The average cost of a single employee turnover is usually much higher than many businesses can handle, especially smaller ones. Proper onboarding processes have been shown to aid with new employee satisfaction and in reducing employee turnover. Employees who are hired by small businesses are typically expecting a personalized onboarding process, which they know they would not get at bigger corporations. All of these are reasons to take onboarding seriously and make it a good experience for everyone involved. Here are tips to ensure a smooth onboarding process for SMEs.

Prepare Ahead of Time

Start by giving your new employee a brief of what will be expected of them on the first day. Prepare and send over all the paperwork they will need to fill out before their first day, as well as everything else they will need for the first week.

You should also avail things they will need such as:

• A copy of the employee handbook
• Their access codes
• Building directions
• Manager information

Brief Them on Legal Expectations

If your business is in any way regulated by the government, you need to ensure the employee understands how to stay compliant with the legalities, regulations, and rules that govern your business and industry. If not, the business might be fined heavily if one of your employees contravenes the set rules.

If you can, also provide training the first week they are there, and regular training for the first few months to ensure they understand everything that is expected of them.

Introduce Them To The Team and Leadership as Soon as Possible

To help new employees integrate early and easily, it is important to introduce them to key leaders, team members, and leadership as early as possible. Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere from the first day helps break the ice while also bringing all employees together.

You can also use their new colleagues to welcome them to the department and to show them around. Once this is done, you can introduce them to other people they will be interacting with from other teams and departments. This is especially important in an age where most teams and departments are collaborating and cross-functional.

Doing all the above can also help with employee training while expediting the new hire’s learning curve.

Inform New Hires of The Company’s Vision and Culture

Clearly expressing the company’s culture and vision lets new employees know how the company works, how it meets its goals, and archives its results. By doing so, you help align the new employee with the company’s vision, values, and culture, so they are able to contribute positively to the business.

Set Up A Practice Run

Once you have completed the initial training and introduction, it is time to let your employee handle some of their expected tasks. It is important to not penalize them for their first mistakes but to instead use other employees to show them what they did wrong and what to do next time.

You can then go back and see what areas they struggled with and where they will need additional training.

Building a successful onboarding process for your business might be challenging at first, especially for a small company. However, as you continue hiring and onboarding new hires, you should have a process in place that helps things go smoothly