Standardizing the employee orientation process is an incredibly important step if you want to retain workers and ensure their success. Research by the Aberdeen Group found that 54% of companies with a formal onboarding process experience greater new hire productivity, while 50% see increased retention. 

We’ll explain what goes into an effective employee orientation process and share tips for making the most out of a new hire’s first few hours on the job. 

What Is Employee Orientation?

Employee orientation is a structured process for introducing new employees to the company and helping them acclimate to their workplace. The purpose of employee orientation is to: 

• Make new hires feel welcome
• Acquaint them with their fellow team members
• Educate them on company policies
• Complete important paperwork
• Answer any outstanding questions they may have

Employee orientation is a collaborative effort between HR, the hiring team, and the department that the new hire will be joining. It’s conducted for every new employee regardless of their position and precedes any onboarding done at the team level, like training specific to the role. 

The Difference Between Orientation and Onboarding

Though the terms ‘orientation’ and ‘onboarding’ are sometimes used interchangeably, there are some noteworthy differences. While they’re both important aspects of the new hire experience, they comprise different activities and accomplish different goals. 

Employee orientation is an introduction to the workplace. It includes an overview of the company’s mission, values, and goals, introductions to key coworkers, and completing new hire paperwork. It typically only lasts for the worker’s first day on the job and is usually the same for all employees.   

Onboarding, on the other hand, is a process that brings the new hire up to speed on job duties, tools and technology, and the day-to-day activities of their department. It’s specific to the role and takes place over the employee’s first few weeks or sometimes months of employment. 

Why Is Employee Orientation Important?

Employee orientation has many benefits for new workers and the companies they’re joining. Here are a few of the big ones. 

Sets a positive tone

A well-planned orientation kicks off the employee-employer relationship on a high note. It helps create a positive employee experience from day one, which is important for worker longevity, employer brand building, and future recruiting efforts. 

Capitalizes on new hire momentum

Getting a new job is exciting, and new hires are typically eager to hit the ground running. Nothing kills that enthusiasm faster than a dark room and a sexual harassment training video made in 1984. On the other hand, a well-crafted employee orientation can help you take advantage of your new recruit’s excitement and parlay it into a successful first few weeks on the job.  

Shares important information

Orientation is an effective way to ensure that all new hires receive the necessary details. Use it to share important information like your company policy on harassment and the expectations for how employees will conduct themselves while at work. 

Helps ensure a smooth transition

When new hires receive an orderly orientation, they tend to feel calmer about starting their new jobs. This can give them the confidence boost they need to succeed in their role and help them reach full productivity faster. 

Provides structure

Approaching new employee orientation in the same way takes pressure off managers, who can devote their attention to providing clear goals and direction to their new reports. Systematizing the process allows you to fine-tune it over time, making your orientation as effective as possible. 

Types of Employee Orientation

Employee orientation can take various forms depending on the company’s hiring volume and structure. Here are the main types of orientations.

Conference style

This is the most popular format for businesses onboarding multiple new employees weekly. It’s conducted by a leader in a large group setting, like a conference room or auditorium, and might include interjections from other speakers or videos to deliver different pieces of information. 

Virtual

A growing trend in employee orientation is virtual orientation. This format is ideal for companies that hire remote workers or want to allow employees to accomplish new hire activities ahead of their start date. Virtual orientation allows workers to go at their own pace, working through digital materials like downloads and videos as their schedule allows. This format is useful for maintaining strong engagement between an accepted offer and a start date. 

Small group/individual

If you hire a lower volume of employees, a small group or one-on-one orientation setting may be the preferred option. This more intimate format allows you to get to know new hires more closely and answer specific questions they may have. It also allows for new employees to build camaraderie amongst themselves. 

How Long Should Employee Orientation Last?

Employee orientation should range from a few hours to a full workday. Avoid spreading your orientation over multiple days, as this can be frustrating for new employees who are eager to get started on the work they were hired to do. 

Note that employee orientation is different from role-based onboarding, which is more tailored to a new hire’s specific job and may take longer. 

What to Include in Employee Orientation

Here are some key components of a solid employee orientation program. 

Completion of new hire paperwork

While it’s the least exciting part of starting a new job, filling out some paperwork is par for the course. Knock out all the essential documents like tax forms, confidentiality agreements, and non-compete contracts. Provide documentation on any benefits available to your new workers, like health insurance or stock options, and have them signed if necessary. 

If you want to save time and skip this usually boring part of orientation, email paperwork in advance and have new hires complete it before arriving on their first day. 

Related: New Hire Checklist

Overview of company policies

Provide new hires with your employee handbook and review the most important items. Good topics to cover include harassment and anti-discrimination policies, leave policies, and safety measures. 

Introduction to colleagues

Give new hires a chance to meet the people they’ll be working with the most frequently. Many companies do this over a group lunch, which is a great opportunity for a new addition to get to know their colleagues in an informal setting. Consider pairing new hires with an orientation ‘buddy’ within their department who can serve as the point person for their first-week questions.  

Workplace tour

Show your new hire around the office, building, or campus, identifying points of interest like vending machines, restrooms, and any amenities like an on-site gym. Set them up at their workstation and provide the login credentials they’ll need to access their company-issued devices. 

Initial assignments

The biggest complaint of new employees when starting a job is a need for more direction. While some uncertainty is to be expected, you can help set new hires on a clear path from day one by giving them an assignment to start working on. This might be something small like a low-stakes task on a team assignment or a long-term project that they can begin planning toward. 

Employee Orientation Checklist

• Company introduction
  • Work hours
  • Dress code
  • Code of conduct
  • Employee handbook
• New hire paperwork
  • W-4 federal and state tax withholding forms
  • I-9 employment eligibility verification
  • Emergency contact information
  • Direct deposit and payroll forms
  • Benefits information
  • Any other employer- or state-specific documents
• Introduction to colleagues
• Announcement of their arrival via email
• Pairing with an “orientation buddy” who can answer questions
• Tour of the office
• Set up workspace
• Handoff of login credentials
• Review schedule, what to expect in the coming weeks
• Assign the first project 
• Answer questions

Tips for Conducting an Effective Employee Orientation

Follow an agenda

If you’ve ever sat through a play that ran a little too long, you know the value of a clearly outlined program. Providing and following an agenda lets new employees know exactly what to expect, which can help them focus and minimize first-day jitters. 

Start before their first day

The most effective employee onboarding process starts well before the employee shows up to work for the first time; rather, it’s more like a seamless continuation of the hiring process. As soon as you’ve agreed on a start date, get the ball rolling on the necessary paperwork, send copies of documents that require a signature via email, and do what’s needed on your end to get their login and security credentials ready so you don’t lose time on your new hire’s first day.  

Related: New Employee Welcome Letter Template and Tips

Change up the format

To avoid losing your new hires’ interest during a day-long orientation, it’s a good idea to switch things up at least once or twice. Use a combination of written materials, video, and face-to-face onboarding sections. Move between a few different locations to avoid it feeling like one endless meeting. Consider incorporating an ice-breaker or team-building exercise to give recruits a chance to talk amongst themselves. 

Involve their team

Orientation shouldn’t fall solely on an HR staffer with whom the employee spends their first day and then rarely sees again. Incorporating the people your new employee will be working with regularly, especially their direct manager, makes more sense and will help ensure a smoother transition. This can set them on a path for a strong manager-report relationship. 

Related: How to Involve Employees in the Hiring Process

Build in opportunities to engage

It is a mistake if your new hires spend most of their first day sitting silently, listening to other people speak. Give them opportunities to talk and engage, both with orientation leaders and their new peers. This interaction builds positive emotions and helps new workers feel like part of a team from day one. 

Gather feedback

Don’t miss the opportunity to continuously improve your orientation process. After new hires have had a few weeks to settle into their roles, send a feedback survey to learn what they liked and what could be improved about the orientation experience. 

What Not to Do During Employee Orientation

Don’t throw them into the deep end

If you don’t have a formal orientation process, make it your top priority to set one up ASAP. Suppose an employee shows up on their first day and is expected to start working without any organized welcome. In that case, they’re likely to feel alone, adrift, and uncertain about expectations, not to mention their choice to take the job. 

Don’t overdo it

Avoid using your orientation to unleash a firehose of information or introduce new employees to so many people they’ll never remember who’s who. Getting acclimated to a new company takes time; it’s not something you can force to happen in a single day, no matter how great your orientation is. For many companies, half a day is a sufficient amount of time and will keep the experience from overwhelming. 

Don’t forget to explain your business

It may seem obvious but don’t assume that everyone you’ve hired thoroughly understands your operations, products, and customers. For example, someone who was hired for IT maintenance may have only a basic knowledge of the company’s product offering. Build engagement by giving an overview of how the business works, who you serve, and what you aim to achieve. 

By creating a structured, intentionally planned employee orientation process, you’ll help recruits feel welcome while giving them the tools and confidence they need to start off strong in their new roles. 

So, let’s explore some of the reasons for drafting a new hire welcome letter and then discuss some tips for writing one that makes a great first impression. 

Why Write a New Employee Welcome Letter?

It’s a little thing that goes a long way toward making new hires feel at home. Here are some of the other benefits of writing a letter or email for new employees. 

It sets the tone

A cohesive new hire onboarding process is an important component of your overall employee experience, and the welcome letter is one part of that. It helps convey a sense of structure–that they’re part of a well-thought-out system and not just being thrown into the deep end–and sets a tone that will make your new hire feel confident they can expect their onboarding to go smoothly. 

It eases anxiety

No matter where you’re in your career, a new job always comes with a few first-day jitters. A personal letter is a warm welcome and helps ease some of the anxiety. Remind your new employees why you thought they were the right fit for the job and convey that you’re glad to have them on the team. 

It gets them excited to get to work 

The faster you can help your new employee reach full productivity, the better. Foster high engagement from day one by calling out some of the things you’re most excited to work on with your new employee or the areas that will benefit from their expertise. Offer some context about the projects they can look forward to contributing to. Having clearly defined goals is a hallmark of highly engaged employees, and your welcome letter can be a tool for setting them. 

Related: Is Your Top Talent Having a Knockout First Day of Work?

It instills a sense of belonging

Employees who feel connected to their colleagues are more collaborative and more likely to stay longer at the company than those who don’t feel a sense of belonging. Use your welcome letter to bring new additions into the fold and make them feel like they’re part of the team even though they’re new. 

It can be a source of helpful information

You’ve likely already talked at length with your new hire about the job and its responsibilities during the interview process. What you probably haven’t covered, though, is how to get into the parking garage and whether there’s a vending machine on your floor. Working these useful tidbits into your welcome letter can help make the first day go a little more smoothly. It can also be a helpful document for them to hang onto and refer back to if needed. 

Related: How to Conduct Virtual Onboarding

What to Include in a New Hire Welcome Letter

Warm greeting

Start the letter off with an enthusiastic opening. Here are a few examples of warm opening lines:

• Welcome to the team!
• We’re glad to have you onboard.
• It’s my pleasure to welcome you to… 

Consider how you might greet a candidate on their first day of work; your introductory line should have the same feel. 

Start day details

Pre-empt any scheduling snafus by reminding your new hire of their start date and time. 

Highlights of why they were hired

Get the feel-good vibes flowing by paying the recipient a few compliments sourced from your assessment of them during the hiring process. You might call out the important skills they bring to your team, how impressed you were with their strong background experience, or any other detail that stood out about them as a candidate.

Overview of initial assignments

Set expectations by letting your new hire know what they’ll be working on in their first few weeks on the job. You can also call out any important dates your recruit should be aware of, like an upcoming conference or the launch date of a big campaign. 

Onboarding checklist

A list of forms to fill out isn’t the most exciting thing to receive in a welcome letter, but checking off necessary to-do’s like tax forms ahead of time will make the first day less tedious and allow your new hire to take their time completing these items. 

Helpful first-day tips

Parking, ID badges, wardrobe, food and drink…these are just a few of the things new employees don’t usually think to ask about before their first day on the job, but they can really make things less than comfortable if they’re not prepared. Use your welcome letter as a sort of how-to guide for getting started on the right foot. 

Here are some things you might cover:

• Hours. What time are employees expected to arrive, and when does the workday end?
• Parking. Where do employees park? Does it cost money? Does the company cover all or part of it? Will they need a pass?
• Transportation. Which public transit options are nearby? How long does it typically take to get there from different parts of town?
• Getting inside. Will they need to provide identification? Stop somewhere to pick up an ID badge? 
• Point of contact. Where should they go, and who should they ask for when they arrive?
• Lunch. Do most employees bring lunch, go out, order in, or is there food available onsite? Are lunch plans part of their first day’s itinerary?

A first-day itinerary 

Though your new employee is probably itching to hit the ground running, the first day is often filled with logistics like an office tour and meet-and-greets with various team members. Help them get through it with ease by giving them an idea of what they can expect. 

Is there anything they should come prepared for, like a walk around the office park requiring comfortable shoes? Will they be spending time outdoors? An hour-by-hour breakdown of the day is great, but just a line or two about what they should expect also works.

New hire activities/resources

Ideally, your welcome letter will be just one element of a thoughtful and engaging onboarding process. Include your new hire in other available resources, like your online employee portal, as well as any activities they can look forward to, like a new hire mixer or company potluck. 

How to Write a Welcome Letter to a New Employee

A standard form letter is better than nothing, but a little extra effort can make your new employee welcome letter really stand out. Follow these tips to take it to the next level. 

Make it personal

You’ll obviously want to lead with their name, but it’s also a great idea to personalize the letter with some details specific to each new employee. For example, ‘Our COO was very impressed by your past client list and can’t wait to pick your brain about where the industry is headed.’ Just as personalization helps customers feel more connected to your brand, it can also help your new employees feel like they matter to the company from the start.

Incorporate your company culture

Match the tone of your letter to the culture of your workplace. For example, don’t send a super formal letter if everyone in the office interacts casually. You can also incorporate more tangible aspects of your culture to help new employees feel at home, i.e., ‘‘just a heads up, most of us wear jeans on Fridays!’

Make it easily digestible

As you can see, you can pack a lot of information into a new hire welcome letter. Help the reader take it all in with easy-to-navigate formatting. Break up the text under different section headers. Use bullet points and bolding to call out key information. Add links to external documents and pages of your website where further information can be found. 

Provide a phone contact

If you’re like most companies, you’ve probably been communicating primarily by email during the hiring process, but it’s not the best way for your new employee to get in touch if they need something urgent on or before their first day. Provide a designated point person they can call directly if they say can’t get into the building or have a last-minute question the morning they’re supposed to start work. 

Send it promptly

Build on the positive momentum from an accepted offer by sending your new hire welcome letter promptly, like a day or two after you’ve confirmed a start date. This is a great way to kick off onboarding activities and keep engagement strong between the job offer and the new hire’s first day of work. 

Welcome Letter Samples

Here are some sample new employee welcome letters for your onboarding process. 

Short and sweet welcome letter

Dear NAME, 

Welcome! We’re excited for you to bring your deep expertise in widget parts to the Smith & Smith sales team. Your start date is scheduled for 8/23. 

On your first day, park in the employee lot on the south side of the building and check in with Susan at the front desk around 8:45 a.m. She’ll set you up with your ID badge, which you’ll use to access the rest of the building. 

You’ll spend the morning completing your new hire paperwork, and then the sales department will take you out for lunch. 

On behalf of the entire team, we look forward to having you onboard!

Detailed welcome letter

NAME, 

Welcome to Smith & Smith. I know I speak for all of us when I say we’re thrilled to have you on the team. As we discussed during your interview, your experience in the industry and knowledge of the market will give us a huge advantage as we work to roll out Widget 2.0 this spring. 

We look forward to seeing you for your first day on March 18. Most employees take the train to work–there’s an L stop about two blocks from our building at the corner of 48th and Main. If you plan on driving, park in a Guest spot out front when you first arrive and we’ll get you set up with a pass for the parking garage. 

Here’s a basic itinerary of what you can expect on your first day. 

9:00: Arrival, office tour

9:30: New hire paperwork

11:00: Onboarding session with team lead

12:00: Lunch in the conference room (we’ll order in, but there’s also a great cafe downstairs)

You’ll spend the afternoon shadowing various team members and training on our software. This will help you get to know some of your coworkers while getting a feel for our workflows.

We usually wrap up the day around 5 p.m. Our dress code is business casual. 

If you have any questions before your first day, call or shoot me a text at 555-555-1234. 

See you soon! 

Remote employee welcome letter

NAME, 

We’re happy to have you on the Avalon team! HIRING MANAGER speaks very highly of your skills in conversion rate optimization, which will be a welcome addition to our marketing arsenal. 

Your first day is set for June 12. We’ll kick things off at 9 a.m. with our weekly roundup, which we hold via Zoom every Monday. You’ll receive a separate email that morning containing the meeting link. After that, we’ll have you set up for a few breakout calls with your new teammates. 

Usually, our remote staffers take a one-hour lunch at a time that’s convenient for them. On your first day, we’ll plan for you to take a break around 12-1. In the afternoon, you’ll meet remotely with our VP of Technology, who will make sure you have login credentials for all our software. 

Before your first day, please take a few minutes to complete your onboarding paperwork. You can access it through our new hire portal here. The portal also contains a lot of information you might find useful, including:

• Employee handbook
• Benefits overview
• Calendar of events

If you have any questions before your start date, contact your MANAGER NAME at 555-555-6789. I’m CC’ing her here. 

Once again, thanks for joining us, and welcome to the team!

Manager welcome letter

NAME, 

It’s my pleasure to welcome you to the Avalon team as our MANAGER TITLE. With your impressive track record, I have no doubt our sales department will achieve great things under your leadership. 

As discussed during your interview, one of our primary objectives for the next six months is establishing a new territory in Washington County. We look forward to your insights on how best to achieve this goal. Through your guidance, our new sales team can establish relationships and spread awareness that will put our brand on the map in this new region. 

On your first day, February 26, Dustin will greet you at the front desk. Most of us arrive between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Once you arrive, please be prepared to meet with our CEO, COO, and me for about an hour. After that, we’ll call a team meeting where you can introduce yourself and give a brief overview of your background, initial plans for the department, etc. 

Here are some materials to review ahead of your first day:

• Avalon sales playbook
• Product guide
• Market overview

On behalf of all of us, we look forward to working together!

With a few tweaks to one of the templates above, you’ll have a warm and personal welcome letter ready to greet your new employees and make them feel right at home.

New Hire Checklist Steps

Step 1: Submit a job requisition form to HR

If you did not submit a job requisition form as part of the pre-hiring process, ensure it’s completed now. A job requisition form contains all of the essential details about the position, like the title, hiring manager and start date, as well as the reasons it was necessary to hire a new employee. This form will document the company’s approval of your hire.

Step 2: Complete all new hire documents

The forms your new hire must complete will vary from state-to-state, country-to-country, or if the employee is in another state or country and will be working remotely. The basic forms include the W-4 employee’s filing status form (W-9 form for contractors), the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form, the State Tax Withholding form, insurance forms, and anti-harassment documentation.  

Your company might also require a new hire to complete non-disclosure and non-compete agreements, which restrict what a new employee can say or do under certain scenarios to prevent them from revealing certain information about your company to competitors or using proprietary information to compete with your company. 

Other commonly used forms are alcohol and/or drug test consent agreements, security and confidentiality agreements, emergency contacts, and medical history and food allergy forms.

Step 3: Complete a background check

Conducting a background check is important not only for the sake of fully endorsing a candidate but for protecting your company. It’s your responsibility to do your due diligence to discover any items in the candidate’s past that could put their success as an employee or the safety of others at risk. 

In addition to screening for obvious background check red flags like criminal offenses, you want to ensure your new hire can complete the job duties. This means checking for things like a clean driving record if they’ll be operating a motor vehicle or verifying their professional credentials if a state license is required for the job. 

Depending on the type of background check you opt for, this step could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. 

Step 4: Communicate first-day instructions

You’ll want to make sure your new hire knows the workplace address, the start date, any parking arrangements, and the start time in advance of their first day. Your new employee should also be aware of the dress code, including things like tattoos, jewelry, shoes, etc. 

Discuss the company culture and how your new hire is expected to act at work, as well as how others in the workplace should behave. Also, go over the disciplinary policy. Any equipment needed specific to the job, like tools, safety gear, laptop, etc, should be available on the first day, so take care of these beforehand. Let your new recruit know what to expect on day one, including things like workplace tours, facility tours, introductions, and training.

Step 5: Set up employee computer, software, and account access

On day one, your new hire should have the proper login credentials for all equipment and software they will need access to. Clearly state the guidelines for using company computers, Internet and email access, copiers, and other office equipment. Many jobs require a training period to bring the employee up to speed. 

Make sure the new hire is scheduled for relevant training programs, such as learning work-related software. Go over your company’s IT rules and procedures with them as well. Make sure to add your new employee to all relevant email groups so they don’t miss any essential correspondence. If you use scheduling software, add them to it and make sure they can access it. 

Step 6: Create an onboarding packet

An easy way not to miss anything your new hire will need is to present them with an onboarding packet when they show up on the first day. What to add to the packet will vary depending on the job function, industry, location, etc., but might include a company badge, a key card for any restricted access in the building they will need, a name tag, a uniform, headgear, footwear, and any other safety items needed. If applicable, the packet can contain keys, passcodes, alarm codes, and more. Include in the packet a welcome letter, essential contact names, and numbers. 

Step 7: Show your new hire around

Show your new recruit their desk or workstation and familiarize them with the space they will be working in. Take them around the workplace and tell them where the restrooms, break areas, coffee machines, kitchen, and/or cafeteria are. If needed, show them the storage rooms, supplies, offices, and any other locations that will be relevant to their day-to-day duties.

Step 8: New hire introductions

Don’t forget to Introduce your new employee to the team and to all managers, supervisors, and other leaders. You might even schedule a welcome lunch or dinner for them. 

Step 9: Clearly state job responsibilities and provide an employee handbook

Review the job description and the position’s responsibilities with your new employee. Let them know what they will start doing on the first day, as well as future projects or things they should plan to work toward. Explain the normal working hours, even though they should already know them. State the importance of arriving on time and any company expectations on overtime, weekends, etc. Discuss with them how their job fits into the big picture for the company. Discuss policies for time off, sick time, holidays, vacation, etc.

Now is the time to provide your employee handbook, either as a hard copy or a digital version. In addition to being a useful resource for new hires, your employee handbook serves as the official record of your company policies and procedures should they ever come into question. Learn more about writing a thorough and engaging employee handbook here. 

Step 10: Discuss performance tracking

Let your new hire know the performance metrics that you will be tracking so they are aware of what is expected. Schedule weekly or monthly meetings with them to keep them engaged and on track. A new employee who feels lost or overwhelmed will search job boards during their free time. 

Step 11: Share information on benefits

Your new hire should have either received a benefits package or discussed benefits in the hiring process, but it’s good to go over them again to avoid any confusion over what is and isn’t covered. Things you’ll want to discuss with your new employee include life and health insurance, a mobile plan, a company car plan, a retirement plan, disability insurance, wellness benefits, and tuition reimbursement.

Step 12: Prepare them for training

Chances are your new hire will be going through some training, whether it’s a few hours shadowing a colleague or a multi-day immersive learning program. Prepare your new employee ahead of time by letting them know what to expect. Outline how long the training process will take as well as the knowledge they can plan on acquiring during that time frame. Setting clear expectations from day one will set your new hire up for success and get them excited about reaching full productivity in their new role. 

New Hire Checklist for the First Year of Employment

Step 1: One week check

A critical part of the onboarding process is to check in with your new hire after the first week. Make sure they are assimilating into the company culture and becoming a productive member of the team. Sit down with them one-on-one and clearly restate expectations and short-term goals. Elicit feedback from your new hire on the job, goals, and the company. Address any red flags that might have come up. If you haven’t already, now is the time to get your new hire into training. An important aspect of keeping your new hire engaged is equipping them with the tools to do their job properly. Don’t overwhelm them, though. Make sure the work and training you assign are doable.

This is also a good time to plan a social event, such as happy hour drinks or lunch, to help build relationships between your new hire and the rest of the team. 

Having your new hire complete a short survey at this time regarding their onboarding experience can help you identify areas that need improvement, as well as show that your new employee’s opinion matters. 

Step 2: One-month check

The next important milestone to integrating your new employee into the team and the position is to have a one-month check-in. You want to ensure your new hire is comfortable, happy, and engaged. Review their contributions over the first month and give insightful, encouraging feedback. Communicate clearly what they are supposed to be doing. Let them know if they are doing a great job, and tactfully tell them about areas they might need improvement on without discouraging them. 

Step 3: Three to six-month check

Check-in with your employee again within three to six months, depending on the employee and the position. This is the time to schedule a comprehensive evaluation of your new hire’s performance. Review the performance objectives and job description with the employee and adjust goals as needed to keep the employee on a path to success within the company.

Step 4: First-year check

Meet with your employee for a formal one-year review. Recognize any achievements they’ve made. If the employee is performing at or above expected levels by the end of the first year, then they are typically happy and engaged and aren’t looking to go somewhere else. If not, discuss ways to improve and get them back on track. Ensure your employee is satisfied with the company, the position, the team, etc. The first-year point is generally where on-the-job training transitions to continuous development. Your new hire is now well on their way to becoming a seasoned employee.

The quicker you can acclimate your new hire to their new environment, the quicker they will become a productive team member. Studies show that 30% of new employees leave their job within the first six months. After spending weeks or months in the recruiting process, the last thing you want is for your new employee to quit months later. The reason most people give for leaving so quickly is poor onboarding. Companies are not paying enough attention to integrating new hires into the company and the position by giving them proper training.

Let Us Help You With Your Onboarding Process

With this new hire checklist, you can help keep your new recruit engaged and happy from the very beginning by making sure they have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and what is expected of them. They’ll have a better feel for the company, the management, the culture, and the team they work with. Struggling to find the perfect employee? 4 Corner Resources is here to help! 

Contact us today to see how we can help you find the new hire of your dreams.

Companies that implement a strong onboarding process can boost the early productivity of those new hires by 70%. On the other hand, companies with a weak onboarding process are much more likely to see new hires struggle with performance and engagement. These employees are ultimately more likely to leave in the first year. 

As millions of employees shift to working from home, remote onboarding has become a necessity. Virtual onboarding has the potential to bring new hires up to speed quickly, accelerate the completion of paperwork, and cut down on administrative costs. 

When onboarding is executed poorly, though, things can go south quickly. An employee with a negative onboarding experience is twice as likely to start looking for a new job soon than one with a positive introduction. How can you ensure all the administrative boxes are checked while bringing a new hire into your company? We will dive into all the important information about virtual onboarding and help set you up for success.

What Is Virtual Onboarding?

Virtual onboarding is the process of bringing a new employee in without an in-person orientation. New hires will review the company’s important documents and general information utilizing webinars, video conferencing, and other online options. With more companies hiring remote teams and setting up hybrid work models, it’s important to have virtual options for each phase of the employee lifecycle. 

Onboarding is a critical step that helps to set the tone for the employee’s time at the company. Put some focus and energy into this important integration process. 

What Is Included in Virtual Onboarding?

First impressions can’t be made twice, so onboarding is critical for a good employee experience. When a new hire is coming on board, it’s important that they are set up with all the tools and technology they will need. With remote employees, have all the hardware sent to their address before the start date so they can be ready to jump in on their first day. 

Virtual onboarding should start with a checklist and schedule so employees know what to expect and when. Communicate any meeting times and then lay out the proper order to complete the different onboarding tasks and assignments. 

Onboarding includes reviews of the employee handbook, filling out benefits and tax documents, introductions to team members and peers, background information on the company, and the training to complete the roles and responsibilities of the job. Every company has its own unique twist on the onboarding process. Still, at the bare minimum, employees should feel introduced to the people they will work with daily and know the company’s overall goals and values.

Related: New Hire Checklist: The Easiest Way to Onboard

Benefits of Virtual Onboarding

Companies with a well-structured onboarding process will have strong employee engagement and better employee retention numbers. Giving new employees all the appropriate information to complete their job duties successfully will also boost their overall productivity. Choosing virtual onboarding over in-person orientation, or even choosing a hybrid option, has additional benefits. 

Orientation can be self-paced

Completing the employee’s online orientation using webinars and videos will allow them to go at their own pace. They can pause and start as much as needed to ensure they’ve captured all the important information. If any videos or information needs to be reviewed, it’s easier for the employee because they don’t have to raise their hand and ask for clarification.

Related: How to Use Employee Orientation to Set New Hires Up for Success

Virtual onboarding is cost-efficient

Virtual onboarding can be extremely cost-efficient if your teams are scattered in different geographies because you will not incur travel expenses. People can connect with their new teams and view the content remotely. In addition, you can create content once and reuse it, which is a time saver (and money saver) for the team putting on the orientation. 

Technology allows for time-saving tricks with documents

A big part of the onboarding process is document related. You must review employee handbooks and fill out tax information, emergency contacts, and other important documents. Technology can make the process much easier than just running through a stack of paperwork in a conference room. Get all the right signatures and deliver them to the right people with just a click of a button. 

Onboarding can be completely personalized

With virtual onboarding, you can completely customize and build a personalized program. Instead of grouping people together for in-person orientation, you can select just the information relevant to the new hire. Set up a checklist and schedule based on the role and the person’s experience and ensure they receive the essential information. You can measure how each person receives and retains the information by including quizzes and easily determine when they are ready to move forward. 

Get creative with the content

Online content is great because a lot of creativity can be incorporated to make the content interesting and memorable. Instead of an HR rep just standing in the front of a room reviewing employee handbooks and a little company history, you can include fun videos with photos and interviews with multiple company leaders. The content can include interactive games, quizzes, information slides, and demonstrations. Creative content is way easier to follow along with and helps keep people’s attention longer.

The new employee can be comfortable

Starting a new job can be intimidating, especially when walking into a brand-new building and meeting dozens of new coworkers at once. By completing the onboarding process virtually, employees can enjoy a longer onramp for meeting their coworkers and be comfortable at home during those initial conversations.

Related: New Employee Welcome Letter Template and Tips

Steps to Make Your Virtual Onboarding Program a Success 

Get them the goods they need to do their job

First, ensuring your employee has the physical supplies necessary to hit the ground running on day one is essential. This might include shipping them equipment like a company laptop and headset or providing a stipend to purchase home office gear. 

If your company has a process for reimbursing home office expenses, send those instructions via email immediately after the hire and follow up with a phone call to answer any questions. 

Related: What Is Preboarding and Why Is It Important?

Send some feel-good gifts

Helping your new hire feel connected is one of the biggest hurdles you must overcome in their early days. Bridge the virtual divide by sending a care package of company swag—a t-shirt, coffee mug, hat, or some desk-friendly munchies are all good options. 

While it may seem like a small gesture, every interaction contributes to the larger impression your new hire has of the company, which boosts retention. 69% of employees with a great onboarding experience are likelier to stay with the company for at least three years. Plus, starting a new job is stressful, so anything you can do to make the process more enjoyable will surely be appreciated. 

Make paperwork hassle-free

Enthusiasm and energy are running high on an employee’s first day on the job. The fastest way to take the wind out of their sails is to have them spend half the day doing paperwork. 

Use a program like Zenefits to get tedious form filling taken care of before your new hire clocks in on their first day. Such programs allow employees to complete new hire paperwork like tax forms and benefits selection on time. More than 80% of new hires on the Zenefits platform complete the paperwork side of onboarding before their first day, which ensures they can put their enthusiasm straight to work on day one. 

Complete tech setup ahead of time

Have your IT team set up a new hire’s credentials like their company email address, software logins, and slack channel invites before their first day so they feel like a full team member from the start. This will streamline communications and prevent technology roadblocks from slowing down your new employee’s productivity. 

Schedule a series of meetings with key players

The biggest downside of remote onboarding is losing the face-to-face component that helps build interdepartmental relationships and instill a sense of camaraderie. You must actively work to create virtual alternatives to these important interactions. 

One way to do this is to set a series of meetings for your new hire, both one-on-one and in group settings, with people from different departments and levels in the organization’s hierarchy. This might include company executives, managers, fellow team members, and new hires. To avoid interaction overload, space these meetings a few days apart over the course of your new hire’s first weeks on the job. 

It is also a great idea to set up remote new hires with an existing employee who will serve as their designated “guide,” answering questions and providing guidance in their early days. Technology company Dell, for example, has a ‘day one success team’ on standby to resolve any issues new hires might experience. 

If you’re onboarding multiple people at a similar level, pairing up “orientation buddies” and connecting them through Slack or email works well. This gives new hires someone in the same boat to chat and share experiences. 

Provide ample training

Training is often the most challenging part of onboarding remote employees. When you’re not in the same physical place, shadowing a colleague is not feasible, and it is tougher for new employees to identify the right person to ask for help or the best channel to use to do so. 

To bring new hires up to speed on their job duties and their team’s typical workflows, use a combination of training mediums like recordings, live sessions, interactive modules, virtual exercises, and written materials. Follow a specific timeline for each piece of the training and set clear expectations for when each item should be completed. 

Follow a structured approach

You can have all the informational assets available to help new employees, but the virtual onboarding experience most commonly breaks down is how these assets are structured and presented. According to a paper released by Digitate, one out of five new employees was confused about how to proceed during the onboarding process, while one out of six found the systems to be user-unfriendly. 

To combat the feelings of frustration that can lead to the negative new hire outcomes we touched on earlier, you will need to be mindful to provide an ultra-clear structure to your remote onboarding process. Digital wellness company Hanno assigns new hires to a designated onboarding track in the project management platform, Asana, which is a great way for them to chart their progress along with a clear roadmap and ensure no steps are missed.  

Check-in regularly

Since remote employees do not have the convenience of dropping by their manager’s office or sharing a quick word with a coworker in the hallway, you will need to make it a point to check in frequently to see how they’re doing and gauge whether any aspects of their onboarding need more attention. 

Do this several times in their first few weeks via email, instant message, or a quick Zoom call (ideally, a combination of all of these). Have more formal follow-ups at the 30, 60, and 90-day mark to assess their initial performance and identify any areas where they still feel out of the loop or are lagging behind. 

Taking a proactive approach to pinpointing issues will help you address any bad habits or pain points head-on before they impact a new hire’s productivity. 

Use surveys to improve continuously

Like all of your staffing systems, your virtual onboarding process should be a continuous work in progress. There is always room for improvement with the emergence of new technology, better project management tools, faster systems, and communication apps that mimic the in-person experience more closely with each new feature rollout.  

To keep your onboarding game strong, use employee feedback surveys to get input from those who just went through the process. Here are a few topics to cover in your survey questions:

• Input on the structure of the onboarding process
• Quality of onboarding materials
• Level of engagement with the process
• Initial Perceptions of the company and the role
• Alignment with the company’s values
• Level of confidence in their ability to do their job adequately following onboarding
• Free-answer input with additional suggestions

Remember that this will likely be your new hire’s first time making their voice heard within the company, so how you execute these surveys and what you do with the feedback will further contribute to their positive new hire experience.

Related: Sample Candidate Experience Survey Questions

Set Yourself Up for New Hire Success with 4 Corner Resources

According to some estimates, a bad hire costs a lot of money—up to 30% of the employee’s first-year salary. Add to that the lost time spent on recruiting and onboarding, and you have a recipe for ballooning expenses and stretched-thin hiring staff. 

Make the right hire the first time with help from the remote staffing experts at 4 Corner Resources. Our team excels at identifying candidates with the right mix of technical expertise and personality fit to succeed in your organization for the long haul. Clients that work with us to source and hire talent see lower long-term hiring costs, stronger retention, and more productive new employees. 

Get started by scheduling your free consultation with us today. 

FAQs

It’s an emerging trend that can streamline your employee onboarding process and provide a more enjoyable experience for new team members. We’ll explain what preboarding is and cover how it can be an asset to new hires and your organization. 

What is Preboarding?

Preboarding is a structured process in which new hires complete administrative tasks and receive useful information before their official first day on the job. It can include activities like filling out tax forms, making insurance elections, setting up direct deposits, receiving the company’s employee handbook, and being introduced to other team members. 

It can foster a positive new hire experience, help employees reach full productivity faster, and prevent early turnover. 

Preboarding vs. Onboarding

Preboarding is a variation of the word ‘onboarding,’ which is the set of processes an organization uses to integrate new employees. Although preboarding supports successful onboarding, it’s its own distinct process. 

There are a few key differences between preboarding and onboarding. Whereas onboarding begins on an employee’s start date, preboarding begins before their first day. 

Onboarding occurs in person (or remotely, if the employee works from home), while preboarding is fully virtual. Preboarding focuses on completing requisite tasks and providing helpful information, whereas onboarding can include job shadowing and hands-on training. 

For best results, preboarding and onboarding should complement one another and work hand in hand to help new hires get up and running while having a positive experience.

Related: How to Conduct Virtual Onboarding

Benefits of Preboarding

Facilitates a better new hire experience

Sitting in a conference room with many other new hires filling out forms is hardly a stellar first-day experience. 

Sending new employees the required paperwork in advance lets them complete it at their convenience while also allowing time to carefully review materials like the company’s benefits packages without feeling rushed. It also lets the company check all the administrative boxes while reserving the first day for more meaningful interactions and activities.

Related: New Hire Checklist

Maintains momentum during the ‘in-between’ phase

There’s a lot of forward motion during the hiring process, with the screening, the interview(s), and the offer happening fairly rapidly. Then, there’s often an empty gap–the new hire is finishing up at their last job and waiting for their new one to start, and unfortunately, employers often go radio silent during this time. Not only is this a risky period for new hires to change their mind about switching jobs, but it’s also a missed opportunity to build goodwill and continue providing a great candidate experience. 

Preboarding helps fill this gap with an enjoyable interaction, building excitement for the employee’s first day and minimizing any second thoughts. 

Helps new hires feel at home

Employees’ sense of belonging plays a big role in their early success. Preboarding can kick-start the process of bringing new staffers into the fold and making them feel like part of the team. 

With some advance introductions, they’ll recognize a few familiar faces on their first day of work and might even have the chance to become friendly with other new hires. 

Aids in retention

Turnover is an ongoing battle. Employers must proactively fight it rather than merely responding when it happens, so what better place to start than before day one? 

Preboarding creates an important touchpoint for impressionable new hires, which can build their loyalty to the company early on and reduce the likelihood of a premature departure.

Related: Highly Effective Strategies for Employee Retention

Steps to Successful Preboarding

1. Compile materials

First, determine which materials will be included in your preboarding process. If you’re in the U.S., you’ll most likely want to take care of the compulsory paperwork, like forms I-9 and W-4, and provide your employee handbook. 

But it’s also a great idea to jazz things up with some more colorful content, like videos showcasing your company culture or an interactive preboarding checklist. Create an email to distribute these materials to candidates or use a preboarding app designed specifically for this purpose. 

Related: How to Write an Employee Handbook

2. Take care of tech

Nothing’s worse as a new hire than sitting down at your workstation and being unable to use anything because it’s not set up correctly. The preboarding phase is the perfect opportunity to have your IT team tackle the necessary tech setup steps, like creating a company email address and handing over login credentials for devices and software. 

3. Welcome them to the team

Add your new hires to the relevant channels on your messaging app of choice, like Slack or Teams, and invite current staff to welcome them warmly. You can even create a dedicated channel just for employees going through preboarding to chat amongst themselves. 

This will allow new employees to build rapport with their soon-to-be colleagues and keep them from feeling like complete stranger when they show up on day one.

Related: New Employee Welcome Letter Template and Tips

4. Answer questions

Starting a new job comes with many questions, from ‘Which insurance plan should I choose?’ to ‘Where do I park?’ 

Help new employees’ first few weeks on the job go a little more smoothly and ease first-day jitters by distributing a sheet of frequently asked questions as part of your preboarding materials. Also, provide a way for preboarding participants to ask their own questions and receive a response from the appropriate person. 

5. Set a date (or several)

Use preboarding to give new team members something to look forward to by getting a few events on the calendar for their early days on the job. This could include things like meetings with key members of leadership, a lunch outing with their team, or a company social event. This will help maintain engagement while also facilitating valuable Facetime with coworkers.

6. Prepare a welcome kit

Everyone loves getting mail, especially packages. Build upon the excitement of the job offer by surprising new hires with a small gift delivered to their house before their start date. 

Company swag makes great preboarding gifts, like coffee mugs, and useful on-the-job materials, like notebooks.

7. Prep for the first day

Finally, help new hires have a seamless and snafu-free first day of work by using your preboarding process to help them prepare. Share a PDF or a section of your website that outlines what to expect, what to bring, a rough idea of their schedule, and any other helpful first-day hints. 

Consider pairing new hires with a preboarding “buddy”–a more seasoned team member who can show them around and act as their go-to for questions about the company while also serving as a familiar face. 

Creating an enjoyable, informational preboarding process’ll make new hires feel welcome and help their first few days on the job go more smoothly, which benefits employees and the organization.

Related: Is Your Top Talent Having a Knockout First Day of Work? Here’s How!

Research by Glassdoor found that organizations with a strong onboarding process are able to improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. This means your onboarding process isn’t just relevant to your new hire’s training period — it’s essential to your long-term employee retention strategy, as well as a valuable high employee turnover solution.

If you want to increase the likelihood of your new employee retention, you should place a high importance on onboarding. In return, this can reduce the risk of fast turnover. So, here are a few tips to hit the ground running and give the top talent you’ve worked hard to recruit a knockout first day.

New Employee First Day Tips

Reach out before their first day arrives

Once the top talent you’ve worked so hard to recruit has accepted your job offer, they might not actually be starting for a few weeks or months. In this case, the excitement over their new job can easily wear off — especially if they don’t hear from you again until they walk through the door on their first day. Thus, it is crucial to continue engaging the new employees from the time of their offer acceptance all the way up until their start date.

One simple, low-cost way to keep the communication flowing is to have their future managers and team members send a personalized welcome email prior to their first day. This should include their name, position, a little bit about what they do, and their contact information. Therefore, the new hire can reach out with any further questions. This small gesture can go a long way in helping future employees feel welcome and eager to get started.

Related: New hire checklist

Handle administrative tasks ahead of time

58% of organizations say their onboarding program is focused solely on processes and paperwork, but an effective onboarding strategy for new employees should be centered around people; not paperwork. While filling out forms is always going to be necessary when starting a new job, no employee wants to spend their entire first day on an endless stack of paperwork — they want to start building connections with their team members and learn the ins and outs of their new role.

So, how can you give your new employees a more meaningful first day that isn’t bogged down by boring administrative tasks? One option is to send them the onboarding paperwork digitally prior to their first day. This way, they’ll have more time to meet with their team members and become familiar with their new office — while also allowing HR to focus less on paperwork and more on helping top talent have a positive, welcoming first-day experience.

Prepare the rest of the team

Let your team know when a new hire is starting and inform them about the role they will play in the onboarding process. If your new employee will be shadowing multiple team members throughout their first day and week, those being shadowed should be notified ahead of time. Moreover, inform the employees what your goals and expectations are for the shadowing sessions and meetings.

In doing so, you will ensure that this time you’ve set up to help your new hire become acclimated will be effective and valuable. Plus, your new employee won’t feel they’ve caught their coworker off guard and your current team members won’t feel like you’ve disrupted their daily workflow.

Have a schedule ready

Showing up to an unfamiliar office and not knowing what to do or where to go would be awkward for your new employee. You do not want to give them a bad first impression of your company! So, rather than being unprepared and scrambling to keep new hires occupied, always have a set schedule for their first day.

Be sure someone is there to greet them upon arrival and direct them to their desk or first meeting. You don’t want your new hire wandering around the office aimlessly. Your onboarding process for new employees likely includes various meetings with HR, managers, and team members — let them know when these will occur so they have an idea of what their first day will look like. By having a structured schedule in place, new employees will feel welcome and organized while feeling that their time is valued from the get-go.

Provide clear expectations

If you’re wondering how to reduce employee turnover amongst new hires, you should know this: 43% of employees who left a job within their first 90 days did so because the day-to-day job role wasn’t what they were expecting. Therefore, it’s important to be realistic, honest, and transparent with your new top talent about their day-to-day job responsibilities, as well as your workplace policies and company culture.

Therefore, your onboarding process for new employees should cover who they’re reporting to, what their workload will look like, and any benchmarks or goals you’ll be using to measure their productivity and success.

Schedule time for deeper introductions

On a new employee’s first day of work, they’re meeting a lot of new people in a very short amount of time. Usually, they’re only able to get a name and quick handshake in before they’re being introduced to the next person. This can be overwhelming for your new employee and it doesn’t give them ample time to build deeper connections with their new coworkers.

So, as part of your onboarding process for new employees, you should consider planning time for your current team members to connect with new ones. This might include dedicating time for coffee chats with various team members throughout their first week or setting up a first-day lunch for the new hire and their team.

Go the extra mile to make them feel welcome

You’ve put a lot of time and resources into recruiting your new top talent, so you want to ensure they feel welcome and comfortable on their first day and throughout their entire onboarding experience. Go to the extra mile by adding some personal touches to their first day!

This could include scheduling a team lunch, leaving a handwritten welcome note signed by their coworkers, or giving them a company swag bag with items like a branded mug or notebook. These small gestures can make your new hire feel like a valued member of the team from day one which can be incredibly beneficial in the long run — as a negative onboarding experience results in new hires being two times more likely to look for other opportunities.

Have an end-of-day recap

At the end of your new hire’s first day, regroup to go over their thoughts, feelings, and any concerns they might have. Ask if they need any additional tools or resources, if they feel comfortable, and if any questions came up throughout the day that they still need answers to. Having this conversation will help that specific employee have a better onboarding experience. You want to show that you’re dedicated to setting them up for success in their new role.

Plus, these recaps will allow you to gather feedback that you can then apply to your overall onboarding strategy. This way, your next new employee can have an even better first day and onboarding experience.

Create a Successful Employee Retention Strategy with the Help of a Professional Staffing Agency

4 Corner Resources (4CR) is a nationally-recognized staffing agency that helps businesses of all sizes meet their hiring needs. However, we aren’t only concerned with sourcing, screening, and placing the top talent you’re looking for — we want to ensure they actually stick around long-term.

If you’re wondering how to reduce employee turnover, it starts with putting the right candidate in the right position from the get-go. We can help you accomplish this, but we won’t just stop there. We’re here to be your long-term partner and guide you through forming an onboarding and continuous employee development strategy that will keep your top talent working for you, not the competition.

To learn more about how strengthening your onboarding process can be a valuable high employee turnover solution, reach out to a 4CR expert today!