Being an HR manager, you have to handle multiple tasks at work responsibly. One of which is the onboarding process for the new employees in the organization. The duration and the activities that are part of the onboarding process vary from organization to organization. In some organizations it might take only a day or two, in a large setup it may take up to a few weeks. The process begins as soon as the recruit accepts the offer letter and goes on until the employee has become comfortable with their new team and workplace.
For an HR manager, onboarding a recruit is more than simply some paperwork. The orientation, training, information exchange, performance feedback, and much more are part of the process. A well-defined process allows for a smooth and simple transition for the new entrant. It is also a beneficial tool to clearly outline the benchmark work output against the defined KPIs and goals for the recruit. So, if your organization has a well-defined plan for the new recruits, it can simplify everyone’s life and improve your team’s productivity.
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For startups and small organizations
Often, start-ups do not press on putting a clear structure in place to help the new recruits ease into their job. As a result, several new employees do not feel comfortable for a while after when they start working. Is that beneficial for the company? Absolutely not. For most joinees the first impression seems to be lasting and directly impacts their efforts in delivering their work. They need sufficient time to cope with office dynamics and processes in your organization. Introducing the employee to their new team and colleagues is only the beginning. Besides paperwork, you must share documents and guidelines introducing the following as part of the introductory kit –
- Company profile, history and future vision
- Employee policies and practices
- Data and non-disclosure regulations
- Protocols on emails, in person meeting, virtual meets
- Workspace culture and practices
- Key responsibilities and result areas
- Possibilities to grow internally
- Training and learning opportunities
The onboarding process for MNCs
Multinational corporations have a systematic plan for onboarding recruits. As a progressive startup and a growing organisation, you can take cues from their four-step procedure for the process–
- Pre-onboarding: As soon as the new recruit responds with an affirmative on the offer letter, successive processes should kick into action to send a welcome email congratulating them to join the family. In this phase all necessary paperwork and documents get exchanged, cementing their employment in your organisation.
- Employee introduction: The second phase kicks in when the employee begins his stint at your organisation. The reporting manager must make sure to introduce them to the team and make them comfortable with the space. As an HR SPOC you must discuss office regulations and protocols, introduce the culture, explain employee benefits, and other essential details. You should also clarify any questions that they might have.
- Job-role training: Training of new hires is vital to prepare them for the actual job. The learning phase includes everything from software training to knowledge transfer of the project. Providing learning material helps the employee blend with the job role faster and become a productive member of the team.
- Productivity transition: Setting up short-term goals per week, fortnight, month and quarter helps employees ease into their profile. The gradual learning curve allows them enough time to grasp any new concepts and improves outputs.
Why does the process matter?
An efficient employee onboarding process is significant for all organisations to help the recruits get adjusted to their new workplace. When a recruit joins, they have multiple questions regarding office culture, project operations and employee benefits. They can settle down and clarify the doubts they have in mind. Everything matters, from defining the leave structure to sharing details and documents of the insurance benefits offered to them.
A recruit expects a detailed information exchange session where they can get the answer to their queries. For instance, most companies offer a group health policyThe legal document issued to the policyholder that outlines the conditions and terms of the insurance; also called the ‘policy to employees. The recruit needs to be asked to register themselves and their family members into the policyThe legal document issued to the policyholder that outlines the conditions and terms of the insurance; also called the ‘policy. The insurance introduction kit, provided by your insurance service provider can be shared with the employee. The kit usually contains relevant documents explaining the coverage and exclusionsSpecific conditions listed in an insurance or medical care policy that is not covered by benefit payments. Common exclusions include under the policyThe legal document issued to the policyholder that outlines the conditions and terms of the insurance; also called the ‘policy along with videos explaining the claim process. The kit will also include emergency contact details of the insurance service provider that the employee can reach out to at their time of need.
From the employee’s perspective
A new employee is excited to find out details on benefits he has been offered as part of his remuneration package. Increasingly many employees are looking at the benefits offered by you before they make a decision to accept your offer. A group health plan is one of the most essential offerings recruits are looking for nowadays. Group healthcare plans cover hospitalization expenses for any treatment undergone by the employee and/or their dependent family members. With rising healthcare costs, many employees heavily rely on such offerings to mitigate any unforeseen expenses.
At the time of onboarding, you can set up for the new recruit with your insurance service report. Recruits can get clarity on any of the questions they have related to the coverage available to them. You can empower employees’ choice to join your company by making it lucrative for them to join.
Understand the role of PlanCover
We specialize in providing a guided experience to organizations in buying group health insurance plans. In our decade-long existence, we have had the opportunity to service over 2000 small, medium and large enterprises and are proud to have aided in the proper treatment of over 300,000 members.
As an HR leaders, we understand that your employees turn to you when they need assistance related to their insurance cover. We have developed an in-house online portal to provide end-to-end policyThe legal document issued to the policyholder that outlines the conditions and terms of the insurance; also called the ‘policy management for you and your employees. The employees will be able to access all their policy-related documents and apply for claims through the portal. The portal can be accessed across all devices. You can find a trustworthy partner in us while we take away the burden of you having to coordinate between your service provider and the employee.
We are a licensed broker under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority in India (IRDAI). As brokers, we work with all insurance companies in India and find ourselves at a position to negotiate for competitive prices for you. Our team of experts will help you craft a tailor-made insurance plan that will ensure coverage for lines of treatment your employees and their family members are vulnerable to.
Make it easy for the new members.
The ultimate aim of having a systematic onboarding process for new recruits is to ease their transition into your organization. For them joining a new organization is like turning a new leaf in their life. It is only fair that we make it an experience that provides enough time, information, support, and cushioning for them to thrive.
Many MNCs are now using technology tools like chatbots to reduce the load of onboarding. These chatbots provide the answers to the most common questions the recruits ask. They resolve their doubts right from the pre-onboarding phase and help them prepare for the first day. It also diminishes the overall workload of the HR executive as they focus on other tasks while the chatbot manages the queries initially.
Follow a systematic pattern.
Follow a systematic onboarding process by incorporating the 4-step model that most progressive companies and start-ups rely on. For any issues with the corporate insurance offerings or information, reach out to PlanCover to get proper assistance from the insurance experts.