What does onboarding mean?
Onboarding is the process by which new employees are integrated into a company and prepared for their new tasks.
It includes induction, communicating company values and culture, introducing colleagues and departments and providing the necessary resources and information required for a successful start in the new position.
If onboarding is effective, it helps new employees to integrate into the company more quickly, work productively and remain loyal to the company in the long term.
What are the benefits of onboarding new employees?
Onboarding new employees offers many benefits and contributes significantly to the long-term success of a company.
I will explain some of the key benefits below:
1. Faster productivity
Structured onboarding allows new employees to familiarize themselves with their tasks more quickly and therefore work productively faster.
2. Employee retention
Effective onboarding helps new employees to integrate into the company more quickly and identify with the company values, which strengthens employee loyalty.
3. Reduction in staff turnover
Well-integrated employees feel valued and are more likely to remain loyal to the company, which can reduce the turnover rate.
4. Improved working atmosphere
Successful onboarding promotes the development of good relationships between new employees and their colleagues, which has a positive impact on the working atmosphere.
5. Effective communication
Onboarding provides new employees with important information about company structures, processes and expectations, which improves internal communication.
6. Strengthening the corporate culture
New employees learn about the company’s values, standards and goals through onboarding and can integrate these into their work.
7. Increase motivation
Successful onboarding makes new employees feel welcome and thus contributes to motivation and performance.
What is important during onboarding?
During onboarding, it is important that new employees feel welcome and valued right from the start.
This includes a clear induction structure that helps them to quickly settle into the company and their new role.
Communicating the corporate culture, values and goals is also crucial in order to promote long-term employee loyalty to the company.
In addition, clear expectations and goals should be communicated to give employees an understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
Well-planned onboarding makes a significant contribution to ensuring that new employees integrate more quickly, work more productively and remain loyal to the company in the long term.
What phases does the onboarding process consist of?
The onboarding process usually consists of several phases aimed at successfully integrating the new employee into the company and preparing them for their new role.
The exact number and names of the phases may vary depending on the company, but typically they include the following aspects:
1. Preparation before the first day of work
This phase involves administrative tasks such as providing contracts, forms and information on company policies. The new employee will also receive details about the first day of work, such as the time of arrival and the meeting point.
2. Introduction on the first day of work
On the first day of work, the new employee receives a warm welcome from the team and managers. There will be an introduction to the company and an introduction to colleagues and the working environment.
3. Training and induction
In this phase, the new employee receives training on company processes, systems and guidelines. They are introduced to their specific tasks and gain an insight into the corporate culture.
4. Integration into the team
The new employee is actively integrated into the team by attending meetings, working on projects and interacting with colleagues.
5. Feedback and support
Throughout the onboarding process, the new employee should receive regular feedback and, if necessary, support from superiors or mentors.
6. Long-term integration
Even after the first few weeks or months, the process continues to ensure that the new employee is successful in the long term and feels comfortable in the company.
How long does the onboarding process take?
The duration of the onboarding process can vary depending on the company, industry and position.
As a rule, the process extends over the first few weeks to the first few months of a new employee’s employment.
Some companies have a structured onboarding program that spans several weeks and includes various aspects such as induction, training, interviews with different departments and mentoring.
Other companies may have a shorter onboarding program that focuses on basic introductions and communicating company values.
Regardless of the length of onboarding, it is important to emphasize that it is not a one-time process, but rather an ongoing process that may take place over an extended period of time.
Even after the first few weeks or months, new employees often continue to be introduced to their role and supported to ensure long-term integration and productivity.
Who is involved in onboarding new employees?
Onboarding new employees usually involves several people and departments who work together to ensure that the process runs smoothly and that the new employee receives the best possible support.
Typical parties involved are:
1. Human resources department
The human resources department plays a central role in the onboarding process. They are often responsible for managing recruitment documents, coordinating training and providing information on company policies and procedures.
2. Supervisors and team members
The new employee’s direct supervisors and colleagues play an important role in the onboarding process. They can instruct the new employee on work procedures, help them with questions and integrate them into the team.
3. Specialist departments
Depending on the position of the new employee, specialist departments such as IT, finance or production may also be involved in the onboarding process to ensure that the new employee has access to the necessary resources and information.
4. Mentor or sponsor
Some companies offer mentors or sponsors who serve as a point of contact for new employees and help them to find their way around the company.
5. Management
In some cases, members of management may also be involved in the onboarding process, especially when it comes to communicating company values and goals.
What options are there to improve onboarding?
There are several ways to improve the onboarding of new employees.
One of them is to give new employees a personalized welcome package containing information about the company, work materials and small gifts.
Another approach is to assign a mentor or coach to each new employee to support them with questions and help them find their way around the company.
Furthermore, integration measures such as the organization of team-building activities and events can help to promote the integration of new employees into the existing team.
Another important step is to regularly gather feedback from new employees to find out how onboarding can be improved.
This can be done through personal interviews or surveys, for example.
At easyfeedback, we offer a special survey template for obtaining feedback on the onboarding process.
This template can be customized and used directly in our easyfeedback survey tool.
All you have to do is register for free and select the template in the tool.
Conclusion: good onboarding is the beginning of long-term loyalty
To conclude this article, I would like to emphasize how crucial it is to give new employees a good start in their new job.
Onboarding forms the basis for this and should not be treated lightly in any company.
I hope I have been able to give you a comprehensive insight into the topic of onboarding and make you aware of its importance.
Now it’s up to you to establish and optimize onboarding in your company.
