Onboarding refers to the processes by which new hires are assimilated into an organization’s work environment, structure and culture. You never get a second chance to make a first impression – so it is essential to bring new employees into an organization with enthusiasm, and to welcome this new person as an integral and well-received member of the team.
Successful onboarding maximizes the time between accepting a position, assessing the fundamentals of what their job will entail and orientating with the company. Prompt delivery of computer equipment, badges and manuals help employees feel immediately valued and productive. However, these are just the first steps in building a long-term relationship between you and your new employee. Planning for critical activities such as training, mentoring and probationary reviews extends well past the traditional orientation.
Without proper absorption into the organization many newly-hired employees may not fully assimilate into their team, potentially leading to expensive turnover costs, longer training periods, and reduced productivity.
The question then is how to successfully manage the onboarding process, since employee onboarding is often fraught with the possibility of mistakes. This is particularly problematic for government agencies, which have complex rules and require the use of many new hire forms not typically seen in private industries.
There are a host of issues government employers and many federal contractors must take into account including legally mandated background checks, drug screening and medical/fitness exams, document verification and certification as it required by federal and/or state law, and overall confidentiality.
With the requirements to collect, process, test, etc. each candidate, things may be forgotten, dropped or even skipped for the sake of time. Most agencies either rely on hiring managers to manage and track the onboarding process or document through the collection of required forms. However, in the end, it is HR who is held responsible for provide auditable records or proof that the process was followed as required. HR is responsible for providing a record for each new employee’s receipt of required trainings and submission of forms.
This is the impetus behind automated onboarding that is integrated into talent management solutions, where all onboarding activities can be centralized, and human resources can monitor completion.
Additionally, providing and tracking notifications of internal support services, training departments and notifying executives that a new employee is starting is vital to the health of the agency and long term success of the employee.
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