New employee onboarding documentation is an important part of the process of introducing new hires to a company and its policies, procedures, and culture.
A well-organized and comprehensive onboarding package can help new employees feel welcome, informed, and prepared to start their new job, and can also help ensure that they have all the information they need to be successful in their role.
Onboarding documents
Below is a list of key documents that are important for the onboarding process. These range from the company’s various common regulatory documents, documents describing the company’s organization and culture, to documents directly related to the employee’s role.
This list may vary from company to company. This should be the minimum to ensure a good and sustainable onboarding process. One that integrates the new employee into the company as well and as quickly as possible.
Employee handbook
This document provides new hires with an overview of the company’s policies, procedures, and expectations, including information on topics such as benefits, dress code, and work schedule.
Job description
A clear and detailed job description can help new hires understand their role and responsibilities, and ensure that they have a clear understanding of what is expected of them.
Performance review guidelines
Help them set goals and develop a plan for professional development.
Training materials
Training materials, such as manuals, guides, and videos, can help new hires learn the skills they need to succeed in their role.
Organizational chart
An organizational chart can help new hires understand the structure of the company and their place within it, and can also help them identify who to go to for help or guidance.
Company history and culture
Providing new hires with information about the company’s history and culture can help them understand the company’s values and mission, and can also help them feel more connected to their new colleagues.
Opportunities for improvements
To present these documents to new hires in the most attractive and interactive way, consider using a combination of different formats and technologies, such as in-person presentations, online training modules, and interactive activities.
A good way to improve the management of onboarding documents and present them to new hires in an accessible and convenient way is by creating a digital employee onboarding. This is particularly important in companies where employees work remotely. In a separate article, we have summarized remote onboarding best practices that you might find useful.
There is also an opportunity to present onboarding documents in joint activities. This can be effective if the company has several new employees every week. For example, you could have new hires participate in a team-building activity to help them get to know their colleagues and learn about the company’s culture, or you could use video conferencing software to deliver training and presentations remotely.
Whatever approach you choose, be sure to provide new hires with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and clarify any doubts they may have.
Final thoughts
Hope you found this article useful. Check out our other related articles such as What is employee engagement and How to improve employee onboarding process.
