In today's fast-paced business landscape, digital onboarding has become a critical tool for fostering the growth and success of hard-won talent. Unfortunately, the digital onboarding revolution hasn’t been as swift for small businesses, many of which still rely on older, less efficient methods to welcome their new hires.
The good news is, there are a range of excellent onboarding software solutions that can help small businesses optimize their employee integration process, ensuring that new hires are equipped with the tools they need to hit the ground running.
The thing is, it can be hard to know where to start, especially if you’re a small business with limited resources, time and in-house expertise. So we’re here to help!
In this blog, we will explore the importance of onboarding software for small businesses and guide you through the process of choosing the best solution to meet your unique needs.
A strong onboarding process is the foundation upon which successful employee relationships are built. Done right, onboarding ensures that new employees feel welcomed, engaged, and empowered from day one. For small businesses, this holds even more significance as they typically operate with limited resources and can't afford inefficient processes.
Here are some key reasons why investing in onboarding software is crucial for small businesses:
→ Time and cost efficiency
During onboarding, the average new hire is tasked with 54 activities. For HR teams, this means dealing with 54 action points per new hire, which involves identifying, building, deploying, communicating, and following up on each task. However, top-notch onboarding software comes with a valuable feature - the ability to automate mundane tasks, including paperwork processing and task management. By automating these processes, the software significantly reduces the time and effort required from HR personnel, allowing them to focus on more strategic and meaningful aspects of the onboarding journey.
→ Improved employee retention
Proper onboarding imparts a sense of belonging and purpose in new employees, increasing the likelihood of them staying with the company for the long term. Reduced turnover directly translates to lower recruitment and training expenses. Considering that small business owners spend around 40% of their working hours on tasks that do not generate income, such as hiring, any opportunity to minimize your outgoings is not to be sniffed at!
→ Enhanced productivity
For a small business, it’s paramount that new employees deliver value early on in their tenure so the wheels can keep turning and the doors can remain open. Good onboarding software facilitates a smooth transition into a new role, enabling employees to become productive more quickly. Forbes recently reported that 72% of new hires said they were concerned about asking too many questions when they first started in their current role - and it’s exactly this kind of concern that is a barrier to productivity in onboarding. The right digital onboarding solution can help remove this barrier.
→ Compliance and security
Small businesses often handle sensitive data. Onboarding software with built-in compliance features helps maintain data security and ensures adherence to industry regulations. This is especially helpful as you grow and your systems (and org chart) become more complex.
With numerous options available in the market, choosing the right onboarding software can be a daunting task. To identify the best fit for your small business, follow these steps:
Before leaping into software demos, it’s important to take some time to assess your onboarding requirements. Consider the following:
→ Company size and growth
Determine the number of employees you plan to onboard over the next few years and choose software that can scale accordingly. You don’t want to spend a whole lot of time and energy setting up a system that you’ll have to completely replace in 18 months.
→ Onboarding process complexity
Evaluate the complexity of your onboarding process, including compliance requirements, training modules, and employee documentation. Identify areas that need improvement or automation. This will help to give you a ‘hit list’ that you can compare against the features of a potential solution. We’d suggest dividing your list into three categories to help you discover what you really need in a solution:
→ Integration requirements
Review your existing HR and payroll systems and select onboarding software that has the ability to seamlessly integrate with them - whether natively or through an API. This makes for a smooth flow of data and cuts out double work. It’s important to loop in your IT team and any other digital stakeholders here to ensure you’ve got the full picture when you DO start looking at solutions.
→ Employee feedback
We highly recommend speaking to any recent joiners of your organization to see what THEY would have liked to see during their onboarding. These employees are your biggest source of inspiration and will likely have many great insights that will help you with the decision-making process.
Once you have a clear understanding of your needs, it’s time to evaluate some different onboarding software providers based on the following criteria:
→ User-friendly interface
Look for software that is easy to navigate and requires minimal training for both HR and new hires. You want to minimize complexity otherwise it’s only going to add things to your to-do list. Ask these questions:
 |
Talmundo’s clean, easy-to-use interface makes onboarding a breeze, no matter the size of your company. |
→ Customization options
Opt for software that allows you to tailor the onboarding process to align with your company's culture and values. This isn’t necessary for the admin side of your software, but for the onboarding side it’s important for the experience to feel connected to your organization. Ask these questions:
|
With Talmundo, you can create a branded experience that looks and feels like your organization.
|
→ Integration capabilities
Check that the software can seamlessly integrate with your existing HR and payroll systems that you outlined in step 1. It’s important here to find out HOW they can connect. Is it easy? What will you have to do to facilitate the process? How much will it cost? Ask these questions:
|
Talmundo connects with a range of systems out-of-the-box and can work with you to create custom connections.
|
→ Reporting and analytics
Select a platform that provides valuable insights into the onboarding process, allowing you to identify areas for improvement. If you’re a small business, it may be that you don’t need super in-depth analytics, but you want to be able to measure activation rates (who is using the platform) and see which content is performing best at the very least. Ask these questions:
|
Talmundo’s reporting features allow for a comprehensive overview of your entire onboarding process.
|
→ Customer support
Check for responsive customer support and resources to assist you in case of any issues or questions. As a small business, this is a vital feature you will need to stay in control of your onboarding. Ask these questions:
|
Talmundo’s full-service customer service team are well loved by our customers! |
 |
The takeaway |
Embracing onboarding software for your small business is a strategic decision that can drive remarkable outcomes. By streamlining the onboarding process, you create a positive first impression for new hires and set the stage for their success within your company. Improved productivity, enhanced employee retention, and reduced costs are just a few of the benefits you can reap from investing in the right onboarding software.
Remember, the best onboarding software for your small business is one that aligns with your specific needs, offers user-friendly features, and integrates smoothly with your existing HR ecosystem. Take the time to research, assess, and choose wisely, and you'll be on your way to fostering a productive and engaged workforce, poised for long-term growth and success.
Are you looking for a smart employee onboarding solution for your small business? Talmundo can help!
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
