There are many new terms in the corporate world. If you are just now getting introduced to the big business world or getting a new job in the office, it might be useful for you to learn some business phrases that could be handy. First things first – you should know what onboarding means.
It is your first step to get a job in the corporate environment hence the term onboarding will come in handy. In this article find out what onboarding means and what else you should know about it.
The Meaning and Origin of Onboarding
Based on Cambridge dictionary, onboarding is the process in which new employees gain the knowledge and skills they need to become effective members of an organization.
In our own words, onboarding would be the process of familiarizing someone with the relevant knowledge at the workplace. In other terms, onboarding refers to the process of orienting a new employee to their position or convincing a new customer to use a product. Since in this article we are talking about the employee onboarding, it is the first option that applies the most.
Although the term was created only in the 1970s, it wasn’t until the last ten years that it really started to catch on in the corporate world. It started being used when businesses began emphasizing initial training for new hires.
5 Different Ways to Make Onboarding Easy
The likelihood that someone will dislike your business is significantly reduced after onboarding. Simply by instructing them and allowing them to take everything in will make a good first impression.
Let’s look at the top 5 ways to make onboarding easy.
1. Make It Clear
The best onboarding is one that is easy and simple to understand. Make sure your employees know where to go and what to do. That is the most important thing to make sure of – make sure your employees are comfortable.
The process of starting a job at a new workplace can be very stressful therefore make sure to be coming forward.
2. Give an Organized Tour
It is equally important to give your employees a clear and thorough tour of the place – office, factory, coworking space etc. Whatever it might be, showing the ropes in a new place is very much appreciated.
This will allow your new employees to feel both welcomed and as much at home as it is appropriate. There is nothing worse than being too nervous to not find the bathroom or coffee stand place on the very first day.
3. Take Care of Available Communication
Communication is key in many parts of life, work is undeniably one of them. Make sure your employees are feeling free to communicate with either you as their boss or their mentor. There should always be a way to express their opinions, needs and wants.
To make unboarding easy and simple, you have to make sure you are available. Communication works both ways. At first it might be tricky to understand at what times and channels it is appropriate to communicate. Therefore explaining it to your employee will be highly appreciated.
4. Keep the Tasks Organized
If you are the one to assign somebody to new tasks and projects, make sure everything is organized and clear to understand. Nowadays there are so many business channels to use, our favorites are Slack and Asana.
At the beginning of the job it is quite important to be able to track your employees work speed. Therefore make sure to give them enough tasks to see just how much they can get done in the very beginning. And then track the progress along the way.
5. Offer Help
Just how they say there is never a stupid question, there is never enough help to be offered. To make somebody’s onboarding amazing, let them know that you are always there if any more questions arise.
Showing the ropes to the everyday routine can hardly be done on the first day. That is why it is so important to offer help along the way.
Another way to make your employees feel more welcome is onboarding gifts. Make sure to check out our other article called Onboarding gift ideas.
Also check out some Best onboarding memes in order to make onboarding seem more relatable. Hopefully now you know a little bit more about what onboarding means and how to make it easier on your employees.
