Onboarding – what you need to know 

Onboarding is a comprehensive process. It actually begins the moment an employee accepts your job offer, and it lasts until the first few months of employment have passed if you have an effective onboarding process. 

The purpose of onboarding is to provide new employees with the tools, knowledge, and relationships they need. 

This can include everything from sending welcome emails and organising the necessary work tools to planning introductory meetings with people in the organisation. It shows from the beginning that you value and prepare for your new employee. It is indeed important to invest time in the new employee once you have finally hired the right person for the job. 

A valuable onboarding process is tailored to your new employee’s role and needs. It is important to listen to the employee and include clear goals and expectations, regular feedback, and opportunities for the employee to learn and grow. It is also important to integrate the new employee into the company’s culture and promote networking with colleagues. Many companies also have a ‘buddy’ system designed to ensure that all new permanent employees are assigned a buddy before they walk through the door. 

It is crucial that your new employee is at the centre of the onboarding process, and you must ensure that all technical, digital, and practical aspects are in place before the first working day. It is also a good idea to hold follow-up meetings to take care of the new employee from day one. 

To keep the process engaging, onboarding should not just be a series of formal meetings and presentations. Interactive sessions, social events, and mentoring schemes can make the experience more personal and less overwhelming. 

To get the most benefit from your onboarding, it is a good idea to have a well-structured process with a clearly defined strategy that is used every time a new employee starts. 

This simplifies the process for both the organisation and colleagues, while ensuring that new employees are integrated in the most effective way. It is essential to focus on a few, but clearly defined initiatives that are easy to implement and adhere to, rather than a series of unclear processes that can be time-consuming and energy-draining for a manager to handle on a daily basis. 

Onboarding is called ‘indkøring’ in Danish and is the process where your new employees are introduced to their roles, colleagues, and the company’s culture. Onboarding is about creating a strong beginning that can have a long-lasting positive effect on the employee’s engagement and loyalty. It is an investment in the employee’s future in the company and an important component in building a strong foundation for their career path. 

By focusing on a thorough and thoughtful onboarding process, you can improve job satisfaction and productivity and strengthen your employer brand and attract talent.