Onboarding is now a crucial step in a company’s successful expansion and is directly related to HR, management, and employee relations procedures. Numerous advantages result from good onboarding, including higher motivation, greater employee satisfaction, efficient workflow due to better learning, and open communication between the team and management. The end consequence is improved business performance.
Significant financial and human resources must also be invested in the onboarding process.
Because of this, many sectors are already using an effective workflow platform to automate the onboarding process.
Here are 7 ways to automate the employee onboarding process:
- Standardize the employee onboarding process
Establishing a standard workflow for employee onboarding is crucial for consistency and efficiency. By utilizing automation tools, HR can follow a pre-established process for every new hire while customizing it to fit the unique needs of each employee’s role, department, or location.
Tailoring the workflow ensures that new hires receive the necessary training and support to become productive members of the organization. In addition, with a standardized workflow, the onboarding process can be streamlined, allowing for a better experience for both the new hire and HR.
- Automating document sending and signing for increased efficiency
Managing new hire paperwork can be a tedious and time-consuming task that can divert attention from company culture and people. To address this issue, HR departments can implement HR software or eSignature services to streamline the process, decrease errors, and ensure compliance. These tools can automatically deliver all required documents to the new employee, including forms like W-4s, I-9s, state tax forms, non-disclosure agreements, and direct deposit forms. The software can also monitor the status of each document and share relevant data across departments.
- Use widgets to send scheduled info
New hires must be provided with a comprehensive understanding of the onboarding process, first-day reporting requirements, company policies, and the completion of the relevant paperwork.
To ensure a well-organized and efficient onboarding experience, companies can integrate widgets and reminders into their HRIS to schedule automated messages. This includes sending welcome emails and feedback surveys to new hires through pre-written message templates, which saves time and conveys a professional and well-structured employer image.
- Set up tasks
By implementing a workflow platform related to HR activities, companies can standardize their onboarding process by assigning tasks and deadlines to relevant individuals and departments such as HR, IT, and Finance. This streamlined workflow enhances efficiency and reduces errors by seamlessly connecting the various stakeholders involved in the onboarding process. Additionally, automated reminders and pre-written templates can alert team members of completed tasks and upcoming deadlines.
- Communication channels
Internal communication channels can be integrated with automation software to ensure consistency and openness in communication among new hires, HR professionals, and other stakeholders involved in the onboarding process. This integration enables seamless tracking and coordination of the onboarding process, enhancing transparency and accountability. This approach can streamline communication, facilitating better collaboration, faster decision-making, and an overall smoother onboarding experience.
- Continuous feedback implementation and performance analysis
Companies can improve their onboarding process by analyzing key metrics such as time to productivity, employee performance, and feedback from new-hire surveys. These KPIs help identify potential shortcomings and ensure sufficient training and orientation. Additionally, celebrating new employee milestones through automated emails and feedback surveys can increase engagement and a sense of value within the company. Integration of automation tools can streamline this process for improved monitoring and enhancement of the onboarding experience.
- Implementation of automated employee benefits enrollment
Manual employee benefits enrollment can complicate budgeting and forecasting, as it is challenging to predict how many employees will choose specific benefits. However, implementing an automated benefits platform provides on-demand reports, offering insight into historical data that simplifies budgeting and forecasting. The automation process also allows employees to self-enroll, freeing up HR’s time and resources that would otherwise be spent on enrolling them.
Conclusion:
Adopting an automated employee onboarding process can significantly benefit your organization. It saves time, boosts engagement, highlights your company culture, and prioritizes employee well-being. In addition, incorporating HR platforms and communication channels can streamline the onboarding process, resulting in improved efficiency and reduced costs. Finally, investing in your new hires throughout the onboarding process and beyond can enhance employee retention and productivity.
