The onboarding starts long before you hire a new employee and should be given extra attention; it needs a lot of focus to get it right. Candidates form an opinion about you based on initial impression and their decision to apply to your company is typically an emotional decision. Companies should incorporate attractive onboarding processes by ensuring their career site, websites and company’s social media portals are inviting and are a true representation of their culture.

Companies often fail to successfully communicate the job profiles during the hiring process. Misrepresenting a job position erodes the trust of the employee which can be extremely difficult to rebuild. Providing candidates with a truthful view of the organization and communicating about their job responsibilities will help in maintaining trust. Use videos, written plans, strategies and expectations to communicate company’s vision and how the candidates can contribute towards it.

Sending hire welcome emails and company update before the employee joins the team makes them feel at ease and start feeling connected to the company. Companies can share welcome videos from other new hires and employees who have been with the company longer. Company history, company values and high level policies are good information to give the employee a better picture of what to expect.

Having an interactive session with the new employees helps them feel welcome. It is vital to let them know how their role will contribute to the success of the company. Companies should focus on building relationships with the new teammates on the first day instead of spending a lot of time on paperwork.

New employees are anxious about their job, responsibilities and typically have a steep learning curve. Providing a 90-day plan to get acquainted with the job, work and colleagues will help the employees in gaining clarity, working better and delivering beyond expectation. It makes the employee more productive even in the initial days of joining and gives them a jump start on their journey.

Surveys help companies to validate if they are successful in meeting the employee expectation. New hires can give constructive feedback on the onboarding and hiring process. They might be hesitant to share their honest thoughts directly. Keeping the survey anonymous can help them be comfortable in opening up and giving their true feedback. so the company can work towards improving their processes.

A big part of making an employee feel part of the organization is to understand who they are and what are they really passionate about. It is important to give the new hires an opportunity to share information about their passions, vision, and talents they can bring to the table. This process would be helpful for them as well to understand their own drivers and motivations.

A mentor provides employees one-on-one time wherein he/she helps them to adjust to the new culture. New employees might hesitate about asking questions to their direct manager. A mentor could help answer the questions in a safe zone. But the company needs to be diligent while choosing a mentor as they form a big part in influencing the employee and their engagement.

It is important to understand the ambitions of employees and provide them with a roadmap to follow their desired career paths. Personalized Interactive sessions should be held with the employees to know how they visualize their growth within the new company. Creating a career path for them will empower team members to achieve success and build loyalty towards the company.