3 Easy Ways to Make Hiring Managers the Stars of Onboarding
Hiring managers are in a tricky position – juggling a mountain of work while trying to find the perfect candidate to help manage the workload. Once they find the ideal person, they typically need them to dive in and be productive right away. This doesn’t leave a lot of time for the relationship-building intangibles of onboarding – the parts that make new employees feel welcomed and valued.
Which is a pity because the pre-boarding and onboarding experiences can make or break a new employee’s decision to stay with the company.
Within the first 90 days, most new employees decide whether to stay or go.
Fortunately, you can make it easy for hiring managers to make new employees feel welcome by creating automated systems and processes. This enables hiring managers to shine — without the extra work.
1. Make it easy for your hiring managers to coordinate a welcoming committee
Create a template to inform the team about new employees and automated reminders to schedule a welcome lunch. Include key information in the template like the new employee’s name, role, start date, and contact information. You can also include fun facts like their alma mater or previous employer.
By sharing this information, your team can be prepared for the new hire’s arrival and join in the welcoming lunch, an important part of the onboarding process.
2. Provide pre-printed welcome-to-the-team note cards
Create welcome cards that embody your company’s culture and keep a stack of them on-site. Include text like, “Welcome to the team! We’re so glad you’re here.” With this readily available card and a two-second signature, the hiring manager can make the new team member feel very welcome, right from the start.
It also never hurts to give a treat or some company swag along with the card. Walking into a new office and sitting down at a desk with a welcome card and treats is sure to make a new employee feel valued.
Make it super easy for the hiring manager by having the note cards available and creating an automated process that gently reminds them of this step.
3. Create templates
New employees are walking into an office of uncertainty. They don’t know what to wear the first day or where to go. They also don’t know what’s expected of them in the first 30, 60, 90 days.
Create templates for a welcome letter, what to expect on their first day, and a guided questionnaire to establish what success looks like in their first 90 days. These templates enable hiring managers to engage new hires and manage expectations — critical parts of successful onboarding.
