Onboarding is a critical time for new employees. A thoughtful, tailored onboarding process allows them to quickly ramp up, feel engaged and become productive members of your team.
However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to onboarding. To do it right, you need to customise the experience based on:
The Role
First, consider the specific skills and knowledge needed for the role. An engineer will need deeper training on systems and tools compared to an office manager, for example. Make sure your onboarding provides the building blocks they need to be successful.
The Person
Get to know your new hire during the hiring process – their experience level, personality style, strengths and growth areas. Then tailor training and your management approach to play to their uniqueness. Give introverts space while extroverts may appreciate more socialisation.
Your Company Culture
Each company has its own values, communication norms and “the way we do things here.” Introduce new hires thoughtfully to your culture so they can assimilate. Having an insider guide them through culture nuances helps.
Onboarding Methods
No two people learn alike. Use a blend of manuals, checklists, videos, shadowing and hands-on training. Adjust the methods to suit different learning styles. Offer options for self-paced or collaborative training.
Their Career Goals
Understand what motivates them and tie onboarding to long-term growth. Show how they can expand skills, get exposure and progress towards their goals in your company. Mentorship and stretch assignments are powerful.
Onboarding takes time – studies show it takes 8 months for new hires to fully ramp up. But when done right, it leads to engaged, high performing teams. Take the time to tailor the experience, and you’ll reap long-term rewards.
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