Nothing says “Welcome to the company, we're stoked you're joining us” like a good

onboarding process.

Even before you start recruiting for a position, you should be planning the way you make
your new employees introduction to the business as smooth and comprehensive as possible.

Onboarding is sometimes called induction, though it’s broader in scope than a simple
initiation. Formally, onboarding is known as organisational socialisation, which means it's a
structured process to provide a new person with all the tools, information, and insight they
need to quickly become an effective team member, while at the same time integrating them
with the company and its culture.

Sure, you could set them up with a desk and a computer, give them the company handbook,
and tell them to get cracking on some initial tasks, but don't go expecting great results.

Effective onboarding helps your new team member hit the ground running. It gets the
employment relationship off to a healthy start, and increases the chances that they'll want to
stick with you and you'll want them around so they can develop with the business.

Onboarding takes time and effort, but like all good investments, the rewards are worth it.
Let's look at some of the main reasons you should have a thorough onboarding process for
all new employees.

is to happen quickly, so everyone can move on.

When the person is right for the position, effective onboarding provides a positive
introduction to the business. On the rare occasions things go wrong, a good onboarding
process will help you identify the bad eggs quickly and allow you to exit them in a robust
manner, with less risk.

In the New Zealand context, onboarding is important to support good decision-making in all
businesses that assess new employees using either 90-day trial periods or probationary
periods.

Employers using probationary periods need to be especially mindful of following fair and
reasonable process, as they don't have the same level of protection against grievances as
they do with 90-day trial periods. If you decide to dismiss a new person early in their
employment, an efficient, formalised onboarding plan will help you to do so with less risk.

Learn more about getting the best out of probationary periods .

Sets a base for further learning and

development
In the modern work environment, employees need to be adaptable and learn new skills.
While the learning curve is often steepest at the start of a new role, people thrive at
companies that provide ongoing opportunities to learn and develop.
The initial job training that forms part of the onboarding process lays a good foundation that
should lead to a course of growth and improvement. It's a good time to find out about your
new worker’s career goals and to design a training and development plan that builds their
skills and knowledge. This will also help ensure they are motivated by, and contributing to,
the overall success of the business.

Less stress
Starting a new job can be stressful. Sure, there's excitement in new opportunities but they
can also create anxiety.

A smooth onboarding  process can allay fears and make new people feel comfortable from
day one, giving them the information and training they need to be able to concentrate on
their job rather than any negative feelings.

Having an established, effective onboarding process reduces stress for employers and
managers too, so you're not winging it each time you hire a new person. Instead, you can be
confident that your new worker is getting the best possible orientation, guidance, and tools,
so you can focus on assisting and getting to know them.

Better customer satisfaction

Research shows that positive employee experience leads to better customer experience,
which improves business profitability. Research by  Jacob Morgan , author of The Employee
Experience Advantage, found that companies that invest in employee experience are 4 times
more profitable and generate twice as much revenue as those that don't.

The employee experience starts with recruitment and is expanded by the onboarding
process, which should train employees as quickly as possible so there is minimal effect on
the company and its customers.

If the process also inspires and motivates new team members, giving them a sense that the
company is place where they want (not just need) to work, they will want to see it succeed
and to provide the best possible service to your customers.