Onboarding – Hiring and Training New Employees

Onboarding new Employees - plays an important role in companies when it comes to employee retention.

What is Understood by Onboarding?

The term onboarding comes from the English language and literally means “taking someone on board”.

In a company, onboarding is about hiring and training new employees. This is done with the help of targeted measures. As a rule, this process coincides with the duration of a probationary period. Virtual onboarding, so-called remote onboarding, can also be realized with onboarding software.

Tasks and Goals

Good onboarding serves to integrate new employees.

• They should quickly gain confidence and be introduced to their new work
• In the process, they are introduced to the corporate culture
• They get to know the internal processes
• Contacts with colleagues are also encouraged

All this serves the company, as it promotes motivation, loyalty to the company and thus productivity. The result is fewer sick days and fewer terminations during the probationary period.

Advantage for Employees and Company

The major advantage for employees is the clear and thorough integration of new colleagues. For the latter, there is an immediate feel-good effect. He or she is not left alone in the initial phase, finds a connection and has a contact person.

This contributes to the well-being of all employees and thus to the success of the company.

Phases of an Onboarding Process – What Are the Individual Steps?

The onboarding process begins for the new employee when the employment contract is signed. The entire onboarding can be considered in three phases.

Preparation Phase

The first phase serves to prepare the new employee. Work equipment, if necessary, computer, cell phone, company car and all essential information are now provided for him in detail. He is informed when and where exactly he is to come.

It is best to draw up an onboarding checklist. This should also include clarification of the formalities, contractual details and access rights of the new colleague. Appropriate uniforms are also provided, if necessary.

Last but not least, colleagues are instructed and a contact person is assigned to the new employee. In this way, the company’s image as an attractive employer is already being worked on before the first working day.

The First Working Day

The second phase begins with the new employee’s first working day and extends over the entire first working week. The new colleagues are introduced and, of course, the new tasks, company processes and the company’s values.

Small attentions ensure a good mood from the outset. The new employee should be told what is coming up in the near future. Mutual expectations should be addressed, as should staff habits such as whether cigarette breaks are customary, whether meals are eaten together, whether birthdays are celebrated.

Integration Phase

In the third phase, the employee is integrated and integrated into the team through regular feedback.

Ask what impressions the new employee has gained. What good and bad things did he encounter during his first week? Does he still have unanswered questions? Continue to promote contacts among the employees, for example, by holding a joint lunch with all the “newcomers.