Stronger employee engagement correlates with increased productivity, more profits and better retention of staff talent. Employee engagement can often be neglected until after the new staff member commences their first day in the company. From the time the candidate accepts a job offer up until their first day, this is when preboarding should begin. It is an essential part of the onboarding process and helps in preparing new hires for their position. Preboarding allows companies to introduce new employees to their workplace culture.
Research has found that solid onboarding practices improve employee retention significantly. The communication style an organisation uses during preboarding sets the scene for the new employee and influences their initial impressions. Surveys have found that new hires often reported experiencing a lack of communication between when they accepted their job offer through to their first day of work, leaving a bad impression.
What are the benefits?
Time and money savings
More and more companies are investing in technology solutions to assist with their preboarding and onboarding processes. These solutions can streamline a lot of the administration and training tasks to be done by new employees before they start. This saves time by removing the need for long induction training days when preboarding can be done remotely. It can free up time for management and avoid the costly consequences of failed training and assessment using traditional paper and attendance methods.
Smarter organisations
Digital solutions allow management to easily track employee onboarding tasks and training in real-time. By generating reports after tasks have been completed, organizations can assess training and compliance rates. Determine what works and what doesn’t, and help management to better understand employees needs so appropriate measures can be taken to address them.
What does a good preboarding program look like?
New hires should be able to access the company digital platform
During preboarding, it is useful to give new hires access to the company digital platform prior to starting so they have the chance to navigate the system and complete any required training remotely. This is a useful opportunity for the company to share relevant information and prepare the new employee to take up their position.
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Have a good communication channel
It’s essential to set up communication channels with all new staff prior to their first day as this will help foster a positive connection with their employer. According to research, receiving communication from the new employer prior to starting their first day helps new employees to feel more confident, prepared and form a positive impression.
To turn a new hire into an engaged employee, communication channels need to be consistent and clear. Organisations should have a formal process in place for communication and interactions from the time a person was hired through to their starting date. Preboarding introduces employees to the company culture and gives them the opportunity to acquire some knowledge and skills before their first day, which has been found to lead towards increased productivity.
Have clear expectations
Setting clear expectations from the start helps prevent confusion. Providing information about the role before employees start their first day in their new role ensures that they start off on the right foot. The more that they learn about their role, duties and responsibilities, the more motivated, engaged and productive they will be on the job.
A positive employee experience begins with preboarding and extends throughout the employee’s time within the organisation until they depart. When the employee experience is enhanced through comprehensive preboarding, it builds excitement, enabling them to tackle their first day feeling driven about their role.
Keep it concise and relevant
Be careful not to bombard new employees shouldn’t with information. Preboarding information should be customised to include things only relevant to a new employee’s job role or team. The platform should be available for employees to access offsite via their desktop or mobile device.
Final Thoughts
When a new employee joins a company, it can often take a few months for them to settle into their new role and become fully productive. An effective preboarding system is a sound investment that can yield results more efficiently by giving new employees a kick start introduction to the organisation and their new position. By the time they start their first day, new employees can hit the ground running.
