The keys to successful Onboarding

The integration process, or onboarding, encompasses all the procedures involved in welcoming and integrating a new employee into a company. It refers to the actions taken by an organization to facilitate the integration of its new employees. It is in the interest of recruiters to take care of the arrival of their new employees, as it is closely linked to the employer brand. High-quality onboarding helps to attract new talent and build employee loyalty, while reinforcing your corporate culture. 

Why onboarding is important to an organization? 

When a new employee joins a company, they need time to adapt. They are entering an unfamiliar working environment. The tools, premises and work habits are all unfamiliar.

The integration period will enable the new employee to acclimatize to the company and its culture. It is important to note that it is not enough to simply introduce the various team members or take a quick tour of the premises. On the contrary, with a qualitative Onboarding process, successful integration can take some time.

Onboarding steps to implement:

• Internal announcement

Be sure to let your teams know in advance of the imminent arrival of a new team member, either at a team meeting or via an internal e-mail. By sharing this news with existing team members, you reinforce your employees’ sense of belonging to the company. Moreover, your colleagues will be more inclined to warmly welcome the new arrival and support them in their process of adapting to the company culture. An in-house announcement allows company members to prepare themselves mentally for the arrival of a new colleague. In addition to avoiding any confusion or awkward situations, an official in-house announcement helps prevent the spread of rumors within teams, which could be harmful to the smooth running of the company. Finally, by proudly highlighting the arrival of the new employee, the company demonstrates its commitment to the development and expansion of its team. This reinforces the company’s reputation as an employer of choice for fiancé professionals. 

• Prepare the workstation in advance: 

Preparing a new employee’s workstation is an important step. The aim here is to demonstrate the company’s commitment as soon as the new member of your team arrives. Over and above a good first impression, an operational and complete workstation from day one ensures that your new resource will be up and running as quickly as possible. Make sure that everything is ready and set up: business phone, workstation, access cards, etc. 

• Offer a welcome booklet:

Offering a welcome booklet to your new resources greatly facilitate their integration into a new working environment. The welcome booklet should include all information directly related to the company, such as its values, culture, mission, etc.

The first few days in a new company are generally stressful times for candidates. In addition to questioning their ability to meet the demands of the job, new recruits have to get to know new people and ways of doing things, a whole process of adaptation which can be stressful. The welcome booklet helps to guide your new resources and answer recurring questions. 

• Set up a mentoring program (N+1):

Mentoring allows you to orient and guide your new recruits by assigning an experienced employee to mentor the newcomer. The mentor plays a key role in transmitting the company’s cultural norms. They help the new employee to understand the company’s values and expectations, thus fostering better integration into the corporate culture.

Joining a new company can be intimidating. Mentoring offers a dedicated point of contact, fostering the development of a relationship of trust and providing a safe space to ask questions and seek advice. A well-informed sponsor can help the new employee quickly familiarize themselves with internal procedures and avoid common pitfalls. This contributes to a smooth transition and faster productive contribution. 

• Use internal communication tools:

Information accessibility processes need to be thought through and established in advance of your talent’s arrival. Make sure your employees have access to internal communication tools, such as intranet and internal messaging platforms, for quick and easy access to information.

These internal communication tools have the advantage of facilitating inter-employee exchanges, enabling newcomers to introduce themselves, forge links with colleagues and collaborate seamlessly. Within these internal tools, employees have access to diverse and varied content about the company, offering a comprehensive orientation. New employees also feel better supported. A company that invests in internal communication tools demonstrates its commitment to employee well-being and its modernity. They reinforce its reputation as an employer of choice, attracting the best talent in the financial sector. Moreover, as finance is a sector where collaboration and coordination are essential, this step should not be overlooked.

• Encouraging interaction:

Once you have provided your new recruit with all the equipment and information they need, put in place the means to encourage interaction between employees. Indeed, interaction is very important to prevent your new recruit from becoming isolated, as integrating into an organization where everything is still to be discovered is not necessarily easy. Encouraging social interaction creates human links between colleagues, promoting collaborative work and sense of belonging. It is through sharing that knowledge is passed on, so more experienced employees can facilitate the onboarding of a newcomer by creating support network and sharing their knowledge and expertise. 

• Follow-up on integration:  

Onboarding follow-up ensures that the new employee continues to adapt to their new work environment, overcome any challenges and feel at home within the company. Moreover, getting follow-up feedback from your employees on the induction experience you are offering them. This allows you to quickly identify any necessary adjustments and improve the process for future arrivals. For the employee, monitoring the integration process can help define development prospects, just as it can prevent premature departure. These exchanges provide an opportunity to plan ahead, while reducing the costs associated with recruiting and training replacements. 

To sum up, a successful onboarding process will familiarize the new employee with the company, its values and its processes. The importance of a thought-through onboarding process is quite simply to finalize the hiring process properly. An integrated, self-confident and productive employee is a valuable addition to your company. What's more, onboarding new employees is crucial for any company wishing to maintain a strong employer brand, attract new talent and build employee loyalty while reinforcing its corporate culture. The key steps involved in successful onboarding are numerous and play a vital role in this process. In any case, it's not a waste of time, even if employers believe that the resources on the job market are operational as soon as they arrive.

Fed Finance is a Geneva-based recruitment firm specializing in finance positions and covering the whole of the Lemanic Arc region. Our consultants will help you find and select your new employee. As true ambassadors of your employer brand to our candidates, Fed Finance consultants can also help you develop your integration process. Looking for your next employee? Outsource your recruitment process to a recruitment firm like Fed Finance to find the right talent. Take advantage of those several benefits by submitting your recruitment needs via this form. A Fed Finance consultant will contact you as soon as possible.