6 Common Employee Onboarding Mistakes
While most small businesses spend a great deal of time and effort in finding the right employees, they often fail to capitalise on their newly hired talent by ignoring (or not having) an onboarding process.
From long waits for workspace, equipment not being ready, non existent training to an overly negative recitation of ‘don’t do these things or you will be fired,’ employers consistently miss the opportunity to inspire new hirers.
Before you bring on your next new hires and leaving them to languish in the lunchroom all alone filling out paperwork, consider the following 6 common onboarding mistakes made by small businesses.
1. Day 1 should not involve paperwork
While it’s important for newly hired employees to fill out their tax forms, this process should not take the place of new-hire orientation. Rather than waste valuable time on paperwork, send new employees a package of documents, or give them a link to apply online, before they start their first day of work. There is nothing more demotivating than spending four hours alone in a room filling out paperwork you could have easily done at home. On their first day, an employee should be greeted by their direct supervisor who spends at least a half-hour with them to begin building a relationship.
2. Focusing on negatives
While it’s important to clearly discuss expectation early in the onboarding process, focusing on a list of negatives that could result in termination detracts from why you hired the person in the first place. While it’s important to address ethics and accountability, a newly hired employee needs to be encouraged to engage in the work they were hired to do rather than focus on the top 10 ways they could get fired.
3. Failing to prepare workspace and equipment
There is no excuse to leave newly hired employees without workspace or equipment. Computers or other requirements should be installed and ready to use from day dot. It would be far better to delay the start date of an employee rather than leave him or her in a conference room without a workspace or equipment to do their job.
4. Failing to introduce co-workers
Co-workers are an excellent resource for newly hired employees. While companies often focus on introducing their most productive workers and managers, it is often useful to introduce new hires to other recently hired employees who can more easily empathise with their needs. If possible, considering hiring new employees in waves rather than individually as this can often build relationships and lead to a more cohesive team.
5. Failing to provide comprehensive training
Training provides a critical foundation for ongoing success in a company. Not only does a well-trained employee perform better, but the employee will also have more confidence when interacting with customers, and will be far more likely to succeed in their role. If your organisation has a high churn rate within the first 6 months, chances are that poor training is the culprit. Untrained new hires often become disillusioned with an organisation that lacks structure, training, and follow-up. During the first 90 days of hire, an employee should have enough training to be self-sufficient for at least a week at a time, regardless of the position they hold.
6. Failing to provide knowledge resources
Not all employees learn at the same rate using the same methods. Make sure new hires have access to training material in various formats. This includes training handbooks, training videos, and employee shadowing. Rather than force a particular format, concentrate on the results needed to excel at the position. Make sure to give feedback on a regular basis throughout the process.
“You only get one first impression on employees, and how you treat them in those early days is vital to build up a positive relationship with your business.”