The arrival of a new employee in a company is always a landmark event and a major HR challenge. It’s the start of a new professional relationship, full of promises and expectations.
However, this period of induction and integration, often referred to as “onboarding”, is sometimes neglected or poorly managed, with sometimes serious consequences for both the company and the employee.
In today’s world, where flexibility and mobility have become the norm, onboarding is more crucial than ever to retaining talent. According to a recent study, successful integration can significantly reduce employee turnover, with tangible benefits for the organization.
Why is integration into a company so important?
More than just an administrative formality or a ritual of passage, induction plays an essential role in building employee loyalty and reinforcing the corporate culture.
The positive impacts of successful integration are numerous:
- Reduced turnover A solid integration gives employees a sense of belonging to the company, reducing the risk of early resignation.
- Improved employee satisfaction: A properly integrated employee will feel more comfortable and satisfied in his or her new role, which will have a positive impact on productivity.
- Reinforcing corporate culture: By introducing new employees to the company’s values and mission from the outset, you strengthen cohesion and corporate identity.
- Optimizing learning opportunities: As the article “Onboarding new hires: recognizing mutual learning opportunities” shows, today’s new hires expect onboarding experiences to offer greater flexibility and learning opportunities.
Did you know that 4% of new hires leave their new position within the first day? A well-managed induction can significantly reduce this figure and ensure that new employees feel valued from the moment they arrive.
As such, onboarding is a strategic tool for any company wishing to attract, retain and develop its talent. In the remainder of this article, we’ll explore the key stages in a successful onboarding process, and provide practical tips for developing an effective onboarding plan.
What are the key stages in the integration process?
Integrating a new employee is a crucial process for every company. This often underestimated process has major implications for both the company and the new employee. Indeed, a successful induction marks the beginning of a solid and productive working relationship. Let’s take a look at the essential stages of this process.
Before the first day: Preparing to welcome the new employee
Long before the new employeearrives, the company needs to put in place a series of measures to ensure that his or her first day is a memorable one.
- Culture and work environment: It’s vital to introduce future team members to the company’s culture. This can be done by means of a document or welcome kit presenting the company’s mission, values and vision.
- Administrative necessities: The company needs to prepare everything connected with the employment contract, job description and other administrative items. This ensures that the new recruit feels expected and that everything is ready for his or her arrival.
The first day : Personally welcoming the new employee
The first day is often a source of apprehension for new employees. So it’s essential to offer them a warm welcome to establish a feeling of trust.
- First impressions: The effect of the first day is lasting. That’s why it’s important to organize the day well, get the new employee to sign his contract, introduce him to his colleagues and offer him a tour of the premises.
- Introducing key members: Introducing the newcomer to key members of theteam and department facilitates integration and gives an overview of the company’s internal structure.
The first week: Introducing the new recruit to his tasks and the team
This week is crucial to enable the new employee to settle in and understand his or her role within the company.
- Assigning a tutor: A tutor or mentor, ideally a volunteer team member, can help the new employer adapt more quickly to the new working environment.
- Training: Whether it’s a question of tool functionality or work methods, the new employee should receive appropriate training to ensure rapid efficiency.
The first months: Follow-up and integration into ongoing projects
Integration doesn’t end after the first week. The first few months are a time when the company needs to monitor the new employee’s development on a regular basis.
- Regular feedback: It’s essential to take the time to ask the new employee for his or her amazement report and impressions, and to provide feedback on performance.
- Project integration: For employees to feel truly part of the team, they need to be integrated into projects, which will give them a better understanding of the company’s culture and challenges.
Integration is an ongoing process. It’s not limited to the first day or the first week. Successful integration is measured over the long term, and is an investment for the company. It begins long before the employee arrives and continues for several months after he or she has taken up the job.
The importance of team building in the integration of a new employee
Team building is a strategy often adopted by companies to improve cohesion and collaboration within teams. But did you know that it can also play a crucial role in the integration of a new employee?
Why include team building in the integration process?
Facilitate discovery of the professional environment
Team building gives new employees the opportunity to discover their working environment in a fun and relaxed way.
This gives him a better understanding of the company’s culture, values and team dynamics.
Strengthening ties with colleagues
By taking part in team-building activities, new employees have the opportunity to interact with their colleagues. in an informal setting.
This encourages the creation of professional and personal bonds, facilitating integration into the team.
Quickly identify strengths and areas for improvement
Team building activities often highlight the skills and talents of individual team members. New employees can thus quickly identify their strengths and areas where they may need further support or training.
Some ideas for team-building activities for integration
The choice of activities is essential for team building, as the corporate culture is transmitted and built through these moments. Let’s take a look at a few common examples, but don’t hesitate to search for other team building ideas online.
Promote collaboration and teamwork:
- Raft-building workshop: Teams design and build a raft, then test it in real-life conditions.
- Riddle-solving games: teams must work together to solve a series of riddles within a given time.
Stimulating creativity and innovation:
- Art workshops: painting, sculpture, or creating collective works of art.
- Hackathon: Teams have 24 hours to come up with an innovative solution to a given problem.
Valuing diversity and inclusion:
- World cuisine workshop: participants prepare and share dishes from different cultures.
- Role-playing: Participants take on the role of a person from another culture or context to better understand their perspective.
Strengthening communication and trust:
- Improvisation workshops: participants are put into unexpected situations and asked to react spontaneously.
- Obstacle course duo: One participant is blindfolded and the other guides him/her by voice only.
Emphasize the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR):
- Volunteer day: teams help local associations with their projects.
- Tree planting: Teams plant trees to offset the company’s carbon footprint.
Focus on resilience and stress management:
- Yoga or meditation sessions: Participants learn techniques for managing stress.
- Time management workshops: teams learn how to better manage their time and priorities.
Promoting the integration of new employees:
- Treasure hunt: New employees must find clues scattered around the company premises to learn more about their colleagues and their working environment.
- Introductory games: Quick games that allow new employees to introduce themselves and share something unique about themselves.
By carefully selecting team building activities in line with your company’s values and objectives, you can not only strengthen team cohesion, but also effectively convey the desired corporate culture.
Team building is not just a tool for strengthening team cohesion. It’s also an effective way of facilitating the integration of a new employee, enabling them to quickly feel at ease and confident in their new role.
How do you draw up an effective integration plan?
The integration process, often referred to as “onboarding”, is more than just the arrival of a new employee. It’s a strategic process designed to ensure that each new recruit feels not only welcome, but also ready to contribute effectively to the company. Let’s find out how to create an effective integration plan.
Program Orientation: Why is it crucial to introduce the newcomer to the company’s history, culture and values?
From the very first phase of recruitment, it’s essential to convey to the candidate a deep and authentic knowledge of the company.
The Program Orientation is an initial step in familiarizing the new employee with the company. It’s a structured session where the newcomer learns about the company’s history, culture and values.
To create it, first define the key elements of your company that every employee needs to know. Include visual resources, interactive presentations and, if possible, testimonials from colleagues.
The Program Orientation has several key objectives:
- Knowing the company’s history: Knowing the company’s history helps new employees understand the key stages in its development, the challenges it has faced and the successes it has achieved.
- Cultural immersion: Every company has its own unique culture. Immersing new employees in this culture as soon as they arrive makes it easier for them to integrate into the teams and adopt the right working methods.
- Understanding values: A company’s values guide the decisions and actions of its employees. By sharing them with the newcomer, the company ensures that he or she will be able to embody them on a daily basis.
Written integration plan: How can a roadmap guide the new employee through the first steps?
The integration plan is an essential tool for structuring the induction and training of new employees.
It’s a roadmap detailing each stage of the integration process. To design it, first identify the key stages, from induction to training. Then detail each step: objectives, activities, contacts. Provide this plan to the newcomer on his or her first day.
Here’s why it’s good for you:
- Detailed roadmap: This approach outlines each stage of the integration process, ensuring a smooth transition for the new recruit.
- Clear objectives: The integration plan must clearly define the objectives to be achieved, the activities to be carried out and the key people to be met.
- Reference resource: New employees can refer to the plan at any time to make sure they’re on the right track and understand their responsibilities.
Leadership tools: Why are they necessary for new managers?
The integration of a new manager or executive presents specific challenges. These leaders not only need to understand their role, but also how to guide and inspire their teams.
Leadership tools are resources or methods to help leaders guide their teams. Examples include decision-making frameworks, leadership training and simulations. In the context of recruitment, examples include Behavioral Assessments or personality tests (e.g. the MBTI test developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, based on the theories of Carl Jung), 360-degree Assessments or the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)…
To use them, first identify the specific needs of your leaders, then select and adapt the appropriate tools.
Leadership tools are therefore essential for :
- Leadership framework: New leaders need to understand the company’s leadership framework in order to make decisions aligned with the company’s vision.
- Developing relationships: New leaders need to identify and meet key stakeholders to build strong relationships.
Meetings with key stakeholders: How can they facilitate the flow of information?
Meetings with stakeholders are essential for the newcomer. To organize them, identify who these stakeholders are, define the agenda and make sure the new employee is well prepared.
They enable :
- Establishing professional links: These meetings foster the creation of professional relationships, essential for collaboration and internal communication.
- Understanding expectations: The new employee can directly understand the needs and expectations of his or her colleagues and superiors, thus facilitating integration and job acceptance.
The onboarding process is much more than just a formality. It’s a strategic process which, when well executed, can significantly improve employee satisfaction, productivity and retention. Every step, from welcome to follow-up, is important and must be carefully planned and executed.
Conclusion
The integration of a new employee is a decisive stage in the life of a company. The induction process, from day one, must be meticulously prepared to ensure a smooth integration process.
As soon as a new employee arrives, it’s vital to provide all the necessary information, from the employment contract to the job description and welcome booklet. This will avoid any misunderstandings or feelings of abandonment.
The trial period, often dreaded, becomes a learning opportunity where the newcomer can express him/herself, notably through the astonishment report, to better understand his/her work environment.
Every detail, no matter how small, such as a simple tour of the different departments, a little attention on the desk or a chat with the future colleague, can make the new job more comfortable.
Upstream preparation, direct support and follow-up during the first few weeks are essential if the new recruit is to gain confidence and feel integrated into the company.
Ultimately, the success of a new employee’s integration depends on the company’s ability to prepare for his or her arrival, provide all the necessary resources, and ensure ongoing follow-up, thus maximizing the employee’s chances of success in his or her new position.
Sources :
Pratiwi, Putu & Ferdiana, Ridi & Hartanto, Rudy. (2018). An Analysis of the New Employee Onboarding Process in Startup. 603-608. 10.1109/ICITEED.2018.8534884.
Bauer, T.N., & Elder, E. (2006). Onboarding newcomers into organizations. Presentation at the Society for Human Resource Management AnnualConference, Washington, D.C.; Conger, J.A., & Fishel, B. (2007). Accelerating leadership performance at the top: Lessons from the Bank of America’sexecutive on-boarding process. Human Resource Management Review, 17, 442-454.
