How to Hire & Onboard New Employees

For the employer to successfully bring on a new employee, they must find someone who is the right fit and onboard them as seamlessly as possible.

This blog post is the third and final in a series of three that will highlight tips and insights to help you attract, interview, hire, and onboard the right candidate for your job opening. This post shares hiring and onboarding advice and best practices.

Hiring is a two-way street

Hiring is a two-way street: the candidate must win over the employer, and the employer must win over the candidate.

For the employer to successfully bring on a new employee, they must find someone who is the right fit and onboard them as seamlessly as possible. Studies have shown that the top reasons employees leave shortly after being hired is because the onboarding experience is so poor, there's a lack of clarity surrounding job duties, unrealistic expectations are set in the hiring stages, and leadership is inadequate. So, let's take a moment to reflect on hiring and onboarding which are vital to retention.

Here are a few tips for welcoming new hires and onboarding them in a way that establishes trust and sets them—and the company—up for success:

MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

You've just hired a great person for your team—don’t keep it quiet! Announce it to the world (or at least the rest of your team). Include a little information about who they are, the role being undertaken, and to whom they will report. Additionally, help the new hire and employees connect with one another; don’t assume it will happen naturally. Consider hosting a mid-morning coffee break or lunchtime gathering to bring people together.

PREPARATIONS PRIOR TO THE START DATE.

Keep in regular contact with your new hire. Send them any paperwork that can be completed in advance so that it’s out of the way before the first day. Include the new hire in communications to let them get familiar with what's happening. This will help to build a sense of community and belonging before you begin working side-by-side.

PROVIDE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.

In many companies, the organizational chart provides a clear picture of who reports to whom. It's a useful tool to learn formal hierarchies. Also, introduce the new employee to critical stakeholders, the “go-to” people, and the “gatekeepers.”

ADDRESS THE SMALL STUFF.

Don't underestimate the impact that neglecting the small things can have on the onboarding process. Think about:

• Which number is needed to dial an outside line?

• How do you use the copier?

• Where are the restrooms?

• Where’s the coffee maker?

• When are lunch breaks taken and long are they?

• Does the office participate in casual dress Fridays?

Additionally, it may be helpful to ask current teammates: what do you wish you had known on your first day with the company? That will clue you in on things you may have overlooked or forgotten.

To make sure you’re not missing anything, make a list, refine it as needed, and make sure it’s shared on the first day. 

CONNECT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

Encourage the new hire’s manager to connect with them on a personal level. This is about spending time sharing personality styles, expectations, hot buttons, strengths, and blind spots. When a new team member has information like this, both individuals benefit and are set up for success. 

Build regular check-ins with the new hire into your schedule. This is especially critical during that first month but should continue regularly through their first 90 days—and perhaps longer, if desired.

These are just a few things you can do to onboard your new employee while helping them to feel connected and respected.