Onboarding: What It Is And Why It Is Key To Employee Performance
Adapting to a new job is not always an easy task; in fact, most applicants usually quit within a month of accepting the new job.
Luckily there is a resource that many companies use to speed up the adaptation process and ensure the employee’s good start in the organization: onboarding
This process has a wide variety of benefits for both the company and the employee, and can positively impact their individual performance, as well as that of the entire organization.
The onboarding process is an action plan used by a company or organization to ensure the correct adaptation of its employees to their new job and prevent them from quitting soon due to a sudden change in activity.
It is based on a methodology designed by the company itself and that takes into account all those aspects that the employee will encounter for the first time in their new role, making things easier for them to adapt in the shortest possible time.
The onboarding process includes aspects such as the new habits of the organization, the communication of who their superiors and colleagues are, where the employee will perform their functions and what the means of work are.
Onboarding phases
The onboarding process consists of 4 strategic phases designed to achieve the correct adaptation of the new employee to their job. Below we briefly summarize them.
1. Pre-onboarding
The first phase is Pre-onboarding, and it is essential for the employee to receive a good first impression about the new organization in which they are preparing to work
In this phase of the process it is important that communication between company and employee is fluid, transparent and cordial, since it depends on whether the applicant finally decides to opt for the position or decline it.
Any failure in communication can make the worker doubt their decision to stay in the company that is why it is essential to keep you informed of all organizational issues.
It is also advisable to provide help with any needs you may have at this stage, such as checking if you need help with initial paperwork.
2. Welcome
The second phase is based on helping the new employee adapt to the new environment just before he starts working in the organization.
In this period it is recommended iProvide summary information about the main notions about the organization of the company, work modalities payroll policy and any other issue you need to know before starting your job.
This phase should not last more than a week and also usually introduces the new employee to his or her division or department colleagues.
3. Specific training
The specific training phase is crucial within the onboarding process, since it is the one in which The new employee begins to familiarize himself with the tasks of his role, in contact with the company’s Learning Management System
In this formal training phase, each new employee will be brought up to date on the main knowledge about their job and also their possibilities for promotion.
4. Transition
The last phase is the transition phase, and is based on facilitate the transformation from aspiring to new employee of the company with all its implications and responsibilities corresponding.
In this phase, the employee’s expectations and objectives are also established as a motivation strategy and in order to increase their productivity.
Functions of this HR process
There are many functions and uses of onboarding in relation to the employee’s work performance, these are the most relevant.
In any company or organization, internal communication is essential as a strategy to successfully achieve each and every one of the short and long-term objectives established by it. We must not forget that organizations dedicated to work are made up of individuals who are not born knowing everything that needs to be done in a given company.
This avoids misunderstandings about where the responsibilities associated with each employee’s position begin and end in order for each part to fulfill its mission without overlapping tasks between people.
Related article: “Business communication: types, characteristics and common errors”
2. Understand the company’s organizational culture
Another essential function of onboarding is to achieve that the employee internalizes the essential values of the company, as well as its organizational culture and daily teamwork habits
By knowing in depth the internal mechanisms of the organization, each worker will know exactly what their role is and how to carry it out so as not to go against its interests and founding values.
You may be interested: “What is organizational culture? Characteristics and components”
3. Facilitate adaptation
Thanks to the Onboarding process, each worker is able to train in the shortest possible time, a fact that will allow them to adapt more quickly to their job and successfully achieve a level of experience similar to that of their peers who had already started earlier
In addition to that, a short adaptation period usually positively influences the employee’s performance, both at the work level and also, and especially, at the personal and emotional level, which in turn has a notable impact on their productivity.
4. Ensure correct training
The onboarding process also serves to resolve possible doubts that may arise during the development of the new work activity, preventing these from paralyzing the employee for fear of making a mistake
An effective onboarding plan must take into account all the logistical and organizational aspects of a job and must address all those elements that may raise doubts or problems in the new employee.
As indicated, A worker who feels useful and integrated is more likely to carry out his or her activities with greater productivity and greater work performance than that of another employee who has a hard time adapting and who has not participated in an onboarding process.
Carrying out a correct individualized onboarding process that takes into account all the most important organizational elements for the new worker will be essential to improve their performance.
In addition to that, generally any worker who feels accompanied from day one will see their emotional well-being increased and therefore, their work situation will be much better.
Do you want to train in HR?
If you are considering specializing in the field of HR, you may be interested in the Master in Talent Selection and Management promoted by the University of Malaga (UMA) and which is organized in the Faculty of Psychology of this entity. Throughout its approximately 15 months of duration, this Master offers the possibility of training with professionals from the sector in small groups, and addressing both the “entry” part of workers and recruitment, such as the management and training of teams and personnel of the different departments of a company, all with a fundamentally practical orientation.
Another training option that may also fit what you are looking for is Diploma of Specialization in Talent Attraction, Capture, Evaluation and Loyalty from the University of Malaga, an online specialization program that lasts 7 months and teaches the theory and practice of classic and most current methodologies, taking advantage of the potential of new technologies applied to Human Resources.
To learn more about UMA’s HR training options, access its website.
