersome, or both.

What companies can do instead is to clearly communicate to Gen Z talents the interview process, e.g. how many interview rounds, any tests needed etc. During the hiring process, companies should also let interviewees know if they have passed the first interview round, second interview round, and so on in a timely manner. Even if they are rejected, letting them know with a simple rejection letter is much better than ghosting them.

Recruit Generation Z with BrioHR

With BrioHR’s digital solution, your company can keep up with Gen Z’s speed of thought. BrioHR’s recruitment module allows HR to collect and share feedback from candidate screening and interviews, boost collaboration between departments, and make faster and more robust hiring decisions.

This speed and openness will give your business the edge in hiring the next generation of talent.

With 9 powerful modules, BrioHR’s software covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to onboarding, payroll and claims, to performance and analytics, and more.

This enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.

Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.

The post 8 Things You Should Be Doing to Recruit Generation Z appeared first on BrioHR.

What comes next is the probationary period. It’s more or less standard practice in Malaysian companies for new employees to undergo probation, which can last from one to six months, depending on position and seniority. At the end of probation, the employee’s manager will review their performance.

The purpose of the probationary period is to determine whether a candidate is qualified for the position and a suitable match for the organization. If everything is fine, the new recruit will be confirmed as a full employee. If not, their probationary period may be extended.

Though probationary periods are common, there are many things that can confuse employers and employees alike. Here are five things that may trip you up about probation in Malaysia.

1. There Is No Legal Definition of a ‘Probationer’ or ‘Probationary Period’

Nowhere in the Employment Act 1955 does it say anything about probation. In fact, probation isn’t even a legal requirement – you can ‘confirm’ an employee straight away and it makes no difference.

2. Probation Is Defined by the Employment Contract

Since there is no mention of ‘probation’ anywhere in legislation, the terms of an employee’s probation will be determined by their employment contract. This includes the length of the probation period, the notice period, as well as any differences in entitlements (e.g. leave entitlements) from confirmed employees.

3. You Need to Confirm Your Employees on Probation

Under Malaysian law, there is no such thing as automatic confirmation. Technically, probationers will still remain under probation until confirmed or terminated – even after their contractual probation period has ended.

It’s a precarious situation to be in, as no one can be sure about their status and entitlements. This is also why a confirmation letter is vital. It is best for employers to keep track of employees’ probationary periods, and for employees also to remind HR about confirmation.

4. Employers Cannot Simply Terminate a Probationer’s Employment

Like confirmed employees, employers cannot terminate an employee on probation without just cause. This means that a company cannot simply hire and fire probationers as and when it likes, for whatever excuse. If so, the probationer can bring a lawsuit for unfair dismissal.

In practice, companies would have to go through the termination process just like any other employee. For example, if the probationer exhibits poor performance, the employer will need to conduct a proper appraisal to inform the probationer about their performance. The appraisal needs to be in written form and signed by the probationer. There needs to be sufficient opportunity for the probationer to improve their performance, e.g. extension of their probation period.

5. Probationers Are Eligible for Annual Leave

Here, we must state at the outset that there is a caveat. Probationers are eligible for annual leave – if the employment contract allows for it. It is usual practice in some companies for probationers to be denied paid annual leave, which is stated in the employment contract.

However, the leave benefits in the Employment Act 1955 apply to the following categories of employees, regardless of probationary status:

• Employees earn a monthly salary of RM2,000 or less. The amendments to the Employment Act 1955 will change this threshold to RM4,000 or less, taking effect on 1 January 2023.
• Employees who are engaged in manual labour, regardless of salary.
• Domestic servants. 
• Other categories of employees within the First Schedule of the Employment Act.

Take Charge of Probation and Confirmation with BrioHR

Recruitment and onboarding can be an intricate process. What’s more, if you’re expanding your business, keeping track of multiple new joiners can be daunting.

With BrioHR’s onboarding module, you can make the right first impression on your new recruits, improving employee engagement, productivity, and retention right from the get go. You can also monitor their probation periods closely, with automated notifications to remind you when their confirmation is due.

With 9 powerful modules, BrioHR’s software covers the entire employee journey from recruitment to onboarding, payroll and claims, to performance and analytics, and more.

This enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.

Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.

The post 5 Things That May Trip You Up About Employee Probation in Malaysia appeared first on BrioHR.

As their employer, your role on a new hire’s first day is to make them feel welcome as a valued member of the team. You need to help them overcome their initial nervousness and get them excited about their role in your organization. At the same time, you will also want to lay out the objectives that need to be achieved and set expectations for the job.

The onboarding process is your chance to make a lasting, good impression of the company. Organizations with poor onboarding processes, rather than preparing new employees for success, are preparing them for an early exit. On the other hand, a great onboarding experience shows that you are committed to a long and fruitful collaboration. By getting your new employee off to a great first day, you will be setting the tone for a productive and successful tenure.

Here are some ways on how you can make your new employee’s first day a success.

Start Before the First Day

A successful first day starts even before the day itself. A week before the new employee’s start date, you should already be sending them key information such as the employee handbook and a short welcome video introducing the company. These actions help to build trust with the new employee.

In addition, HR paperwork should also be filled up ahead of time. Many forms can now be filled up digitally online and imported into the new hire’s digital employee file. This is so that more time can be spent on making friends and connecting with colleagues, rather than getting bogged down in paperwork.

At the same time, you will want to prepare your team to welcome the new employee. Inform them of the start date, so that at least they won’t be caught off guard. If possible, assign a mentor or buddy to the new employee from among the team. Also, prepare a list of key people to meet and schedule their time for a meeting with the new employee. Share this schedule with the new employee as well.

Make Day One a Busy Day

One of the worst experiences a new employee can get is being ignored on the first day. It shows that their manager (and by extension, the company) simply does not care about them, leading to doubts as to whether they should even turn up for the next day’s work.

Hence, a new employee’s first day should be filled with meetings with the team and plenty of face time with their immediate superior. The goal is to create bonds that will last a career and beyond. Getting new hires engaged early will ensure that these bonds translate into productivity and a motivated employee.

With this in mind, the first day’s meeting schedules should be planned in advance and sent to every participant beforehand. Keep the discussions friendly and light – after all, the new employee will have a lot of information to take in at the risk of getting overloaded.

Create a Welcoming Environment

If it’s your new hire’s first day in the office, have someone greet them. They will become a valued part of the team, after all, and should be made to feel welcome from the first minute they start.

To take the welcome further, once they get their work laptop, throw in some company-branded goodies to truly make them feel a part of the organization. Stuff like company T-shirts are not only an effective morale booster, they also create a powerful psychological effect on teamwork and motivation.

Another psychological tactic to welcome a person into a group is to offer food. Thus, if possible, a team lunch should be scheduled for the new employee. At lunch, they can also get to know the team in a more informal setting.

Show Them Why Their Work is Meaningful

When someone knows that their work makes a difference in line with their ethics and ideals, then they find meaning in their work. Making work meaningful is one of the most powerful ways to motivate an employee to give their best and perform on the job.

Consequently, impressing a new employee about their work on the first day is crucial to getting them off to a good start. When you run your first-day training session, show a new hire how their work impacts the organization. Show how their job scope fits into the mission and vision of the company, as well as how they fit into the organizational chart. All this goes a long way towards giving their work meaning on the first day.

And if possible, make time for your new hire to meet all the departmental heads and do a brief introduction. This may not be feasible in a large multinational, but if it’s a smaller organization, do try your best to make it happen – if not on the first day, then on the first week. These introductions not only build interpersonal connections, it also puts context into the new hire’s work.

Make the First Day Onboarding a Success with BrioHR

Engage your new hires right from Day One with BrioHR’s seamless onboarding module. This helps you make the right first impression, improving employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

New hires have their own access to get instant visibility on the onboarding process. They can enter their personal details, upload documents, and access company information before their first day. At the same time, managers can customize the onboarding process and notify all relevant people.

With automated reminders and a user-friendly dashboard, this enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.

Visit briohr.com and get a free demo now.

The post Preparing an Employee for Their First Day of Work appeared first on BrioHR.

Furthermore, the accelerating war for talent is forcing businesses to really think about the remote onboarding process. Onboarding normally is hard enough as it is, and remote onboarding makes the process even more tricky.

A bad onboarding experience can prolong the amount of time it takes for a new hire to become productive, as well as lead to greater attrition. 20% of employee turnover happens within the first 45 days of employment, a symptom of a poor onboarding process.

However, with a systematic, strategic onboarding process you can start your new employees off on the right foot. At the end of the onboarding process, new remote hires should be able to:

Feel comfortable and welcome at their new workplace.
Build strong relationships with their colleagues.
Understand the organizational culture.
Have clear expectations of their roles and responsibilities.
Know how their work impacts the business and how they can make a difference.
With these goals in mind, here are five tips to onboard a remote employee and make them a winning member of your team.

Five Tips for Onboarding a Remote Employee
Start Early
The onboarding process should start as early as three weeks prior to their start date. Engaging employees early enables them to start their first day off in a comfortable mindset. Send them some videos explaining the company, and if possible a personalized video from their immediate superior or a company leader.

If your company has branded goods, e.g. T-shirts, mugs, stationery etc you can also arrange for them to be sent to the new hire for that extra warm touch. All this will create a connection between the employee and the organization, mitigating the ‘first day of school’ feeling and getting them motivated to hit the ground running.

Set Up the Tech ASAP
It is all due to technology that remote working is possible in the first place. Hence, setting up the tech ASAP for a new hire is essential. Get the company laptop and other remote working amenities (e.g. an external monitor) to your new hire, ideally before their first day.

But more importantly, get them up to speed with their digital workplace, i.e. the company intranet, shared drives, communications apps, and other necessary software. This will essentially be the remote employee’s workplace, so getting them access is akin to giving them the keycard to the office building. Doing so ahead of time reduces technical concerns and allows new hires to be fully present and accountable from the outset.

Assign a Mentor or Buddy
In-person new employees can quickly find themselves lost, let alone a remote hire. Without the presence of colleagues, remote colleagues can feel overwhelmed and isolated at the same time.

To combat this, introducing new hires to an informal mentor or buddy is critical. Their role is to support the new employee and to gradually induct them into the team. This mentor should be someone other than the new employee’s manager, so the new hire feels safe asking any question, big or small. Any new employee will and should have plenty of questions, and the last thing you want is for them to be unsure who to ask.

The person that you assign to be a mentor should ideally reach out to the new hire ahead of time to identify themselves as their point of contact. The mentor’s role is to provide key information, as well as to integrate the new hire into the fold. During the first week of onboarding, the mentor can introduce key members of the organization to the new hire, while checking in from time-to-time with small talk.

Create a Structured Onboarding Plan
Many organizations treat onboarding as a week-long affair, before dropping everything and letting the new hire get on with it. Unfortunately, a study by Gallup found that only 29% of new hires say they feel fully prepared and supported to excel in their role after onboarding.

For remote employees, the lack of spontaneous office interaction means that onboarding support is even more crucial. You will need to create a 30/60/90 day plan with action items and goals for each milestone. Making clear what success looks like after the onboarding process formally ends can create a strong foundation for continued engagement with the company, even when working remotely.

Establish Cross-Department Collaboration
A major drawback of remote working is that you can’t rely on the organic and spontaneous relationship-building that happens in hallways, over lunches, and at office events in a virtual setting. The risk of siloing is especially prevalent among departments that mainly operate remotely.

That’s why it’s best to be proactive and intentional about arranging a mix of formal and informal interactions between new hires and other colleagues. Whether it’s a formal work discussion or a fun group activity, it’s critical that new hires create strong relationships across the organization.

The Onboarding Checklist for a Remote Employee
Send new employees links to company videos, handbooks, documentation etc.
Arrange for the new hire’s laptop and other goodies to be sent to them.
Assign a mentor or buddy to the new hire.
Create the new hire’s 30/60/90 day onboarding plan and share it with them.
Schedule orientation with HR. New employees can learn about benefits and fill in any paperwork needed.
Schedule orientation with IT. New employees will set up their accounts, added to relevant group chats, and given a tour of the digital tools they’ll be using.
Schedule a team orientation. Keep it casual and get everyone to introduce themselves.
Schedule a one-on-one meeting. Go over their roles and responsibilities, as well as their first week tasks.
Send a new employee announcement email or share the news of their arrival during a company meeting (or both).
Have constant communication and check-ins. Encourage feedback from the new employee.
Conduct role-specific training. Arrange for certification if needed.
Schedule some fun breaks with the team, e.g. virtual happy hour, team games etc.
Conduct regular reviews, with reference to the onboarding plan if needed. Point out their strengths and areas for improvement before the next review.
Make Onboarding Seamless with BrioHR
Engage your new hires, whether in-person or remote, with BrioHR’s seamless onboarding module. This helps you make the right first impression, improving employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

New hires have their own access to get instant visibility on the onboarding process. They can enter their personal details, upload documents, and access company information, saving HR a huge amount of time while enjoying the best employee experience. At the same time, managers can customize the onboarding process (with help from the tips and checklist above).

With automated reminders and a user-friendly dashboard, this enables business owners and HR teams to truly focus on what matters most – people.

Get a free demo now by clicking here.

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