The list of employees you should involve in your onboarding initiative

Employee onboarding is a little like a good play: you need a dedicated behind-the-scenes team to put on a successful performance. While onboarding used to be reserved for just recruiting or HR in the past, now each team and employee has a stake in ensuring that new hires get up to speed quickly and happily (whether they know it or not).

Recruiters, HR, direct managers, mentors, and senior leadership, learn about your role in successful employee onboarding below, as well as how you can receive and pass the baton when your next new hire joins the group.

Recruiters

Recruiters know exactly how to find that diamond in the rough - the employees who truly fit their company’s culture. Recruiters also set the tone for the rest of the hiring and onboarding process, which makes it particularly important for them to set a good first impression.

This means:

• Setting proper expectations for the new hire’s first day
• Answering questions and helping them prepare for day one (for instance, mentioning which documents to bring, when they should come in, etc.)
• Organizing next steps for a seamless handoff to HR on day one

A recruiter’s job starts with finding the right person, but it doesn’t end there; to help employees truly succeed (and make sure that the recruiting team isn’t looking for a replacement within months), you have to go a little further and set them up for success even before day one.

HR

The driving force behind every new hire’s onboarding experience, HR takes over where recruiters leave off. Consider yourself an all-in-one cheerleader and tour guide on that very important first day, teaching new hires what they need to know while ensuring that they have fun and don’t jump ship.

The easiest way to do this is to create a cultureboarding experience that capitalizes on the positive momentum already set by the recruiting team.

• Take them on a personal tour of the office before handing them over to their department manager
• Then, help the new hire’s team create a fun first week agenda that incorporates new hire paperwork, meeting coworkers, and maybe even a swag bag and free lunch or two
• Lastly, give the new employee’s direct manager some background information so they can get to know their latest team member

Tip: If you’re not sure where to start, explore our first week onboarding guide for inspiration.

Direct Managers and Mentors

HR can plan the activities for week one, but oftentimes it’s up to a new hire’s boss to make them truly feel like part of the team. Department/direct managers, face time is essential (if you or the new hire are remote, don’t underestimate the power of video chatting).

Spearhead team introductions, making sure that you brush up on the background information provided in order to describe their skills and strengths. Then, balance one-on-one time (where you sit down and discuss career paths, objectives, etc.) with team bonding.

For example, take the lead on welcoming your newest employee to the group and head a few creative team-building activities, and then assign a buddy or mentor to help them mesh with the group on a more similar level… without the pressure to be on their best behavior in front of the big boss.

New hire buddies, when you take over, think back to your first days and weeks on the job.

• What do you wish that you would’ve known?
• What could a coworker have done to make your life easier?
• How can you help your latest team member meet people from other departments?

Start there to be the best new hire mentor and build a genuine relationship that could engage your latest team member from the get-go. According to Gallup, women who report having a best friend at work are more than twice as likely to be engaged on the job.

Tip: Boost your emotional intelligence to become a better mentor or buddy!

Senior Leadership

You may never really interact with new employees on a day-to-day basis, particularly if they are entry-level, but that doesn’t mean you should be removed from the onboarding process! As the head of the company, you’re among the best representatives of the culture and values.

Pass your wisdom to new hires by taking the time to introduce yourself and share some advice in person, and sending a personal message through the Talmundo onboarding app.

New Hires

Last but not least, let’s talk about new hires themselves. While you may not have much control over your own onboarding experience, you can play an important role in the next hire’s experience. Feel free to offer suggestions for companywide onboarding improvement, and then be the first in the team to welcome the latest addition—thus completing the circle of onboarding love!

What are you waiting for? Try our onboarding solution and get the engaged, productive employees you deserve!