087 - Onboarding Employees
Effective Onboarding Strategies for SMBs: How to Integrate New Hires and Set Them Up for Success
Onboarding employees is an essential process for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It helps new hires understand the company's culture, values, and expectations, and it sets them up for success in their new roles. Here are some key considerations for SMBs looking to onboard their employees effectively.
“Onboarding starts during the hiring process.”
Onboarding typically begins before an employee's first day on the job. This might include sending out paperwork to be completed before the start date, setting up their workstation or equipment, and introducing them to their team. It's important to make sure that new hires have everything they need to feel welcome and supported on their first day.
Onboarding should be more than just a one-time event. It should be a ongoing process that helps new hires feel supported and integrated into the company over time. This might include regular check-ins with their manager, opportunities to meet with other team members and leaders, and ongoing training and development.
The culture of a company plays a big role in how new hires experience onboarding. A positive, inclusive culture can make a big difference in how quickly new hires feel comfortable and integrated into the team. On the other hand, a negative or toxic culture can make onboarding a difficult and unpleasant experience. It's important for SMBs to prioritize building a strong and positive culture to support their onboarding efforts.
Before new hires can begin working, there are often a number of legal and HR-related tasks that need to be completed. This might include completing paperwork, verifying identification and employment eligibility, and completing any necessary training or certification. It's important for SMBs to make sure these tasks are taken care of before new hires start work, so that they can hit the ground running and focus on their job duties.
“You hire for skill and you fire for attitude.”
There are a number of key processes that should be part of any effective onboarding program. These might include:
Introduction to the company, including its values, mission, and vision
Overview of the company's products or services
Introduction to the team and the company's leadership
Training on the company's systems and processes
Overview of the new hire's role and responsibilities
Onboarding can be overwhelming, especially for new hires who are starting a new job and learning a new company and role all at the same time. It's important for SMBs to break down the onboarding process into small, manageable steps and provide ongoing support and guidance to help new hires feel confident and supported as they learn and grow in their new roles.
Onboarding employees is an essential process for SMBs. It helps new hires understand the company's culture and expectations, and sets them up for success in their new roles. By focusing on building a positive culture, prioritizing legal and HR tasks, and breaking down the onboarding process into small, manageable steps, SMBs can support their new hires and help them thrive in their new roles.
Are you a business owner struggling to find the time to train new employees on the way you do business? In this deep dive, we’ll be discussing what comprehensive onboarding looks like, the essentials you need when first starting to hire, and how you can create an easier onboarding process for yourself and your employees. Listen now to put an end to OTJ (on-the-job training) and start setting up your company and your new employees for success!
Show Notes
How onboarding starts. (10:00)
Why onboarding needs to be dimensional. (20:00)
Onboarding culture. (28:00)
Why legal and HR needs to come first. (35:00)
Necessary onboarding processes. (44:00)
Small steps at a time. (50:00)
Quotable Moments
“Onboarding starts during the hiring process.” – Khalil
“The number one reason for people leaving a company is unclear expectations. It’s not money, it’s not hours, it’s not safety, and it’s not coworkers.” – Martin
“Doing training on the first day is fine but you need to talk about values, give examples of the values, and bring in other employees to talk about them.” – Khalil
“Nowadays, people can find work anywhere. You need to give them a reason, besides money, to come work for you.” – Martin
“You hire for skill and you fire for attitude.” – Martin
“Ignorance is not an excuse to not have the professionals that you need in your business.” – Martin
“The biggest takeaway is to make a checklist of all the things you need to go over in onboarding in the future.” – Khalil
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