Good or False Start? For successful integration

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your onboarding plan for new employees?

What is your retention rate for these after 3 and 6 months?

Once the employment contract is signed, the job is not done – far from it!

We have defined talent management in 4 stages – attraction, negotiation, onboarding and retention – to provide leads that can help companies maximize the candidate experience. The last few weeks have allowed us to work out the attraction and the negotiation.

To maximize the chances of success for new members and the organization, it is important to have an onboarding plan, and to stick to it.

Some organizations have structured and rigorously followed integration plans, which everyone is aware of and which form part of organizational policies.

Other companies have guidelines to follow, which vary from new member to new member.

And ultimately, some have no formal onboarding plan – so much so that sometimes new employees are just on their own.

This week, I am giving you an overview of the benefits of an integration plan and the various important things to consider.

Why an integration plan?

Simply to be ready as an organization.

First, an onboarding plan allows companies to be ready for the arrival of new team members. This plan will make it possible to have constant communication between all, and to make the necessary adjustments to ensure personalized supervision. This will save precious time, not to mention the image and credibility of the company.

Changing employers is very stressful for most people. This important decision they have just made will mark the next few years of their personal, family, and professional lives. A successful integration will reduce the stress level by reassuring them, and they will feel the importance of their place and their contribution within their new professional family.

An integration lacking structure is often responsible for the premature departure of new employees. Voluntary departures of employees who do not feel they are part of the organization, dismissals due to poor performance caused by on-boarding with communication gaps, are just a few examples.

Who is responsible for onboarding new employees?

Everyone.

In previous stages, the company has highlighted how exceptional their team is, praised the spirit of collaboration and demonstrated how important people are to the organization. It is during the onboarding that each employee who will welcome the new members will come to prove what has been described before.

Some essential elements to consider:

• Make sure everyone is aware of the existence and importance of the integration plan
• Have a general integration plan, supplemented by a component adapted for each department and each position to personalize this process as much as possible
• Contact the selected speakers to let them know their role and importance in the arrival of new members

Upon signing the employment contract

Well done! The offer is signed, everyone is happy and excited to start this association!

A phone call or email from the manager, as quickly as possible, is essential to indicate his eagerness to collaborate and to mention his availability if the new member has any questions. It is encouraged to specify who will take over for the next steps and the different points of contact.

During the 15 days preceding the arrival of the new member, the following steps will ensure regular communication, and have administrative elements settled before the D-day of the start of employment.

• Obtain all the information necessary for the employee file (documents to be completed, specimen check for direct deposit, insurance registrations and others, etc.)
• Reserve the necessary material resources (office space, IT tools, office and / or cell phone, business cards, etc.)
• Create the required access (IT tools and system access, keys, or access cards for example)

An onboarding schedule will help keep the process running smoothly and ensure everyone’s availability, by sending out invitations to everyone’s schedule – thereby securing the commitment and accountability of each stakeholder.

Announcing the news of the new member’s arrival to the entire organization through a press release a few days before his or her arrival will allow people to prepare for a warm welcome.

But beware! The approval of the new employee must be obtained before communicating the information internally, to ensure that the previous employer has been notified and that the announcement can be made to avoid any inconvenience.

Tomorrow is the big day!

The first official day is almost here, and everyone is excited to welcome this new person to the team. Since contact has been kept with the new member, it is advisable to contact them the day before (or Friday if the first day is Monday) in order to reassure them. Expressing the excitement of their arrival and asking them if they have any questions will demonstrate that the organization takes their arrival seriously, while informing them of the place, time and contact person to ask. His arrival. This will reassure him and will feel supervised.

Internal communication reminding the new employee of the arrival is recommended, especially to members of the department to which this person will be part. This step is especially important if no other announcement has been made previously.

The first impression is always the right one

It is the same for the first day. This is where the magic must happen, it’s a great day for all.

A personalized welcome by a human resources representative and manager is imperative – together or separately. In a context where there is no HR department, the initial meeting with the manager is required. Reviewing the progress of the integration and the schedule as well as finalizing the various administrative details will then allow the focus to be on the next steps.

A tour of the facilities and introducing the new member to other employees will create interesting contacts. Everyone’s smile is of course in order – hence the importance of announcing ahead of time so that everyone in the organization has a positive state of mind upon reception.

A lunch between the manager and the new member of his team, from day 1, is strongly recommended to highlight the event. Above all, we must prevent the manager from canceling himself at the last minute, or even delegating another person in his place – out of simple respect.

According to positions and company policy, announcing the arrival of the person on social networks and other platforms is another way that shows the pride that the organization has in them.

The intensity of the first week

This first week will give the new employee a good understanding of the organization and its role. Scheduling meetings with designated people for each department of the company will allow the person to have an understanding of the interactions between each department, while being put in touch with important resource people if they have questions in the future.

Meetings with members of senior management will share the culture, vision and strategy of the company.

Multitude of new people met, tons of information assimilated, new IT tools to learn are just a few facets that drain the energy of new employees.

Depending on the position, you must ensure that the onboarding schedule offers time for the new employee for himself, so that he can revise his notes, become familiar with his various tools, and do readings related to organization and position (policies, CRM, business strategy, etc.).

Team meeting, lunch, happy hour or team activity will allow for bonding between colleagues from the first days and will initiate a feeling of belonging early in this new association.

Setting objectives + effective feedback = success

Established goals should be clearly stated from the start and clarified as time goes on.

Transparent communication, combined with two-way feedback, will help clarify any gray areas. It is the responsibility of both the manager and the new team member. The foundations for mutual trust and collaboration are thus established.

Because one of the main challenges in integration is the unknown and the insecurity that results from it, and everyone’s engagement is the key to avoiding it.

Assessment and improvement

The best people to help improve the onboarding plan are new hires. After the first month, it is advisable to ask the new member’s opinion and feedback on their onboarding experience, ideally in a one-on-one meeting. This will demonstrate the importance placed on his/her opinion but will also be an opportunity to follow up on previously established mutual goals and commitments.

Integration is part of the candidate experience, as is the employer image.

What is the image you want to project?

Do you want to discuss your talent management strategy to maximize your attraction and retention efforts, and support your growth?

Write to us at info@jumprecruteurs.ca or directly at my address: steeve@jumprecruteurs.ca and it will be our pleasure to discuss and guide you through the various steps.