Employee Onboarding Process: A Complete Guide

Employee onboarding is an integral part of ensuring that new hires are familiarized and integrated successfully into the workplace. Not only does it involve the formalities of starting a new role, such as completing necessary paperwork or introductory training, but it also involves creating an environment where employees are comfortably integrated into their team and organizational culture.

Like first introductions, an employee onboarding process sets a precedent for new hires, shaping how they view and feel about an organization. This initial introduction is a long-lasting experience that stretches far beyond the initial days when starting a new role.

Research suggests retention rates are 82% higher in organizations with a strong onboarding process.

In this guide, we'll look at what onboarding is and how you can implement a robust onboarding program that will increase employee satisfaction and reduce first-year turnover.

• What is onboarding?
• What are the 7 stages of onboarding?
• Why new employee onboarding is important
• What makes a good onboarding experience?
• What are the 5 C's of onboarding?
• How to improve onboarding for new employees?
• A telecom case study

What is onboarding?

Employee onboarding is the process of introducing and integrating a new employee within an organization when they start a new role. It encompasses everything from completing necessary paperwork and training through to introductions to their team, the role and the organization.

The onboarding process typically begins once a job offer is accepted and can extend through the first several months of employment. The onboarding process is designed to equip new employees with the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours so that they can integrate seamlessly into their role, team, and the organization.

What are the 7 stages of onboarding?

The exact specifics of what an employee onboarding process should cover will differ according to the company's industry, culture, and objectives. Employee onboarding can include the following seven stages:

1. A comprehensive introduction to the company, teams and key contacts: The initial greeting sets the tone for the employee’s first day – helping to alleviate first-day jitters and fostering a sense of belonging. This warm welcome seamlessly transitions into an orientation that introduces the employee to the company’s mission, values, and culture – providing a compass to navigate the organizational landscape. Additionally, a comprehensive introduction to the company, teams, and key contacts ensures the new employee feels well-informed and connected from day one.
2. Role-specific training: The role-specific training phase provides the new hire with the essential tools and knowledge to carry out their responsibilities efficiently.
3. Onboarding technology, tools and systems training: In today’s hybrid work environment, the demand for onboarding tools that accommodate both remote and in-office employees has never been greater. Employing a digital employee onboarding system allows you to seamlessly integrate new hires into your organization, regardless of their location. This approach ensures consistent training, fosters engagement, and provides easy access to essential resources –helping new employees feel connected and supported from the start.
4. Policies and procedure training: A deep dive into company policies is essential for new employees to understand the framework within which they operate. This includes detailed sessions on compliance, ethical standards, workplace safety, and other critical policies that uphold organizational integrity. Equally important is the training on specific procedures that employees will encounter in their daily tasks. This involves hands-on training and practical demonstrations to ensure that new employees are comfortable and proficient with the processes they need to follow.
5. Soft skills training: Training in soft skills enables employees to collaborate and communicate more effectively with their colleagues. By equipping employees with these essential skills, organizations can position them for success in their roles, ensuring they are well-prepared to thrive in the workplace.
6. Ongoing check-ins, feedback and support: Frequent check-ins and constructive feedback are crucial for ongoing learning and adaptation – ensuring the employee feels encouraged and supported in their growth and development.
7. Administrative onboarding tasks: Administrative tasks are a less exciting aspect of onboarding a new employee, but they are essential for keeping your business and payroll processes compliant. Before a new hire can begin working, you must provide them with various federal, provincial, and company-specific forms to complete. This information is necessary to verify their employment eligibility, process payroll accurately, set up direct deposit, collect benefit details, and ensure they agree to your company’s policies.

Why new employee onboarding is important

The onboarding process sets a precedent for your organization, and it will be the first introduction your new employee will get to their role and the company.

Therefore, having an effective onboarding process in place is paramount for ensuring employee satisfaction, high productivity and keeping turnover rates low. Benefits include:

• Improved employee retention rates
• Increased job satisfaction
• Increased productivity
• Enhanced company culture
• Improved team dynamics
• Maximized return on investment

What makes a good onboarding experience?

Employees rarely remember what they learned on their first day – but they do remember how they felt. New hires who receive meaningful recognition are 4.6 times more likely to feel inspired and inspired new hires are 3.3 times more likely to stay at their organization.

To better understand what makes a good onboarding experience and the positive effect it can have on employee experience, BIW Insights Lab conducted an extensive Global Employee Experience Benchmarking study.

In total, 2,140 employees across 18 countries from organizations with at least 1,000 associates were surveyed in an attempt to understand the current employee experience, gain insights into how to improve it and create better outcomes for employers.

Comparing the experiences of those employees planning to stay versus those who were not, they were able to identify certain onboarding experiences that increase the likelihood of retention. These include:

• Building excitement for day one
• Introducing employees to others
• Receiving a role overview on day one
• Keeping day one active
• Providing a challenge
• Supporting mistakes
• Showing employees their future
• Connecting employees to the organization’s purpose

The survey results revealed five key factors for a successful onboarding experience: Compliance, clarification, confidence, connection, and culture.

What are the 5 C's of onboarding?

The 5 C’s of onboarding is a framework designed to ensure a smooth and effective integration of new hires into an organization:

1. Compliance: Compliance in the onboarding process goes beyond merely informing new employees about policies and laws; it involves integrating them into the company’s ethical and legal standards – ensuring they understand their role in maintaining these standards. This includes completing essential tasks such as paperwork, badging, and provisioning equipment and workspace. As an HR manager, you must start by briefing new hires on company rules and policies and handling all necessary confidential paperwork to ensure the organization remains compliant and operational.

2. Clarification: Clarity in the onboarding process is crucial for driving employee engagement and performance. By setting clear, strategic goals and expectations, new hires can see how their roles align with the company’s broader objectives –fostering a sense of purpose and direction from day one. Providing a comprehensive overview of job descriptions, company objectives, and performance metrics helps new employees understand their roles and responsibilities. This empowers them to align their efforts with organizational goals, enhancing their engagement and commitment to the company’s mission.

3. Confidence: Building confidence in new employees is essential for their success and overall engagement. Confidence is about how empowered new hires feel to perform their job well and tackle new challenges. While organizations can’t directly instill confidence, they can create an onboarding experience that supports and uplifts employees. When employees feel confident, they are more likely to have a positive outlook on their colleagues and their decision to join the organization. Confidence is closely tied to clarification; while clarification ensures new hires understand their roles, confidence involves providing the necessary tools and support for them to succeed. This includes delivering relevant, engaging training tailored to the new hire’s department and seniority – avoiding overwhelming information dumps. 

4. Connection: Connection certainly happens on that first day, but it starts before new employees even start. Connection begins on what we call Decision Day which is all about new employees asking themselves if they’ve made the right choice by accepting a job with your company. To feel properly integrated within a company, it's crucial that new employees form a connection with their manager and colleagues, and align with the organization’s mission, vision, and values. Our research found new hires who are reminded of how their presence impacts the mission of their company are 2.1 times more likely to want to stay. This connection, along with having a clear plan for their first weeks, can help new employees feel integrated and confident in their decision to join the company.

5. Culture: Integrating new hires into the company’s culture is a vital aspect of the onboarding process. It’s about ensuring that new employees not only understand but also embody the values and principles that define the organization. This cultural integration is achieved through sharing the company’s history, rituals, policies, performance management practices, and stories, as well as fostering interactions with managers and colleagues. Onboarding is a strategic tool for shaping, maintaining, and evolving the organizational culture. By clearly communicating the company’s mission, vision, and values, and providing a detailed overview of the company’s plans and objectives, leaders can create a compelling cultural introduction that attracts and retains top talent. When employees are inspired by the company’s culture, they are more likely to become loyal, engaged, and productive members of the team. This approach not only enhances employee satisfaction but also drives better organizational outcomes.

How to improve onboarding for new employees?

Follow these seven steps to improve onboarding for new hires:

• Prepare in advance: First impressions are everything and the same can be said for employee onboarding. Before a new employee’s arrival, you should ensure you have everything needed for a successful onboarding. This includes all the relevant documents, training materials and equipment that the employee will need to hit the ground running. Having all of this in place will show your new hires that you are prepared for their arrival, boosting their faith and confidence in your organization.

2. Personalize the onboarding plan: For new starters, onboarding can be an overwhelming experience, particularly if there is a lot for them to grasp and take in. To ensure that the onboarding is as successful as possible, you should consider how you deliver all the information. For example, some individuals may prefer written information, whereas, for visual learners, training videos may be more appropriate. Delivering the information in different ways can help them retain information more effectively.

3. Set milestones and provide feedback: Providing employees with clear and achievable personalized goals is another way you can make the onboarding process less overwhelming. With manageable goals, they will be more likely to succeed, helping them gain confidence and see their progress. Regular and constructive feedback will also help them recognize their achievements, further encouraging them and improving employee motivation overall.

4. Collaborate with multiple teams and seniority levels: Onboarding new employees is a team effort and often involves multiple departments and individuals at different levels of seniority. Including other departments and those from upper management in the onboarding process will encourage new employees to make broader connections outside of their department. This can help to foster a more collaborative working environment regardless of their position within the company and eliminate preconceptions and intimidation they might feel.

6. Reward and recognize achievements: Rewards and recognition don't just have to be for big milestones. Fostering a culture of recognition through day-to-day achievements is a great way to foster a positive work environment. By cultivating a culture of recognition for both big and small wins, organizations can create a positive and rewarding work environment that encourages continuous growth and success from day one. This can be done through simple quotes of appreciation during one-to-ones and through employee recognition and reward programs.
7. Monitor and adjust if necessary: To ensure that your employee onboarding process is as effective as possible, it is important that you continually monitor and adjust the process according to the progress of your new hires. This can be done by regularly assessing the progress of your employees through the process and also by asking those involved in the process for open and honest feedback.

A telecom case study

Objective:

Address high employee turnover (100%) in a telco client’s call centre by improving new hire intent to stay, time to proficiency, and overall happiness.

Solution:

“Keys to Success” Program

• Personalized Dashboard: Mapped key milestones along the employee journey, helping employees visualize their future and understand their progress.
• Merchandise Awards: Milestones unlocked awards, celebrating achievements and improving proficiency.
• Manager Communications & Discretionary Program: Encouraged interaction between existing employees and new hires, enhancing belonging.

The program significantly improved retention, proficiency, and employee satisfaction. 

Ready to enhance your employee onboarding process?

At BI WORLDWIDE Canada we understand the power of rewarding and recognizing your employees from day one. That's why we've built a suite of employee recognition and reward programs that celebrate your employee's achievements when it matters most. Through our programs, we can help you foster and build a culture that makes your employees feel motivated, engaged and most importantly, valued.

Learn more about BI WORLDWIDE's employee recognition and reward programs or get in touch to discover how we can help you.