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Onboarding checklist
As much as 20% of employee turnover can occur within the first 45 days
An effective onboarding program ensures that 69% of employees remain with the company for at least 3 years.
Onboarding is an adaptation process for new employees in a company that helps them experience the values and culture within the organization, become familiar with the team and integrate into it. As well as learning about their job responsibilities, management expectations, and prospects of working at this company
It's not just a training and socialization of a new employee, it's an art, by mastering which each newcomer entering your team would be willing to stay with you for a long time. Which would certainly enable you to increase productivity and staff involvement, as well as significantly reduce costs by reducing employee turnover
There are many factors that determine how long a newcomer stays with a company: their impressions of the interview, their relationship with their colleagues and the general environment within the company, opportunities for development and career growth. But the most important factor influencing the decision "to stay or go" is the success of the adaptation process in your company. To ensure that your onboarding program is as effective as possible and that you don't miss anything, we've prepared for you check-list, where we've listed all the main points of competent onboarding step by step
The chances of losing an employee within their first year of employment are higher than you would think
≈40%
of employees who leave their jobs do so within the first six months
23%
of new employees turnover before their first anniversary
of employee turnover happens in the first 45 days
20%
Before entering the workplace
Presentation about the company
1
Each company should have a short presentation which tells about its history, values, and culture, as well as about accomplishments and main goal. And it would be great to add videos or photos from informal team meetings (for example, from some sporting event or a company birthday picnic). This will help newcomers get to know the company better and feel more confident in their choice
Many believe that the onboarding process starts on the first day of the employment, but this is a misconception! Newcomers should be prepared in advance, so that when they come to work they are already well oriented and aware of their tasks and role in the company
Step 1
The document flow
2
It is not the best practice to load a newcomer on the first working day with a pile of boring papers. Therefore it is a good idea to make sure that the newcomer has all the necessary documents related to the employment beforehand and is able to get acquainted with them without haste, so that if there are any questions, one could clarify the information with a company manager. You should also add a set of rules for employees, for example, whether your company has a dress code or breaks are taken according to a certain algorithm
Prepare an onboarding plan and personal development roadmap
3
You should have a clear plan for onboarding new staff for more than one month. You also need to implement a personal development roadmap for each individual employee. And it depends not only on the position, but also on the personal qualities and skills level. You can effectively use regular testing, evaluation, employee surveys and feedback
Another secret: establish the rule on the first day to show the importance of the new employee for your company and indicate that you are planning a long and fruitful collaboration. Write a personalized letter that not only mentions the newcomer's name, but also notes some of their personal qualities, skills or even talents and that they are valuable to you
Prepare the workplace
4
It is important to remember all the details. Ensure that all equipment is set up and working properly, if special software, applications, etc. are needed, they should already be installed. It is excellent if in your company employees get branded sets (notepads, pens, calendars and other stationery with your company logo).
Announce the first work day
5
If an employee knows in advance what to expect on their first day, they will feel more confident, less anxious, and know that things are being prepared for their arrival.
Map Guide
6
As you can see, even before a new employee enters the office, they already have an idea of your company, corporate culture, and their role in the team. What to look forward to in the near future and what prospects to expect in longer perspective.
It is great if this function in your company is performed by a chatbot or AI. But if you don't have this function yet, you can prepare a digital version, where the newcomer can see a plan of the building (parking lot, canteen, toilet, rest room etc. locations), team structure with names, positions, areas of responsibility, photos and contacts of colleagues.
учащихся продолжат использовать платформу и будут платить ежемесячную абонплату
The First Working Day
Meeting and greeting in person, introducing the team
1
Office tour, handing out work supplies and showing the workplace
2
Step 2
Many believe that the onboarding process starts on the first day of the employment, but this is a misconception! Newcomers should be prepared in advance, so that when they come to work they are already well oriented and aware of their tasks and role in the company
Welcome letter or video message from the manager
3
Registration in messengers, creation of work email, issuing badges, etc
4
Introduction to the adaptation program and active tasks
5
At the end of the day take feedback on the first working day and the employee's mood
6
учащихся продолжат использовать платформу и будут платить ежемесячную абонплату
First week
Once an employee's first day has gone well, you're already halfway there. Because the first impression plays a huge role. Now your task is not to slow down and continue to socialize your newcomer. During the first week you should focus on getting to know the team. This helps the employee to fit in more quickly and become a part of the team.
Feedback (find out how the adaptation is going, identify shortcomings, listen to wishes)
6
Testing ( for the creation of a personal development plan)
5
Preparing a self presentation
4
Work meeting with colleagues, engaging in teamwork
3
In-person or video meeting with supervisor
2
In-person meeting with a mentor and discussing plans
1
Step 3
учащихся продолжат использовать платформу и будут платить ежемесячную абонплату
First month
Step 4
Recommendations for the first month of adaptation:
Initiate an individualized training program
1
Schedule regular meetings with the HR manager to keep track of the employee's training, progress, and new tasks
2
Introduce the employee to the performance management program
3
Invite the new colleague to lunch and congratulate him or her on a successful first month with your company. Note what results he or she has already achieved
4
Give a personalized gift (e.g. a diary with their name on it)
5
Many companies make the mistake of "loosening their grip," believing that after a week of active onboarding the newcomer has sufficiently adapted and no longer requires special attention. Insufficient monitoring during this period can lead to the loss of the employee.
(Zenefits)
Every day, 100,000 to 120,000 workers leave their jobs in the US. Three out of four employees who quit could’ve been retained.
Extending the onboarding program ensures that the newcomer completes his or her training and becomes a full-fledged team member and productive employee.
The adaptation process now should be focused on consolidating the knowledge gained through practice and continuous development. Employee is mastering new skills and processes, but it takes at least several months of work to acquire them.
учащихся продолжат использовать платформу и будут платить ежемесячную абонплату
The First Year
We recommend you focus on the following:
To be noted that each particular employee learns and adapts at their own personal pace, some will be ahead of the program, and some will need more time, some will absorb information from the first time, and some will need repetition and it is important to trace these nuances and take them into account when carrying out onboarding
It is a common misconception that after the first month on the job, adaptation is over and the new employee is well on par with other colleagues, but this is not true. It usually takes eight months for a new employee to reach full productivity. True, the new employee has already become familiar with your company and team, has built connections, and has acquired basic knowledge and skills. But what's next?
Plan the possibility of career development and build a clear plan to achieve this goal
4
Gather feedback on a regular basis, monitor the level of engagement
3
Periodically perform tests to identify weaknesses and strengths
2
Continue personal path of development, work on professional development
1
Step 5
It's also important to understand that these are just the minimum necessary steps for beginners, but you don't have to stop there. All of your employees should constantly develop and have the opportunity to grow within your company. If you focus on this properly, it will have a beneficial effect on both the loyalty of your employees and your profits
According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), between 3 million and 4.5 million employees are laid off from their jobs in the U.S. each month. One survey showed that 94% would stay with their current employer if they invested in their long-term training
Conclusion
The organizational cost of employee turnover is estimated to be between 100% and 300% of the salary of the employee being replaced
Every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs 6 to 9 months’ salary on average. 
The average costs to replace an employee are:
for hourly employees
$1 500
100%-150%
of an employee’s salary for technical positions
up to 213%
of an employee’s salary for C-suite positions
SmartExpert platform includes all necessary tools to make onboarding as effective as possible and at the same time easy and understandable for both beginners and HR managers. Below you can sign up for a free demo and our experts will show you in detail how to implement all the steps from this checklist in your work easily and effortlessly get the result – high employee retention and low employee turnover
By following this plan, you can significantly increase talent retention. Newcomers will easily and comfortably join your team and bring maximum productivity, as well as influence positively the atmosphere within the team. The stronger connection between your company and your employees you can create, the lower the turnover rate and the higher the employee satisfaction rate you will get
The best way to retain employees is to make them feel valued and give them the opportunity to grow within your organization. When an employee doesn't feel appreciated at work, as many as 76% look for another job
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