How do you efficiently onboard new employees? - SmartBrief

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How do you efficiently onboard new employees?

5 min read

Management

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How do you ensure that onboarding new employees is done efficiently — and without disrupting other employees?

1. Continually record and pass on knowledge

We have our current employees continually update manuals and on-boarding materials as they learn something new about their role so that their knowledge can be passed down to future employees. I try to ensure that there is overlap between the person leaving and the person coming on board so that the new employee can learn from them and tasks can be seamlessly shifted from one employee to the next. — Diana Goodwin, AquaMobile Swim School

2. Systemize everything

We’ve standardized the tools and equipment we use across the organization to make both on-boarding and day-to-day work more efficient. All developers use the same type of laptop, OS and software tools. When a new hire starts, they are up to speed within our codebase in an hour and can start contributing. We choose our tools carefully and invest time to ensure they continue to make us efficient. — Arian Radmand, CoachUp

3. Create a new employee Basecamp group

We created a “New Employee Checklist” template in Basecamp that we use for onboarding employes. This does two things: it gets new hires familiar with Basecamp, our project management software, and it also helps ensure no steps are skipped. Employees are able to see all required tasks (choosing benefits, installing software, etc.) and check each one off as it is completed. — Brittany Hodak, ZinePak

4. Use training modules

Creating systems and having a rough idea of what you’ll cover during training is just the beginning. Set up custom training modules so you can put new employees on autopilot and they can learn via written instructions, short videos and practical application. Start with the tasks every new employee will use like email account set up. Best of all, you’ll be able to observe how they work immediately. — Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems

5. Create an employee wiki

Create a wiki of all information relevant to a new hire: key policies and procedures, how processes are currently managed, and who is currently responsible for what. As employees develop new processes and institutional knowledge, they can add it to the wiki, making a living, breathing document that is relevant for all future hires. — Sathvik Tantry, FormSwift

6. Set them up with a partner/mentor

In addition to providing new hires with the appropriate materials to study, it’s a good idea to partner them with someone who has plenty of experience in the same field. This allows the new employee to get up to speed as quickly as possible as he or she can watch and study what the mentor does. Gradually, the new employee should be given more and more tasks to complete independently. — Shawn Porat, Fortune Cookie Advertising

7. Make sure everything they need is in one place

My employees are asked to be extremely independent, and are assigned deadlines with the absolute expectation of meeting them. New team members use Basecamp so every resource they need is in one place. I also use LastPass to provide access to other programs. By assigning tasks and giving full access to everyone, business goals stay completely organized. — Nicole Munoz, Start Ranking Now

8. Create a welcome committee

The best practice to ensure a smooth incorporation process of new employees is to continually train mentors to be their go-to people. This person is always available to assist the trainee and make them feel like part of the team. They assume the responsibilities of a typical welcome committee, helping the trainee get accustomed to the company, its values, the office and their own daily tasks. — David Tomas, Cyberclick

9. Provide a strong support system

We provide a strong support system for every new employee. First, we provide training that covers the company, leadership, benefits and procedures. Every employee is assigned a coach who explains the specifics of the job and assists with any issues the new hire faces. Our goal is to make new employees feel supported as they adjust to a new company and clients. — Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME

10. Hold a welcome orientation

On day one, we have a welcome orientation for the new employee by walking through the entire office and introduce him/her to everyone in the company one by one. This way both the new employee and existing team get familiarized with one another, minimizing any disruption. — Fenella Kim, Reliance Star Payment Services