Supervisor's Guide to Onboarding: A Process for Retaining the Best Talent
On-boarding is a major tool in successful talent management and is critical for successful employee integration. On-boarding creates an understanding of the organizational culture that helps the newly hired employee feel better connected to the organizationʼ s business strategy and creates a sense of belonging. Implementing a well-managed on-boarding process can have a significant and measurable impact on employee productivity, retention, employment brand, services, workplace safety, and future hiring.
Supervisors play an important role in onboarding -- the checklist ensures you cover all bases.
ODU uses Onboard for all new hire paperwork and documentation to be completed electronically.
Refer to the New Employee Welcome (N.E.W.) page as a resource for becoming oriented to being a Monarch.
What is Onboarding?
On-boarding refers to the process of welcoming new employees and helping them adjust to the expectations and climate of their new job. It also accomplishes requirements that supervisors have to inform employees about key policies.
Research reveals that when onboarding is done well, outcomes include higher job satisfaction, commitment to the agency, lower turnover, higher performance levels, career effectiveness and lower stress! The ultimate goal of onboarding is a fully engaged and productive employee.
Key Onboarding Components
The collection and processing of new employee data including employment and benefits forms, background checks, and security access.
Getting them to full productivity as quickly as possible (assigning work station, setting up accounts; and ordering equipment/supplies.)
Making them feel part of “the team” (cultural assimilation; conveying policies and expectations; building relationships and providing feedback.)
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Forms
The collection and processing of new employee data including employment and benefits forms, background checks, and security access.
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Tasks
Getting them to full productivity as quickly as possible (assigning work station, setting up accounts; and ordering equipment/supplies.)
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Socialization
Making them feel part of “the team” (cultural assimilation; conveying policies and expectations; building relationships and providing feedback.)
The Onboarding Process
PreBoarding begins when the job offer is extended & accepted.
- Begins as soon as the candidate is offered and accepts the position.
- The new hire connects with human resources & supervisor as primary points of contact.
- The supervisor makes arrangements for the employeeʼs work station and basic equipment and supplies and assigns the work buddy/mentor.
- Human Resources contacts the employee to notify him/her of information and documents needed for the first day and to see if he/she has any questions about the job or benefits.
New Employee Packet:
A new on-campus employee that is hired through a recruitment may receive the following from HR:
- Welcome Letter
- Temporary Parking Decal
- Health Benefits Rate Sheet
- Webb Center Map
Orientation is only one part of the On-boarding process
- Brief period usually limited to one or two days
- Provides basic employment information
- New Employee Orientation (NEO) online module is on the COVLC (Commonwealth of Virginia Learning Center)
- Completion of new hire paperwork
Onboarding continues until the employee is fully functioning & productive, and may last up to 12 months.
- Comprehensive, broad, and ongoing employee integration
- Begins when job offer is extended and accepted
- Extends over several months
- Introduction to organizationʼs structure, mission, vision, values, and business strategies
- Socialization process to understand organizational culture and etiquette
Results of Successful Onboarding
- Positive experience for the new employee
- Ongoing, clear, and concise channels of communication provided
- Learning objectives provided at every organizational level
- New employee aligns with key business strategies
- Sets milestone measures to determine new employee success and the time-to-productivity
- Reinforces the business employment brand
First Year Review and Evaluation
- The supervisor should conduct a thorough assessment, ensure all necessary information has been shared, and address the employeeʼ s questions and concerns.
- The supervisor should prepare for the annual performance evaluation.
Offboarding occurs when the employee leaves the organization.
Please see Leaving the University for more information about the employee offboarding process.
Supervisor Onboarding Responsibilities
One of the most important relationships the new employee will have is the relation with the supervisor. Research shows that most employee turnover is ultimately caused by the relationship the employee has with his or her supervisor. Therefore, the supervisor should be proactive and engaged in facilitating the employeeʼs integration into the organization. This makes the ability to assimilate new employees a core competency of supervisors.
An employeeʼs immediate supervisor ultimately controls his or her project assignments, educational opportunities and career progression. Therefore, the supervisor who takes time to provide information, discuss issues, and show concern over the employeeʼs assimilation, and who knows what the employee can do and wants to do, will make wiser decisions and build loyalty over time.
Supervisor Checklist
Supporters of the Onboarding Process
Human Resources
Human Resources' role begins early in the on-boarding process during the recruitment and hiring phase. Human Resources staff may:
- Provide an overview of the On-boarding Process
- Ensure completion of new hire and benefits documentation
- Explain pay, benefits and other relevant employment information
Coworkers
The employeeʼs teammates are the co-workers who will work with the employee on a day-to-day basis. They should make the employee feel welcome and support them until they are fully productive. This may look like:
- Explaining how the group works together as a team
- Explaining how to get things done & how to obtain supplies
- Answering day-to-day questions
ITS
The Information Technology Services (ITS) department ensures that the employee has the technology needed to perform the job. This may include:
- Establishing the computer and network setup (e.g. required software, hardware and network login)
- Ensuring email set up (with access and password)
- Establishing telephone access with voice mail
Importance of Onboarding
- Employee Engagement
- Keeps the new employee engaged and excited about the organization and his/her choice to accept the position -
- Decreases the time it takes the employee to get to the desired level of productivity -
- Builds loyalty
- Employee Productivity
- Ensures that the employee feels welcomed, a valuable part of the organization, and comfortable with the work environment as quickly as possible, all vital to the employeeʼs success
- Employee Retention
- Can be based on how the employee is treated the first 30-90 days of employment
- Can be affected by the support the employee receives in developing and progressing in his/her career
