Finding and hiring the best employees for your Middle Market organization is likely a key focus. One area that can get less attention is the onboarding process. Some companies think of onboarding as the first week or two of an employee’s tenure. However, the onboarding process stretches much further. Many studies have proven that the first 100 days of employment are critical, regardless of the level of entry. Until an employee is fully settled into their role and assimilated into your culture, they are still onboarding.
How To Prepare For Success
Make sure you have an onboarding plan and ways to gauge success. Define what the employee will do on the first day, the first week, month and beyond. Your number one goal in the beginning should be to make the employee feel welcome and appreciated. Share your enthusiasm with your teams and about how the individual will benefit your Middle Market firm.
When the employee arrives on the first day, your work begins. So, make sure you spend time preparing and thinking about their needs as well as yours.
Welcome Heartily
It can be stressful, so make sure you prepare new employees in advance. Tell them where to park, what door to enter and who they will be greeted by. If possible, have the individuals who interviewed them participate. Ease them into the first day by making key introductions first. Then, provide a tour of your facilities. Always make sure your employer branding is on display.
A breakfast with key personnel or a Welcome package of essential and fun items goes a long way to setting a good tone.
Be Prepared & Set Up For Success
After you’ve set a good tone and welcomed the employee, you want to make sure they can be successful right off the bat.
It is a good idea to have your IT or support teams prepared to help the new person get logged into their computer and to give some brief training and tips for using the different technology and systems. Have a document available they can refer back to in addition to training.
If possible, take care of necessary paperwork and documentation prior to their first day. If your systems allow it, many items can be completed electronically. Or, you can invite the employee in for a brief meeting with HR or Administration to cover the necessities beforehand.
Try to think of everything the new person might need – often they’ll be nervous and may not want to ask where the restroom is or where they can get a glass of water, etc. Give them a map of your building or a tour if it is big and provide them with some tips to quickly get acclimated.
Beyond The First Day
Onboarding can extend for months or possibly even the first year of employment, so your Middle Market organization will need to think short, middle and long-term. Make sure the new employee knows what will happen every day and have your key management and leadership check in with them often during the first week.
Let them know who their contacts will be for HR questions, IT issues or general questions about training or their new department and team.
Ideally, create a schedule and goals for every day and week in their first 90 days. While each day may be similar, by providing a framework and ways to evaluate success, both your company and the new employee will know what is expected and how you’ll know success when you see it.
So what’s in the Mighty Middle Market for me? — get it right now at www.Go4ROI.com.