From Internal Communication, we can plan the strategic onboarding process as a new way of welcoming and building loyalty to the person who joins our organization from the very first day.
Expectations, motivation, nerves, anxiety. Many emotions come into play for those who start a new job.
The first day
We all remember it. Especially how it made us feel. But the pandemic, and the possibility of that first day not being face-to-face, introduced changes that the most innovative companies were already establishing.
Today, there are several challenges in the people area. One is that talented people are attracted to work for our organization; secondly, this person must want and decide to stay and grow with us.
Because of this, the induction process, as it used to be called, has changed. Gone are the days of sending the code of ethics or the process manual. Today, it is expected that the person who enters the company has an authentic experience that introduces them to the organizational culture.
Experience design
As with any project or action, Internal Communication must plan how this process will be so that expectations and reality become a single thread. The person joining the team can know the expectations set for him/her and begin to live the organization’s culture, and the anticipation generated can find its correlation.
Some premises to keep in mind:
- Inform concisely and clearly the purpose and history of the company.
- Provide information about the area where the person will be joining, its objectives, and recent achievements.
- Provide a warm welcome message, encouraging their incorporation, which may be from the CEO or the Area Manager.
Building loyalty from day 1
Everything we plan must be in line with the company’s culture. If it is a traditional company, we would rarely give the new member welcome props to take a picture and post it on their social networks.
On the contrary, technology companies that are very active in social media usually deliver a welcome kit that includes everything from bookshelves, mugs, and posters to cell phone and laptop sets, all with the brand’s designs.
By doing this, they motivate the new collaborator to take a selfie, share a message of gratitude, and give the company a bow.
Training
New employees undergo training in certain companies and jobs to learn about processes and how certain areas work.
Internal Communication should provide coherent information about this training and set clear expectations for the person at the end.
This information should be delivered within stages according to the duration of the training process.
Smoothing the way
The onboarding process has a dual purpose:
- That the person who joins the company lives the organizational culture from day one and is motivated in their actions
- That the company builds, also in this space, the employer brand
This period becomes a fertile ground to generate engagement with new employees to become true brand/company/organization ambassadors.
The employer brand gets built with what CEOs and area managers have to say in the networks but also with the employees’ experiences, even the most junior ones.
Undoubtedly, the first experiences of new employees in the organization will guide their adaptation and, subsequently, their performance.
Do you have questions?
your internal and institutional communication.
