The first days in a new job are not the easiest. Changing a company is always associated with considerable stress. New procedures, a different organizational culture, many unknown faces, a different scope of responsibilities - the beginning can be overwhelming. Therefore, the employer should do everything to make the new employee in the team feel comfortable quickly. What is employee onboarding? And what is the importance of integration in this process?
What is employee onboarding?
Onboarding consists of carefully selected activities that are to introduce the newly employed person to the functioning of the company. It is a process during which the employee learns:
- strategy, mission and goals of the company,
- organizational structure prevailing in the company,
- the scope of duties in the position and other issues related to everyday work - such as operating company equipment,
- company procedures regarding all areas of the company's operation - including internal communication, settlement of overtime and other aspects.
Onboarding is usually carried out by the HR department, the direct supervisor of the newly hired person or another employee delegated for this purpose. The process can be divided into a theoretical part, i.e. talks, lectures, etc., and a practical part, i.e. any training. The new employee in the team should receive training materials from the company, which he can refer to at any time.
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A new employee in the team - 4 steps of effective onboarding
According to the data, over 90% employees stay with the company for longer if they have gone through the onboarding process. Other statistics show that over 20% employees leave the company within the first 45 days of employment, and even 50% quit their job in the first 4 months - which may be related to the lack of onboarding at the beginning of the job. The data confirms the importance of proper adaptation of a newly hired person.
Onboarding a new employee in the team can be divided into 4 stages. Each of them should take into account specific goals.
The first stage is the actions that can be taken before the new person starts work. First of all, you need to prepare a comfortable workplace and all the necessary tools for the new employee. This is also the time to complete all organizational issues - prepare training materials, necessary documents, ID and configure e-mail. It is worth sending a welcome e-mail to the new employee, containing all the most important information about the organization of work and procedures in force in the company. At this stage, you also need to inform the team about the arrival of a new member.
The second stage is the first day at work of a new person. It is worth showing the employee around the company, showing him all the most important places, introducing the team. The first day can be very stressful for a new employee, so you need to ensure a relaxed, positive atmosphere.
In the following weeks of work, the employee should be provided with the constant care of the supervisor. The new employee should feel that he has someone to turn to with any problem or question. This will certainly make it easier for him to adapt to a new workplace.
The last stage is the full onboarding of the new employee. During this time, you should summarize the current activities of the employee, indicate any elements that need improvement and set new goals.
And what is the significance of all this employee integration?
New employee in the team and integration
Employees are the basis for the functioning of any company. They are the ones who implement all business goals and contribute to the development of the company. That is why it is important that they get along, be able to cooperate and create a friendly atmosphere conducive to productivity and creativity.
The human factor is of great importance in the onboarding process. A new employee in the team can cause quite a stir. Not everyone will have a positive attitude towards the new employee from the beginning, which can cause even more stress. To create well-coordinated team at work and make it easier for the new person to acclimate to the group, you need to focus on integration. Integration will allow the new employee to become familiar with the team and build friendly ties with its individual members, and it will enable the group to warmly welcome the new employee.
Integration can be carried out both in and outside the workplace. How to do it right?
A new employee in the team - integration at work
Integration at work can take many forms. It is a good idea to introduce a daily ritual of at least 15-minute meetings right after coming to work. During the meeting, there should be one rule: you can talk about anything but work. Joint meetings and the accompanying conversations will help the "old" employees to cultivate friendly relations, and will help the new person to acclimatize in the company.
The new employee in the team should get to know all his colleagues. For this purpose, it is worth using special ones integration games. One of them is "Two truths and a lie". What is fun? Each participant must present 3 facts about themselves - where two are true and one is a lie. The other participants must indicate the false sentence. Employees should choose facts that others do not know. Thanks to this, "old" co-workers will also learn something new about each person.
Another integration game that is worth using during corporate integration is character trait. Each participant must provide their name and character trait that begins with the same letter as their name - eg Ola - frugal. This will make it easier for the new person to remember the names of all co-workers.
Integration games are short and do not require any special preparation. They can be used, for example, during a break from work. Such detachment from professional duties will allow employees to rest and give them energy for further work.
Meetings in a group of employees as a good way to integrate
Although integration at work can bring results, the best way to create a harmonious group of employees is definitely meetings on neutral ground. Why? Because surrounded by company walls, where professional duties are performed, employees can find it hard to leave their company roles. As a consequence, others will not be able to get to know them from this other, private side. Build and maintain good employee relations in business conditions can be problematic. That's why it's worth organizing once in a while integration meeting outside the company walls - especially when a new employee joins the team.
Going out bowling or paintball is a good idea. A common adventure will make it easier for the new person to acclimate to the team. In addition, it will provide employees with a huge dose of great fun, provide positive energy and allow them to rest from everyday duties.
Another solution is organization parties or a company dinner. Sitting at a common table brings people closer. This is a great opportunity to talk about non-work related topics, relax and de-stress.
If possible, plan a weekend integration trip. The trip must not be complete without integration games that will facilitate tightening the ties between the new employee in the team and the rest of the group. As part of the integration, you can organize:
- team cooking competition,
- corporate olympics,
- inspiring workshops - e.g. dance or survival,
- having fun at the rope park.
A new employee in the team is a breath of fresh air, new ideas, a different perspective on certain things! A new employee, using their competences, experience and knowledge, can significantly contribute to the development of the company. But first you have to let it acclimatize. Integration should be an integral part of onboarding. Thanks to it, a new person will quickly get in touch with the team and quickly get used to work.
