1. The Ultimate Onboarding Process
By Brigette M. Carrington
Onboarding, also known as organizational socialization, refers to the mechanism through
which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors to become
effective organizational members and insiders. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
The following steps will not guarantee success but it might increase your chances of a situation
where the employee and the company are a good fit and the beginning of a fruitful relationship
for all involved.
The Orientation Process
An employee’s orientation is not a single one-day event, but an ongoing process that should
continue at some level for several days, weeks and months. A well-planned and well-executed,
onboarding process can provide many benefits:
 Provide accurate information – An orientation process should ensure that the new
employee is receiving accurate and consistent information from the correct source as
opposed to learning about your organization through the “grapevine”, which may or may
not provide accurate information.
 Feeling welcomed and valued – Orientation provides less stress and anxiety of starting
a new job in a new company. A well-designed orientation process can decrease fears
and help the new employee feel that he or she is part of a supportive environment.
 Reduce turnover – A well developed and implemented process should reduce turnover
of new employees, due to how the process is carried out from the first day of his or her
arrival to your office.
 Positive employee relations –. Providing an understanding of how each job fits into the
overall organization structure and how the company works and is successful will increase
the new employee’s contribution and identification with your company.
 Productivity – When an individual has a clear understanding of how his or her job
contributes to the overall organization’s performance strategy, the employee can become
more productive sooner.
A successful orientation process will help a new employee to become a productive member. I
suggest the following recommended activities and tasks that should be initiated during each
phase of the employee orientation process.
Phase 1: Pre-arrival Activities
Companies are constantly recruiting and hiring new employees throughout the year, it would be
beneficial to send, along with the offer letter, the following information in advance of the start
date:

2.  I-9 form with instructions
 W-4 form for payroll withholding for federal and state taxes
 Benefit packets with enrollment forms
 Employee handbook w/ tear-out acknowledgement form
 Emergency notification form
 Direct Deposit Form
Ask the employee to review and complete the information prior to their arrival, and bring the
paperwork with them on their first day. This saves time during the first day, and provides the
employee with information to help them to be better prepared and informed in advance of their
start date. It also allows for the opportunity to ask questions before they start, which could be
particularly important if you are trying to process several new hires on the same start date.
Another gesture would be for the hiring manager (i.e. the employee’s supervisor) to give them a
call the week before the start date to welcome them to the team, ask if they have any questions
and make sure they know where and when to report on the first day. Many hiring managers
also pre-arrange a first day lunch which is another way of assisting new employees with their
new team and surroundings. This sets a welcoming and supportive tone.
In addition, make sure that everyone is ready to welcome the new employee and that the basics
have been covered in terms of setting up their work area with a working, networked phone,
computer, office supplies and other equipment as deemed necessary by the job demands.
Phase 2: First Day
The first day should be more than a flurry of papers to sign (and if you've properly followed the
Phase 1 guidelines it won't be). Plan to use the first day to discuss/review more relevant
information and productive interaction. Some employees may not have looked at the pre-arrival
paperwork before they arrive and you may have to be prepared to walk them through it, so keep
the day fairly flexible.
In addition to addressing the requisite first day forms and “compliance” items (I-9, W-4,
emergency contact, and employee handbook acknowledgement forms), the first day orientation
session should include:
 An introduction to the company. Who are the key executives?
 Benefits enrollments – discuss each program, its purpose and enrollment procedures
(include deadlines for enrollment).
 Key employment policies – emphasize specific policies in the handbook, including
business ethics and employee conduct, anti-harassment & sexual harassment policies,
employment at-will policy, pay practices and vacation/PTO policy. Encourage questions
and follow-up.

3.  Introduce key staff – take the time to introduce the individual to all of the members of the
department or job they will be working on. In addition, take them on a tour of the office
and introduce them to the department heads and/or functional managers, particularly
those that they may need to interact with on a regular basis.
 If they are assigned to a jobsite, make sure project leader makes the proper introductions.
Close each day (or orientation session) with the opportunity for the employee to reflect on his or
her understanding of the array of information provided and offer time to clarify issues or
concerns that may have emerged. Encourage them to contact HR with any questions that may
arise after they start or questions that they may not want to bring up in a group session.
Phase 3: First Week/Month
Use the first one to four weeks to tie up any loose ends with the new employee. Is all the new
hire paperwork complete? Has he/she enrolled in the applicable benefit plans? Follow up with
any incomplete information that needs to be received for each new hire and continue to
regularly give them an opportunity to ask questions.
Phase 4: First Three Months
Does your company have an introductory review period? Consider the first three months as an
introductory period for all new employees. It should be a time for employees to learn about their
job and work environment and for the company to assess the new hire’s skills and ability. Prior
to the end of the introductory period, an appropriate review should be conducted by the
employee’s supervisor with instructions to complete this in a timely manner (as failure to do so
could have legal implications if the employee’s performance is subsequently considered to be
unacceptable).
HR should follow-up with the supervisor to ensure that the review is completed and that the
employee meets the requirements of his/her position. Under extenuating circumstances, the
introductory period can be extended for an additional time frame, which should be clearly
documented. As stated in the introduction, following an orientation protocol does not guarantee
that the employee was the perfect hire, but going through these steps should serve as an “early
warning” system if it is determined that the employee does not have the requisite skills and
experience for the position.
All major orientation milestones should become a part of the employee’s personnel file. After
the introductory period, the employee will be subject to the company’s standard, level-
appropriate performance evaluation and salary review cycles.
A properly designed and executed onboarding process is a valuable tool in laying the
groundwork for a strong, productive, professional relationship between your company and a
more committed, engaged new hire. This greatly reduces the instances of employees feeling

4. like they've just been thrown into the job without any real consideration about how they should
fit in and contribute. Just by virtue of available resources, this is too often the case, but it can be
avoided and the rewarding results include a more stable, productive work force.
If you have any questions about onboarding or other HR-related challenges, please don't
hesitate to me at 301-520-9977.