Why onboarding is key to business success?

This month we dive into the heart of onboarding processes, revealing their fundamental importance to the stability and development of any organization. We want to highlight how quality onboarding can transform the way employees perceive and integrate into a new position, which in turn leads to higher engagement and reduced turnover. We look at strategic approaches and key practices that have been applied successfully across industries. To enrich the conversation, we invited Nadezhda Tsoneva, Head of HR Bulgaria & Iberia at Joivy, who shared with us her experience and insight on the topic.

How does an effective onboarding process contribute to employee retention and engagement?

Nadezhda: Remember your first days in a new workplace. New Environment. New colleagues. New rules. Even the coffee was different. In the early days, everything matters. And it can determine a candidate's decision to stay with that company or leave.

Onboarding, or the introduction to a new place, can be both exciting and stressful. So let's look at it from two perspectives - the new employee's, and the employer's.

The new employee is anxious. He is new. He doesn't know the rules of this place. He doesn't know the team dynamics. Nor the demands of management. Otherwise, he is experienced in his field. He is confident in his knowledge and skills and is eager to show everyone what an expert he is.

On the employer's side, this new addition to the team is wanted and desired, they have high hopes for him to contribute to the success of the department, the project or the company as a whole. And possibly to take on the workload of the others.

Here is the key point of the meeting - the new employee has expectations, and the employer, in the person of the manager, has expectations. The HR professional must become the liaison at this point in the meeting of interests and expectations. How? By building a logical and natural new hire induction process, a series of steps to help the new colleague quickly become autonomous in their work, and feel part of that environment.

Onboarding is a process, not a one-time event. It is a process of inclusion, getting to know and know, helping, encouraging and learning. It requires pre-planning, organisation, coordination and commitment of the participants.

The onboarding process starts from the moment the candidate says YES to the job offer. It is good practice, even before a contract is signed, for us as the employer to congratulate the candidate on their decision to become part of our team. A colourful e-card with encouraging words will bring a dose of peace of mind to the new colleague. So he has just gone through the thick and thin of the recruitment process. A friendly message from his new employer will reassure him that he's made the right decision, that he's becoming part of an environment where he can feel at home.

It's important that the recruiter contacts the approved candidate before the first day and in a conversation shares where and when they are expected, who will introduce them to the team and show them the new workplace. Then send this information in writing by email. Not everyone remembers names and addresses at a time like this.

Build a scenario of how the first day of work will go. Like any action plan, this one contains components such as:

• What actions will be planned and carried out in its first days. These can be meetings with HR on administrative issues, conducting a briefing, undergoing mandatory information security training
• Who? - participants, specific persons who will carry out the planned activities
• Where - in the office or online, if present in the office - where in the office, book a room
• How? - means, what platforms and communication channels will be needed
• When? - time / hour
• Supporting tools - materials, documents, access

It's important to have 1 company employee on that first day who will, metaphorically, hold the new hire's hand - welcome them, introduce them to the team, show them the workplace. This could be a HR specialist or the team leader, depending on the size of the team and the company.

What role does corporate culture play in this process?

Nadezhda: Onboarding as a process has two expressions - professional and social.

• Professional expression. Written operating procedures and manuals are widely used for professional induction. In the early days, shadowing practice can be applied - I shadow my mentor throughout the working day, observing how he works, which systems he uses, how and for what purpose. The next day we switch roles - I am the active party and my mentor observes, advises and corrects me.
   
• Social expression: As another mandatory element is the presentation of the team members and their role. It is good to do this in person. In times of remote working, of course, a general online meeting is a suitable alternative. In addition to the team members, also introduce the company's leadership - the board and/or executive directors, along with their areas of responsibility, and other key figures in senior management positions. A helpful move is to provide a list of names, position, department, and contact information. It is more effective, however, to present the organizational structure of the company, first at the macro level, moving up the chain to the position of our employee. It is most convenient to present this information visually, for example in the HR system or on several animated slides.

Notify the entire team as well as department heads in advance of a new colleague's arrival. This will avoid the questioning looks and rustling in the hallway with remarks like "Hey, who's that?".

An essential element of the onboarding process is to introduce the new employee to the company's mission, vision and values. It makes a good impression when we provide this information in a beautiful presentation. Even more helpful is to tell what our values practically translate into and how we as a team and company live them. Values are the glue of a team. They need to be understood and shared. Tell us about initiatives you have organised, achievements and experiences together. Invite a new colleague to join an ongoing or upcoming initiative.

A measure of corporate culture is the time to involve new team members. Show the newcomer that he or she is important to the company. Invite him to lunch with you, ask him how he likes his coffee, be available in the early days. When a person feels accepted and understood, they quickly start to give trust and understanding back. And to work with enthusiasm.

What are the challenges that companies face in terms of their onboarding process and how can they overcome them?

Nadezhda: In order to retain the talent we attract and have them bring us the added value the company needs, it's important to get them on board with the team or project as quickly as possible. A sure way to fail is to leave them alone. The "fix it yourself" approach is a ticket to leave.

People are social animals. They want to be part of a community. They want to be accepted. To give their best, they want to know they are part of something bigger. A new employee's buy-in is a measure of a company's maturity. How do we measure this? Here's how - run a survey after 3 months and see what new colleagues' impressions are. Read carefully. Look for key words - was this experience exciting and energizing or, on the contrary, did it prove stressful and overwhelming for the newcomer. Are they already fully engaged in their work, do they feel relaxed and confident, or do they continue to ask trivial questions? Use what you learn from the survey to improve your onboarding plan.

And last but not least, remember this pattern: engaged managers - engaged teams. When a manager is involved in the onboarding process, half the job is already done.