One of the most time-consuming and critical decisions we make is hiring the right candidate.  We read every word of a person’s cover letter and resume, scan the candidate’s social media presence, painstakingly ask every critical-behavior interview question found on the web, and agonize over the offer.  What a relief when the candidate accepts!

But, we can’t stop there.  Having a top-notch on-boarding and orientation program is imperative to an employee’s success.  What happens the first day, the first week and the first three months should result in an employee embracing the company culture, understanding his role and how it impacts the team’s and organization’s success, and providing the information and resources to be an engaged and productive employee.   The on-boarding and orientation program requires buy-in and participation from the C-suite, face time with managers from different departments, supervisors working to establish trust with the new employee, and quality information and support from human resources, payroll, IT, and other administrative functions.

Take a look at how a new employee starts at your organization and ask these questions:

Is everything set for him to start?  Is his phone and computer set up and tested?  Is the new employee paperwork ready to be presented in a clear and concise way?  Are business cards ordered, and the workstation set up with supplies?  Has a brief bio of the employee been shared with current staff?  Has his supervisor blocked off the first day to spend time with the new employee?

Will he walk away the first day saying “I’m glad I took this job!”?  Are HR, Payroll and IT providing the employee the information and resources to take full advantage of the benefits and tools provided?  Has a tour been set?  What about lunch the first day?  Has the supervisor planned a day of introductions and general overviews?

After the first week, will he know what we do and why?  Are we telling him about our mission, vision and values?  Are we asking how they are aligned with his?  Has he spent time with key executives who share important history and current strategic initiatives, tying those to the employee’s job? Have we reviewed the org chart and explained what each department does and how it interacts with the new employee’s department?  Have we reviewed his job description and discussed accountability?

He’s been here a month; does he have what he needs to succeed? Is the training received in the first month appropriate to what’s expected of him, based on his job description?  Did he receive the same, standardized training everyone else in the job received to ensure fair and equitable treatment?  What about giving him time to ask questions and pick his supervisor’s brain? How supportive have other team members been?

After three months, how is he doing?  Has he had quality time with his supervisor in which he’s received feedback on his approach to projects, his productivity, and his ability to integrate into the culture?  What are his suggestions for making the orientation process better?  And finally, how pleased is he that he’s taken the job?

Developing a successful on-boarding and orientation program takes time, experience, and perseverance. The Employer Group’s professional payroll and HR professionals possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to develop such a program. Give us a shout if you’d like to know more!