#onboarding program

What can be done to fit a new hire into the organization is a question with many answers. Many prominent human resource professionals believe that employees doing different jobs require different employee onboarding programs to assimilate them into the organization’s culture and work environment. Here, an employee onboarding program is nothing but a mechanism of recruiting, orienting, training and mentoring the new employees while providing them with the tools and resources they might be needing to become a profitable asset for the organization. While methods used for implementing the same onboarding strategy may vary, there are certain principles that remain intact for every onboarding program.

Apart from these universal principles, employee onboarding processes are becoming highly dependent on onboarding solutions like software and tools which ultimately make the process hassle-free for HR managers. To understand how employee onboarding principles are necessary to design an effective program, keep on reading.

Process

The process is the central element of every employee onboarding program and should be conducted for a continuous as well as prolonged time period. The process should include pre-boarding, orientation, and training and mentoring for an adequate period of time, so it gradually results in the progress of the new hire.

Structure

The main motive of an employee onboarding program is to provide the new hires with knowledge and assistance they need to build a relationship with the company. Thus, in the initial days, the HR manager should structure the program in a way that also includes the onboarding curriculum, specific goals, and timelines to meet those goals.  

Roles and Responsibilities

No onboarding program can be implemented by the HR manager alone, thus, it is important to identify the roles and responsibilities of the team managers, leaders, and members in the program. They should be assigned the job of training, mentoring, and assessing the progress of the new hire throughout the onboarding period.  

Balance

Balance must be maintained between the onboarding program and the actual productive job for which the new hire has been recruited. While they can complete the paperwork, go through the self-study material, and take the eLearning programs whenever they can, a successful onboarding program will be one where they will be assigned tasks to assess the growth of their performance.

Networking

Social interaction and networking are other important elements of every employee onboarding program. This principle states that the new hire should be provided with a buddy mentor who can answer all their questions about what they need to do, to whom they are accountable, and who they can approach about more specific questions.

Different Methods

New hires find varied methods of implementing employee onboarding strategy interesting. So, tactics like video conferences, face-to-face meetings, team lunches, e-learning and self-study materials or checklists to complete, can be used to execute the programs and promote employee engagement.

You hired a new person in your team and you are pretty excited about the benefits that they will bring to your business or company. But what happens post recruitment? Have you made your decision in between orientation and onboarding? Are you aware of the difference between onboarding and orientation? If not then this would be quite beneficial for you.

There has been endless confusion about the exact difference between onboarding and orientation. Many times, even the expert persons cannot understand the minute difference between the two terms. This is for the fact that both the terms are seen in quite a similar manner. But for being sure of getting the efficient working from your employees and also for reaching new heights of success for your business, you should have the clear understanding of the difference between onboarding and orientation.

Let us have a look at both the terms and their exact meaning and influence on the working of the company and business.

What is orientation?

To begin with orientation, it is a one-time process with which the employees are introduced in the company. Orientation helps in making the new employees get familiar with the culture, values, and mission of the company so that the employee can work in the best possible manner to fulfill the mentioned mission and vision of the company.

To be more accurate with the difference between onboarding and orientation, the process of orientation is done on the first day when the employee joins the company. Orientation lasts for just a few hours or to a maximum time of 1-day.

What is onboarding?

Coming to the second crucial term of onboarding to understand the difference between onboarding and orientation, it is a process that is an ongoing process for as long as the employee is working in the company. During this process, the employees are given the detailed introduction about their department as well as also for their roles and responsibilities in the company.

This process helps the employees to be exactly sure of their concerning work in the company along with being clear with their designated performance. This can be achieved with the regular meetings as well as with the direct communication between the employee and employer on a timely basis.

You should definitely attend this event that makes you understand the difference between onboarding and orientation in the simplest manner possible. The event would really be beneficial for the people working in or as HR professionals.

What's the difference between orientation and onboarding ? -