Onboarding New Employees

Onboarding New Employees

A Guide to Onboarding Your New Employees

The first 90 days are critical for the success of any new employee, especially in the tech industry. As an employer over this period, you learn whether the candidate fits with your company’s culture, and find out what technical skills they need to learn and develop.

In this resource, we look at what makes a great tech industry on-boarding program.

Getting a Head Start

The onboarding process begins well before the new hire’s first day. It starts the very moment they accept the job offer. Use the information you would have gathered about your new hire during their interview process to tailor your orientation program to fit them.

  • Brief your new employee on their role, your methodologies and who they report to.
  • Create a welcome package for your new hire – company branded t-shirts or water bottles, a welcome card from the management or even a gift!
  • Make an employee handbook or FAQ based on feedback from your existing employees.
  • Get equipment and software ready for new hires.

The Golden First Week

Once you’ve planned for the new employees’ arrival, you will need to plan for their success, starting from day one. The first week will be an overwhelming time for any new employee with so much to take in. Follow these steps to make your employee feel welcomed:

  • Introduce your new employee to people around the office and the people they need to know.
  • Invite them to come to lunch so they can meet the executive team.
  • Assign a mentor or buddy to help coach and make your new employee more comfortable.
  • Talk to your new employee and lay out a 90-day plan with obtainable goals. This will give them something they can measure their progress against.

Crossing the Finish Line

Once that 90-day plan is in place, it’s time to start implementing the developmental, results-focused part of the on-boarding process. As an employer, succeeding in getting your new employees to understand the value of their work from the very beginning is key to making them feel empowered and appreciated.

A 90-day plan can help you do the following:

  • Accurately measure the new employee’s development and identify any areas that may need further support.
  • Set pre-defined milestones, such as the end of week one, end of the first month and the end of the 90-days.
  • Make your employee feel supported and comfortable so that they come to you when they need help, rather than waiting for their reviews.

Summary

If done right, on-boarding can make each new employee will feel welcomed on their first day, supported during their first week and begin developing after their first month. A good orientation program doesn’t stop there however. Ensuring that supportive feedback continues after the first month is paramount to their success, whilst making sure they’re tracking to their milestones and bedding into the company culture.

For more on-boarding tips check out our full blog: The Critical Steps to Onboarding Success in a Tech Company. Plus, if you need more advice on how to effectively on-board new hires, then feel free to get in touch with us.

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