Even the most essential of employees eventually leave your organization, either because they’ve received a better offer or because they want to change. People go on sick leave, maternity/paternity leave and retire. In these scenarios, you need to have someone to replace them in order not to become short-handed. Also, as your company grows or expands, you need to figure out the best way to integrate new people. The term coined for this scenario is onboarding (getting people on board) and it’s an essential process in every enterprise. Nowadays, it’s gaining more and more attention from Australian entrepreneurs. Here are six tips to help you in your onboarding efforts.

Prepare beforehand

In the introduction, we’ve mentioned a number of scenarios where you’ll need to onboard new employees. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be that hard to anticipate when the next onboarding will take place. Also, keep in mind that, due to the fact that this takes place over and over again, you need to have a method, a mechanism instead of a one-time solution. These several ideas alone will allow you to prepare a proper strategy for your business, instead of having to figure out solutions on the go.

Clear out the workstation 

You don’t have to wait for the day of their arrival to make sure everything’s ready. You see, the thought of coming to take someone else’s place is never a pleasant one. This is why you might want to clear out the workstation that they’re going to occupy even before they arrive. Make sure to keep it clean, simple and depersonalized in order to allow them to decorate and equip the workstation in the best way they see fit. From the very first moment, they sit at the desk, make sure to let them know that it’s THEIR desk and THEIR workstation. This will make them feel like they belong.

It depends on the position

The truth is that onboarding isn’t always a simple process and it may depend on the position that one has to take in your business. Even within the same niche, there are many different sub-categories making this issue simpler or more difficult. For instance, when looking for people for admin jobs in Sydney, what you need to consider is whether you’re looking for an executive assistant, receptionist or personal assistant. This issue alone may determine the duration of onboarding and the overall success of your early efforts.

Assign mentors

One more thing you need to figure out is the issue of assigning mentors. Now, some entrepreneurs make a mistake of assigning most productive members of the team, yet, you need to realize that onboarding isn’t necessarily a training process. What you need to do is pick the most empathetic person in your employ. Your primary goal is to get someone who understands what the newcomer is going through, as well as show them that they’re indeed welcome in your employ. Nonetheless, you also need someone who knows what they’re doing and someone who can give them a chance to grasp the ropes a lot sooner.

Demystify your jargon

The main reason why people feel alienated on their first day in a new company is due to the fact that they can’t understand what you’re talking about. This is mostly due to the fact that you’re using too much industry-specific jargon. Now, one way of dealing with this issue is to start instructing them as soon as they walk through the door. On the other hand, you could also simplify the jargon a bit, in order to make it easier for laymen to understand it. 

Boomerang hires are a great thing

A lot of entrepreneurs hold grudges against people who leave their employ and would never hire this person again. This, nonetheless, is a horrible practice and having a boomerang hiring strategy is definitely a trend that your business could greatly benefit from. First of all, we’re talking about hiring people who have already passed the onboarding process and the training. This means that their acclimation period will be reduced to a minimum. After all, the only reason why they’ve left is to progress their career, which is not something that you should take personally.

Conclusion

By adhering to these six simple rules alone, you’ll stand a much better chance at making your team homogenous as soon as you bring a new person in. This will not only boost the efficiency of your team but also benefit your talent retention and hiring strategies. Combined together, all of this makes a recipe for corporate success.