Onboarding of new employees - good advice and introduction plan

Onboarding of new employees

Starting a new job can be a big challenge, as it involves new tasks, colleagues and rules and all these elements are in play at the same time. It is therefore crucial that the employer plans a well structured onboarding for any new employee so they feel set up for success.

In this way, it can be advantageous to invest time and effort in your training processes, where you ensure that the new employee quickly establishes good relationships with colleagues and is well integrated into the workplace culture. This helps the employee to settle into the organisation and deliver the expected results.

In this article, we have prepared an induction plan that you can use when you have to onboard new employees.

Induction plan for new employees

Onboarding of new employees is the process in which the new employee must be integrated into the company and differs from reboarding, which is a term used when employees return to work, for example after parental leave or prolonged illness.

Good onboarding is about building a structure where the employee quickly and safely feels at home in the workplace. You can advantageously divide the onboarding process into 3 phases:

• Before the employee starts
• Introduction to the position
• Feedback

Let's take a closer look at each of the 3 phases in the following sections.

Before the employee starts

Before the employee starts their new position, you should make a number of considerations, for example:

• What should the introduction include?
• What do you think the new employee must be able to deliver and when?
• Which processes, tools and aids must the new employee be trained in?
• Who will welcome the new employee? In this connection, should the new employee be assigned a mentor who can ensure that the employee settles in well?
• When is the most appropriate time to make the introduction?
• How should the introduction proceed?

Make sure you have prepared all the necessary resources and processes required for the employee to have a good first day at work.  First impressions are a two way thing.

Introduction to the position

During the actual introduction to the new position, you should go through the 3 steps below:

Step 1:

• Establish a welcoming and trusting atmosphere. You can, for example, arrange a joint meal with the other employees. This gives the new employee a good opportunity to get to know their colleagues and vice versa
• Summarise important points from the job description and pay attention to the employee's knowledge. Here you can for example take a deep dive into areas of responsibility and tasks
• The employee probably has a lot of expectations for the new position, which is why it is a good idea that you review these expectations and what the person can expect from you as a manager

Step 2:

• Give the new employee a tour of the entire organisation. It is also a great opportunity to explain what the different departments work with on a daily basis
• Highlight and repeat key areas. This is especially crucial at the beginning of the onboarding process, as the employee may need to be refreshed on what is central to your organisation, including goals and visions
• The many new inputs can be a lot to take on in a short space of time for the new employee, which is why it can be sensible to ask about the employee's understanding of the position on an ongoing basis. You can also make it clear to the employee that you are aware that it is not possible to remember all work routines on the first day of work and that the person is welcome to ask questions afterwards. This can help create a good relationship between you and the new employee

Step 3:

• Get the new employee started on performing the agreed work tasks and help them if they encounter unmanageable challenges, correcting any errors
• Check the employee's understanding of the tasks and continue until you are convinced that the new employee understands them

Feedback

After a few days or weeks in the new position, you can do the following:

• Follow up on satisfaction and results, this is essential at the start of the employment period. It is important to provide feedback during the training period so that the new employee understands whether expectations and requirements are being met
• Offer continuous help and assistance so that the employee does not feel that they are left to fend for themselves
• Motivate the employee to ask questions. In this way, you create a trusting environment

Finally, you should refrain from looking over the employee's shoulder, even if the person is new to the job. Your employee needs to feel autonomy and responsibility, which is why they should not experience being monitored or mirco managed.

As the saying goes: "A good start is half finished". This is also the case with onboarding. If the new colleague gets off to a good start, all you need is for employees to thrive in the workplace on a daily basis. You can read more about that here: