So you've found an amazing hire and they start next week.

You might feel a lot more relaxed now, given the hard part of recruiting them is over.

Don’t get too comfortable, as there is still onboarding. It's a vital step of any recruitment and one of the reasons why time and time again I see turn over within a company. 

Setting yourself up and having an onboarding process for every hire will give you the best chance of success.

It doesn’t have to be hard – a short amount of time dedicated to planning makes all the difference. 

1. Get organised

Provide the candidate with an offer letter so they have something to sign before commencing.

Make sure there is an employment contract ready on their first day, and if not, send it to them before they start. Making sure their workspace is set up with the right equipment and IT required and setting up relevant software training if needed is also a vital part to ensure productivity from day one.

Want to do something a little extra? Throwing in a small welcome gift often goes a long way. 

2. Introduction

It is so important to introduce your new hire to the rest of the team by name.

Briefly explaining what each person does and showing them around the office facilities will make them feel comfortable and welcome.

Showcase your company culture and give them some insight into the company’s core values. Assigning them to a “buddy” can also be a good idea to make them feel more comfortable to ask questions when required. 

3. Setting up for success

This is all about spending the time with your new hire to ensure they are clear on what they are there to do, what you want them to achieve and what expectations you might have of them.

Buy them a coffee and do a 30-minute goal setting session in the boardroom.

Set up regular 1-1’s in their first three months and use this as a sounding session to ensure they are on track and have everything they need. 

As much as these 3 stages might seem simple, they are easy to miss and ignore. Give yourself the best chance of survival and set up an onboarding system/checklist to make a great impression from day one. 

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