Onboarding
By Developement

It is becoming increasingly obvious that onboarding plays an enormous role in the success of a new hire. Speed can no longer be the driving factor behind an onboarding program. I get it, you want results as quickly as possible. But focusing solely on the basics of equipment, learning systems and setting responsibilities will not lead to long term gain. You have to address the following:

Building an internal network

  • Joining a new company is daunting; not knowing who to go to for what and not having an established support network. I recently wrote about why a manager’s main priority during onboarding should be to help their new hire build an internal network. Beyond obvious meetings with appropriate management, HR and IT, help your new employee build the relationships that will add to their job performance and satisfaction in a way that directly links to the future.

Include an IDP as part of the process

  • While finding out about your employee’s career ambitions in the interview is step one, setting up a cadence of IDPs is step two. At this stage, you are firmly examining their development potential. In these meetings you can delve into how you, as their manager, can help them to achieve particular goals they have or identify other opportunities they might not have been aware of. It’s important that you listen and help your employee strategize actions to move them towards their development. Taking the time to understand their motivations not only enables them to achieve their personal goals, but helps you be a better manager.

Set up a regular feedback loop

  • Clear and consistent communication is so important when onboarding. It’s a good idea to set up an initial meeting to revisit their working preferences. Things have a habit of changing a lot early on, so having a space to make sure your employee is happy with their set-up is vital. Use these conversations to correct, alter or improve anything as needs be. Also, if you’re not hearing regular feedback, you’re missing out on opportunities to not only make your employees feel heard and looked after, but also achieve their full potential. Create a safe space to ensure that they know feedback is always a two-way street. Make sure they know where and when they can give you feedback. It’s important for them but it’s also really important for you.