Onboarding a new employee is never an easy task. Not only do you want to make sure that they have a good experience, but you also need it to reflect positively on the company. If a new hire is frustrated on their very first day, it’s not a good sign for the process that the business employs. There are a few things you can do to ensure a smooth onboarding experience. Do you want to make the hiring process easier? Get in touch with Markpointe to build your new hire checklist!
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Checklist for Hiring a New Hire
One of your most important duties is making the hiring process easy and less stressful for your new hire. An excellent first impression goes a long way when it comes to retaining great employees. If you work hard for them, they will work even harder for you.
Stay in Contact with HR
Usually, this entails submitting a job requisition form with the HR department. Follow up phone conversation and email communication for the specific position. When you have found the right candidate and are begining the onboarding process you will want to be sure that your new hire is an official employee before you go any further.
Run a Background Check
The first step after offering an applicant the job is to complete a background check. This can alert you to any criminal history that you were unaware of during the hiring process and allows you to be sure that the person you offered a position to is the right one.
Review Job Duties and Description
Now it is time to give your new employee an in-depth explanation of their role and how they will be expected to perform. Give an overview of how they will fit into the department and the details of their workspace. This will make sure that they feel more comfortable on their first day, and have reasonable expectations of how it will go.
Go Over Scheduling and Basics
Make sure that your new hire knows what their schedule will be like during the first week or two. Miscommunication here can make for an uncomfortable situation if your employee ends up being late on their first day of work. It is also the time to give them more detailed information about your dress code and necessary company policies.
Finish the Paperwork
Sure, you can do all of the paperwork on your new employee’s first day, but how much time will that leave them to start learning their new duties? It’s good practice to take care of these formalities prior to the day that he or she starts their new job. It gives you more time to teach and them more time to learn.
Get Their Workspace Ready
If your new hire is taking on the office of a previous employee, make sure that it is clean. The last thing anyone wants to do on their first day is to find their predecessor’s items in a desk drawer. Make sure anything that they will need is ready and accessible for their first day on the job. Have computers and phones set up, along with anything else they may need like an ID badge.
Prepare for Training
Know who you want training your new team member ahead of time. There’s nothing quite like walking into a new place for the first time, and the boss is running around trying to figure out who you are supposed to learn from. Make sure that your training personnel is ready with plans, equipment, and any additional space that they may need.
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What to Do In the First Six Months
The first six months of employment are essential for your new employee. During this time, they will form their opinion of the company and the workload. Impressing your new hire now will make it much more likely that they will want to stick with your business in the long run. And isn’t the goal to find long-term employees that are dedicated to you?
Remember to Set Expectations and Goals
Be sure that your new hire understands their day-to-day basics. If there are milestones in place that they need to complete, make sure that they know all about them. Clearly define what they need to achieve each day, week, or month. Inform them of any meetings that they will need to attend. Set the priorities: let them know what needs to come first, and what can wait. Having this conversation early in their career avoids wasting time and possible confusion.
Don’t Give Too Much Information at Once
Onboarding is not a one-day event. It is an ongoing process; your new employee is going to have to learn a lot of new information in a short amount of time. Providing them with written details is a great way to help them learn all of the small things on their own schedule. Try to give them the essential information on the first day, but not much more. They don’t need to learn about your year-end retreat just yet, even if it is only 11 months away!
Get Their Feedback
Ask your new hire about the onboarding process at your company. Most likely, they have experience with different training techniques. Don’t wait until they finish your onboarding regime; ask them for feedback every step of the way. You can find ways to not only enhance their experience but make things run more smoothly for future employees. Get their opinion after the first day, week, and month. Continually requesting feedback helps improve your process, and shows your new employee that you care about them and the company.
Everything You Need to Know
To put it simply, you need to be prepared for your new hire so that they are prepared to work with you. Make your expectations clear from the start, and be sure that your new employee knows his or her job duties. Have a good, structured training program in place. Do everything you reasonably can to make the transition easy for every new hire, and make sure that they are comfortable in their position.
Onboarding a new team member is a long, stressful process for any company. Your main concern should be making sure that everything goes smoothly for your new hire. It can be a difficult task; you want to be positive to provide them with a good experience. Do you need some help with your new employee? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us to develop your new hire checklist!
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