What is onboarding?

Onboarding is a term from the human resources industry that refers to the process of incorporating a newly hired employee into an organization. Also known as organizational socialization, onboarding is an important part of helping employees understand their new position and job requirements. It is the process that helps them integrate seamlessly with the rest of the company.

The onboarding process involves a number of activities, from the job offer to team training.

How long does onboarding take?

Onboarding can last anywhere from a few weeks to a year, but the most effective onboarding usually lasts at least a few months. Ideally, employees will feel confident and competent when the onboarding process is complete.

While there are no hard and fast rules about how long it should take to onboard a new employee, it's important to be thorough with the process. In many companies, the onboarding process lasts just a month or a few weeks, leaving new employees at risk of feeling overwhelmed by their new responsibilities and having trouble connecting with the rest of the company.

Many HR professionals recommend that the onboarding process should last approximately 90 days, while some professionals recommend extending the process up to a year. This ensures that employees have the resources they need to get to know the company, absorb their training, and feel comfortable performing their jobs as expected.

» Read more:  How long does onboarding take? 10 ways to improve the employee experience

What are onboarding activities?

Onboarding involves several different processes; however, there is no official definition and there are still varying opinions on which processes fall under onboarding.

To name some common onboarding activities, onboarding can include the following:

• job offers
• Salary negotiation
• New appointment paperwork
• Policy and Culture Training
• job training
• Employee Handbook Training
• Benefits Paperwork
• Benefits of education
• Facility tour
• Executive Introduction
• Team Introduction

What is the onboarding process for new employees?

One thing HR professionals generally agree on is that onboarding begins the moment a candidate accepts a job offer and ends when a new employee is fully integrated and performing as expected. Whether or not an organization provides all of the onboarding elements on the list, providing all new employees with a thorough, efficient, and consistent introduction to their new organization is a wise investment.

In a survey of US employees, we found that the quality of onboarding experienced by new employees dramatically impacts engagement, performance, and longevity, among other factors. The best onboarding processes will involve relational onboarding, which includes:

• Setting Expectations
• building relationships with other employees
• Building confidence and trust
• Creating clear definitions of roles and boundaries

Starting a new job can be very daunting, and onboarding is most effective when it is spread out over time. This helps employees retain information better by giving them time to understand everything and ask questions if needed.