Help managers effectively onboard new employees

AA female HR manager onboarding new employee

If your organization is like many others, the single most important person in a new employee’s orientation is the manager. Research reveals that even if your company has a well-integrated onboarding process––involving HR, facilities, IT and other functions––it’s the manager who acts as the glue holding it all together. And it’s your job to help managers understand their role and how to build employees’ engagement with the company.

Make it easy for managers to facilitate effective onboarding communication by creating a simple action plan that sets expectations for what the manager will do. The employee will feel respected and valued, the manager will feel supported and the organization will benefit from a well-oriented new employee.

Here’s an example of a simple action plan:

Day 1	Greet the employee and make sure he/she receives an employee ID, workspace, phone and computer Introduce the employee to colleagues and help arrange one-on-one meetings
Week 1	Teach the employee how to complete weekly data entries or other reporting processes Review job responsibilities and success factors Coordinate with HR so that the employee receives an employee handbook and introduction to your intranet Arrange training on key procedures Give him/her first work assignment
Week 2	Work with the employee to choose a mentor Schedule mentor participation in onboarding
Month 1	Arrange to have the employee spend a week “shadowing” another employee who does a similar job Schedule weekly check-in meetings to discuss what’s working and where the employee needs more guidance Encourage an open-door policy for questions or concerns

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