Onboarding is the process of integrating a newly hired employee into an organization. It is also known as organizational socialization, and it involves introducing new employees to the companys culture, values, and expectations, as well as providing them with the necessary tools and information to become productive team members. The onboarding process can begin from the moment an offer is made to the employee until the time the employee becomes a productive member of the organization.
An effective onboarding process is crucial to ensuring high retention rates and a positive experience for new employees. It should be both comprehensive and efficient, handling not only the necessary legal paperwork but also helping to acclimate new team members to the workplace community. Some common activities that go into the onboarding process include job offers, salary negotiation, new hire paperwork, policy and culture training, job training, employee handbook training, benefits paperwork, benefits education, facility tours, executive introductions, and team introductions.
Onboarding is particularly valuable for externally recruited executives, who may find it difficult to uncover personal, organizational, and role risks in complicated situations when they lack formal onboarding. An organization with a smooth, thorough, and friendly onboarding process is in a much better position to retain new employees and set them up for success.
