The 3 Phases of Employee Onboarding

Today, I want to talk about employee onboarding and how it can be broken down into 3 distinct phases.

Whether you’re a small business owner or a manager at a large corporation, understanding these phases is crucial for ensuring a smooth and successful onboarding process for your new hires.

So, let’s dive in!

Phase 1: Pre-boarding

Before your new hire even steps foot in the door, pre-boarding is already taking place. This phase is all about setting expectations and getting the necessary paperwork and information out of the way.

During this time, you’ll want to make sure your new hire has all the information they need to hit the ground running on their first day. This includes things like filling out necessary forms, setting up their email and computer access, and providing any necessary training materials.

One important aspect of pre-boarding is ensuring that your new hire has a clear understanding of the company’s culture and values.

In fact, companies with a strong sense of purpose and values have a 10% - 20% higher retention rate compared to those without.

By laying the foundation for a positive culture during pre-boarding, you can help set your new hire up for success from the very beginning.

Phase 2: Orientation

During the orientation phase, your new hire is starting to get a feel for the company and its new role. This is the time for them to meet their team, go through any necessary training, and get a tour of the office.

The goal of this phase is to make your new hire feel comfortable and confident in their new surroundings.

One important aspect of this first phase is providing a clear and detailed job description. Employees who understand their roles and responsibilities are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their work.

If you provide a clear job description and set expectations early on, you can help your new hire hit the ground running and start contributing to the company as soon as possible.

Another important aspect of this phase is providing mentorship and guidance. Employees who have a mentor are more likely to be engaged and satisfied with their jobs.

By pairing your new hire with a mentor, you can provide them with a sounding board and someone to go to with questions and concerns.

Phase 3: Integration

The integration phase is when your new hire is starting to become a fully-fledged member of the team. During this phase, they’ll be taking on more responsibilities and becoming more independent in their role.

The goal of this phase is to ensure that your new hire can hit the ground running and start making meaningful contributions to the company.

One important aspect of this phase is providing regular check-ins and feedback. Employees who receive regular feedback are more engaged and satisfied with their jobs overall.

By providing regular check-ins and feedback, you can ensure that your new hire is on track and making progress toward their goals.

Another important aspect of phase three is providing opportunities for professional development. Employees who have opportunities for professional development are more engaged and satisfied.

So, if you provide your new hire with opportunities for professional development, you can help them grow and advance in their careers.

Putting it into Practice

Now that you understand the three phases of employee onboarding, it’s time to put this knowledge into practice. The key to a successful onboarding process is to approach it holistically and make sure that each phase is executed effectively.

One way you can do this is by creating a checklist for each phase. This checklist should include all the necessary tasks and activities that need to be completed during that phase. By breaking the process down into smaller, manageable tasks, you can ensure that nothing is missed and that your new hire is set up for success.

Another way to ensure a successful onboarding process is to involve multiple members of your team. This can include the new hire’s direct supervisor, HR, and other members of the team. If you involve multiple team members, you can ensure that all aspects of the onboarding process are covered and that your new hire is getting a well-rounded introduction to the company.

Lastly, it’s important to measure the success of your onboarding process. One way to do this is by tracking new hire retention rates. If you’re seeing high retention rates, it’s a good indication that your onboarding process is effective. If retention rates are low, it may be time to re-evaluate your process and make changes to improve it.

By following these three phases, creating a checklist, involving multiple team members, and tracking success, you can ensure that your new hires are set up for success from day one.

Wrapping Up

Employee onboarding is an essential process that sets new hires up for success and helps them become valuable members of the team.

By understanding and implementing the three phases of onboarding: orientation, assimilation, and integration, you can ensure that your new hires are fully prepared to hit the ground running and make meaningful contributions to the company.

Remember to approach the onboarding process holistically, create a checklist for each phase, involve multiple members of the team, and measure the success of the process.

With these steps in place, you can ensure that your new hires have a positive and productive experience and that they’ll stay with the company for the long term.