Optimise your onboarding process

An onboarding process is the systematic induction and integration of new employees into an organisation. This process usually begins with the acceptance of a job offer and ends with the full integration of the new employee into the organisation. The aim of the onboarding process is to ease the new employee's transition into their new position and role, increase their productivity and promote long-term loyalty to the organisation.

The onboarding process typically consists of several phases, including preparation before the first day of work, orientation to the company, familiarisation with the specific tasks, and ongoing support and evaluation of progress. Important elements include the provision of all necessary work equipment, an introduction to the company's culture and values, clear communication of expectations and goals, and regular feedback and coaching.

Effective induction of new employees can increase their satisfaction and motivation, reduce staff turnover and ultimately contribute to the long-term success of the organisation. Companies that invest in a structured induction process that is aligned with the employer value proposition often benefit from faster integration of new employees and higher overall team performance.

The onboarding process encompasses all measures taken to introduce and integrate new employees into the company in a structured manner. The onboarding process starts with the signing of the contract. This is where the candidate's journey ends and the employee's journey begins. It is a series of steps designed to effectively integrate new team members into the organisation, increase their productivity and retain them for the long term.

A well-executed onboarding process covers not only the first few days or weeks in the company, but often extends over several months. It typically includes administrative tasks such as providing the necessary work equipment and access, as well as training on company policies and culture. Equally important are introductions to specific areas of work, mentoring and regular feedback to ensure a smooth integration.

The aim of an onboarding process is to ensure that new employees feel valued and understood from the outset, that they quickly build a network within the company and that they are able to integrate effectively into the corporate culture. Companies that invest in a comprehensive onboarding process benefit from higher employee satisfaction, lower turnover and stronger employee loyalty.

The phases of onboarding describe the various steps and activities involved in the process of introducing and integrating new employees into an organisation. Effective onboarding of new employees generally involves four main phases:

1. Preparation phase: the preparation phase begins before the new employee's first day at work. During this phase, organisational requirements are put in place, such as providing work equipment (e.g. laptop, phone), setting up the workplace and preparing important documents. It is advisable to draw up an induction plan that includes all important dates and training sessions.
2. Orientation phase: The first day of work and the first few weeks are focused on orientation. During this phase, the new employee gets to know the company, its culture, structures and processes. Guided tours of the company, team introductions and basic training on the company's philosophy and policies are important components of this phase.
3. Induction phase: This phase is the start of the professional induction, during which the new employee takes on specific tasks and responsibilities. This includes specialised training, an introduction to specific tools and methods, and the gradual assumption of projects and tasks under the guidance of colleagues or mentors.
4. Integration phase: This final phase is designed to fully integrate the new employee into the organisation. It includes ongoing support through regular feedback meetings, performance reviews and professional development. The aim is for the new employee to feel fully integrated and to actively contribute to the company's success.

A well-structured onboarding process not only helps new employees to become quickly familiar with the company and productive, but also strengthens their commitment to the company, which in turn increases employee satisfaction and loyalty in the long term.

There are a number of mistakes that can be made when onboarding new employees, which can undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of the induction process. Here are some of the most common mistakes that companies should avoid to ensure a smooth and successful start for new employees.

• Inadequate preparation: One mistake we see time and time again is inadequate preparation for the new team member's first day at work. This can include an unprepared workstation, missing work materials or access credentials. Unfortunately, this can result in the new employee feeling uncomfortable and making a bad first impression.
  The problem is often that internal HR departments are overloaded. As a 360° HR agency, we are happy to provide you with our HR services and support you wherever we can. Get in touch with us!
• Lack of structure in the induction process: An unstructured induction process that lacks clear objectives, timetables or checklists can lead to confusion and uncertainty among new employees. A well-structured induction process is a valuable starting point for new employees. It should include clear steps and milestones to make the integration process as effective as possible.
• Information overload: It is important not to give too much information at once so that no one is overwhelmed. We recommend giving information in small doses and over a reasonable period of time to promote absorption and understanding.
• Lack of integration with the team: Integration into the existing team is a very important aspect of onboarding. If something goes wrong here, it can leave the new employee feeling isolated. Team presentations and joint activities are a great way to promote integration.
• Inadequate feedback and communication: A common mistake is not providing regular feedback and open communication during the induction period. New team members need constructive feedback and the opportunity to ask questions. This allows them to clarify uncertainties and develop.
• Corporate culture is neglected: Insufficient information about the company's values and norms can unfortunately lead to misunderstandings. Effective onboarding should include an introduction to the company's culture and employer brand, so that new employees can quickly become familiar with their new working environment.
• No long-term perspective: When onboarding is limited to the first few days or weeks, long-term goals and perspectives for HR development are often neglected. A comprehensive onboarding process should include aspects of career development and training, as this is the only way to ensure long-term loyalty and motivation.

By avoiding these mistakes, companies can ensure that new employees feel welcome, become productive more quickly and build a long-term relationship with the company.

The end point of the onboarding process varies from company to company. The role of the new employee also plays a role. So does the onboarding strategy. In principle, onboarding should extend beyond the first few days or weeks. It is advisable to divide the onboarding process into several phases, spanning the first three to twelve months.

Phases of the induction process:

1. Orientation: The first days to weeks during which new employees get to know the company, their colleagues and basic work processes.
2. Training and induction: The first one to three months during which employees receive specific training and become familiar with their roles.
3. Transition to independence: By the end of the sixth month, when employees become increasingly independent and require less direct guidance.
4. Full integration: By the end of the first year, when employees are fully integrated into the team and working independently and effectively.

The induction process is an important step for new employees and the organisation. It should be well structured and seamlessly integrated with ongoing development and regular performance reviews. The process is usually complete when the new employee is fully integrated into the organisation, understands his or her role, is working effectively in his or her area and is actively contributing to the company culture.

It is important to recognise that onboarding is a critical process for long-term employee retention and satisfaction. Organisations that invest in thorough and ongoing onboarding can often enjoy higher employee retention and productivity, as well as a stronger corporate culture.

Long-term employee retention in the VUKA world requires more than the smooth implementation of organisational challenges and a 'warm welcome' on day one. A positive employee experience is created by a serious and holistic approach that combines induction, networking, culture, communication, personal development plans and organisational issues.

Companies in different sectors and fields of activity naturally have different onboarding requirements, and the needs of different professional groups need to be addressed in a differentiated way in order to achieve satisfaction in the new job. With our onboarding consultancy, we do not offer you a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather open up our entire toolbox of different tools and put together a concept that is tailored to your company and your corporate culture.

Our onboarding consultancy takes a holistic view of the ideal 'coming on board' and, in addition to organisational tasks, includes the transfer of corporate culture and networking within the company to quickly establish work capability and productivity. We develop a tailor-made solution that takes into account specific client needs and current trends in onboarding.

Our Onboarding packages Onboarding To Go and Extending your Onboarding packages provide HR tools for your own implementation. These include blueprints, white papers, tools, videos, checklists and posters that you can quickly customise for your organisation, enabling you to quickly implement professional onboarding.

Our HR Shared Service Centre can handle the high volume of administrative tasks associated with hiring new employees for you at a high professional level.

If you are not sure which of these services is best suited to your situation, or if you would like an initial expert opinion, please do not hesitate to arrange a no-obligation initial consultation.

Measuring the success of new employee onboarding is critical to evaluating and continuously improving the effectiveness of the process. To measure the success of onboarding, companies use a variety of metrics and feedback methods to help them optimise the onboarding process and ensure that it is achieving the desired results. Here are some common ways to measure the success of the onboarding process:

1. Employee satisfaction: Regular surveys and feedback sessions with new employees can be used to determine how satisfied they are with the induction process. This includes questions about the clarity of information provided, support from colleagues and managers, and overall job satisfaction.
2. Time to productivity: This metric measures how quickly new employees become fully productive. A shorter time-to-productivity is a good indicator of successful onboarding. This is because new team members are able to work effectively more quickly.
3. Turnover rate during the probationary period: A low turnover rate of new hires during or shortly after the probationary period may indicate that onboarding has been successful. On the other hand, a high turnover rate may indicate problems in the induction process or in employee retention.
4. Performance appraisals: Supervisors' evaluations of job performance during and after onboarding provide insight into how well new employees understand and perform their roles and responsibilities.
5. Training and development: Participation in training and development programmes after onboarding can also be a measure of success. It gives us an indication of how committed employees are and what their long-term potential is.
6. Employee retention: Long-term employee retention is an important indicator that onboarding has been successful. If employees remain with the company for the long term, it is proof that the onboarding process has been successful and that they have been successfully integrated and retained by the company.

By analysing these metrics, organisations can not only measure the success of their onboarding process, but also identify areas that need improvement to further enhance the employee experience. In this way, they can make incremental improvements to their onboarding process to make it even more successful.