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With the economy on the rise, businesses are increasingly recruiting new staff members, meaning a lot more first days on the job and waiting for new staffers to get up to speed.

The effect of so many newbies has been the emergence of a trend known as on-boarding. Simply put, on-boarding goes way beyond basic orientation and it is meant to get new staff members acquainted with the overall objectives of a business, as well as support new hires in their early projects.

The overarching goal of this more comprehensive form of orientation is to kick-start habits of success and productivity. This in turn can lead to greater job satisfaction and the reduction of turnover.

If your company is looking to put a comprehensive on-boarding program in place, consider the following steps:

It starts with branding

In many ways, a good on-boarding program starts before a new employee even walks through the front door of your company for the first time.

The best on-boarding programs are an extension of the employer brand that has been created to draw in individuals who match your company’s overall goals, mission and culture. So, if your company has a modern brand and an active social media presence, your applicants are more likely to be open to innovation and flexibility.

If you can start the on-boarding process with the applicant’s first visit to your website or social media profile, your next employees are one step closer to being up to speed.

Avoid on-site paperwork and orientation basics

We all know how the stereotypical first day goes: You sit in your boss’ office filling out paper work while your new co-workers come in one-by-one to check out the new guy/girl.

Many companies are now foregoing that time-honored, time-wasting ritual and emailing paperwork to their new hires. Some companies are doing away with paperwork altogether and simply having new hires log onto their HR portal where they can fill out web forms for benefits and tax documents.

Another effective use of technology is to immediately give new hires remote access to your company’s intranet so they can watch orientation videos and peruse other materials, like documents on company values or 401k benefits.

Pin down first-day details

Not working out every single detail, from the ID badge to the email address, doesn’t do anyone any favors. If you’re not prepared for a new hire’s first day, it sends a bad impression to them and slows down your efforts to make them productive as soon as possible.

Be sure you have all the essentials laid out so your new hire feels informed, safe and secure in their new place. Common first-day details include:

  • Informing current staff of the new hire’s name and recent professional past
  • Securing an ID badge
  • Setting up email
  • Having a name plate or name tag ready
  • Information on the phone system
  • Guide for essential equipment and software programs

Customize each on-boarding experience

Everyone approaches a new situation differently. Some people like to learn as they go while others want to be told what to do every step of the way. Do your new hires a favor and ask them how to make their incorporation into your company as easy as possible.

At Action Group Staffing, we work hand-in-glove with our client companies to ensure that all of our contract workers are on-boarded as effectively as possible. Please contact us today to find out how we can help your company.


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