How to implement an effective onboarding process

Onboarding is the process of welcoming new employees into the organisation. Regardless of the size of the company or the position of the individual, this phase of the process is always crucial. In most cases, Axxon does not intervene in the onboarding process, but we follow the process to guide both the candidate and the company.
Although a candidate may be a good fit for a position, it is crucial to work on the employee's wellbeing on a day-to-day basis to ensure his or her permanence, commitment, and dedication. Therefore, it is important that the company, in collaboration with Axxon, has the entire onboarding plan ready to start in the best possible way and unite the team from the very beginning.

Why is it important?
Sometimes companies focus on the quantitative part of the results (i.e. growth and profitability), forgetting the qualitative part that allows these numbers to be positive. It is important to look after people from the outset and create cohesive, motivated, and well-organised teams. If they know how to work well with the team from the start and identify with the company's goals, the long-term benefits will be more noticeable. This also helps to reduce staff turnover and, in some cases, creates stronger bonds between team members.

How to do it?
At Axxon People Consulting, we would like to help you with some tips on how to run an effective onboarding process.
The onboarding process starts before the new employee arrives. From selecting the candidate to onboarding, you can send a welcome email and a presentation about the company and the team. You can also take advantage of this time to prepare all the materials that the person will need: computer, office supplies, software, etc., so that he/she can join the company 100% on the first day.
Provide a basic document that can help in the first few days. On the first day, you are usually given a lot of information at once. Although necessary, all the documents can be a bit overwhelming. Here's an idea: prepare a one- or two-page document summarising the most important points (the company's mission and objectives, the steps to be taken in the first few weeks, or whatever you think is relevant) and the contact details of the people you can turn to (your team, your manager, the Human Resources department, etc.). In this way, you will have easy access to the information you need.
Present to the rest of the team. One option is to hold a small introductory meeting with the rest of the team. We also recommend that you identify a contact person (a close colleague) who can act as a mentor. This will help the new person to bond, and they will also have someone they can trust to ask questions without embarrassment.
Follow up and celebrate their time with the company. In general, the onboarding process should take up to 3 months or 100 working days. When that time comes, the employee can be made to see how much time he/she has already spent with the company, to celebrate it. There are several ways to do this, but one simple option is to send an email congratulating them and thanking them for their work and progress so far. This can also be used to ask for feedback and address any doubts, concerns or areas for improvement.

These are some general tips, but each company can tailor the process to its own industry or situation (for example, whether it's face-to-face or remote working). In the end, the important thing is to review your onboarding process to keep it relevant and to reap the benefits for both the employee and the company.

Now that you understand the importance of this process and have some ideas on how to make it effective, we encourage you to give it a try. Remember that you can always contact us for further advice or questions!