“I can’t afford to spend a lot of time onboarding my new employee.”

“There is so much work to do, I need him to hit the ground running.”

“HOW long is Orientation?”

I’m sure these thoughts go through the minds of hiring managers in organizations the world over. I know I’ve certainly heard statements like this! The truth is, hiring managers can’t afford NOT to provide a thorough onboarding experience for new employees. That said, the plague of the Time Crunch is an all-too-real thing. Managers are expecting new employees to be productive quickly, to make contributions as soon as possible.

As much as I wish we could have a lengthy, nurturing “incubation period” for each and every new employee that joins an organization, I know that’s just not realistic.

As onboarding process owners, how can we help our organizations streamline the new employee experience? Here are 3 tips:

1. Automate what you can.

Whether it’s the new-hire paperwork process or assigning “compliance” items to be completed via your LMS, maximize the time spent in a formal orientation session by focusing on topics that really matter. Topics that will introduce the new employee to your organization and provide a meaningful welcome. Make your systems work for you, without compromising the human experience!

2. Provide new employees and hiring managers with checklists, job aids or other helpful resources.

Once a new employee is out of the Orientation Cocoon, it’s easy to become immersed in the work, neglecting many of the essential tasks to become integrated with the company, team and role. Make it easy for everyone – create checklists or other resources (even better if they follow a timeline!) that will keep everyone on task and maintain a consistent experience across the organization.

3. Champion a “just-in-time” learning environment.

Learning is social. Learning is collaborative. Learning is everywhere. Make that evident at every turn of a new employee’s experience. By making resources like internal networks (Yammer, anyone?), wikis or blogs readily accessible, you are opening the doors for learning when the new employee needs it. Spend adequate time making sure new employees know the go-to resources for your organization and how to utilize them.

 

I get it. There’s a lot of work to get done, and bringing a new employee up to speed rarely seems to come at an “ideal” time. So let’s embrace our roles, fellow onboarding process owners, and make the process as simple as possible. Who’s in?

 

Your turn: How does your organization simplify the new employee experience? Share your examples in the comments below!

 

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