Employee engagement ideas to increase onboarding effectiveness

When bringing on a new team member, you want to engage them from the start and plant the seed for a long-lasting relationship. You need to get them up to speed as fast as possible while instilling a culture that values each employee as a whole person. This is no easy task and there have been many companies that have failed. According to ADP “less than half of HR administrators report consistently taking new employees through some of the basic “human” elements of onboarding.” 

To do it right involves creating onboarding plans that speak to their individual needs and demonstrating to these new hires that they too need to appreciate everyone’s differences. And if you want to create the type of culture that Fortune magazine would write about, your onboarding has to be successful.

Here are some employee engagement ideas for your onboarding process:

For The Manager

If they were not thoroughly involved in the recruitment process, debrief the manager on the new hire as a whole person. This includes their temperament, learning style, career goals, experience and education. When it comes to temperament, we have a handy list of Do’s and Don’ts they can use that speaks to their natural tendencies. Make sure the manager is aware of the temperamental differences between themselves and the new hire and therefore how to best work with and coach them.

For The Team

The team should also be informed of the new hire’s temperament and any similarities or differences between each of them. An overall discussion should be had on how this new hire will fit into the existing ecosystem in terms of personality, roles, and responsibilities.

For The New Hire

Debrief the new hire on the temperament of their manager as well as their teammates. Make sure they understand how they fit into the existing structure as well as any new opportunities for growth. Teach them how to best approach each individual that they will be working with and why it is important to cater their style accordingly. Nurture the notion that each individual in the organization is unique and that if everyone is aware of each other’s natural tendency’s, they can play to each other strengths and support each other’s weaknesses.

Want to learn more? Get The Ultimate Guide To Employee Onboarding!