Do you want your new employees to rave about their recruitment experience? Tell their friends that their new company is tech savvy, innovative and professional? Share their satisfaction with others in the industry? If so, you need to implement digital onboarding software.
Here at MyRecruitment+, we believe that the onboarding process can determine whether a new employee feels displaced in their new role, or feels a sense of belonging from their first day.
Just so we’re all on the same page, our definition of onboarding is the ‘chain of events that occur in between the verbal job offer, up until the conclusion of the candidate’s first day’. This includes:
- Employment contracts and documents, such as government forms and company-specific requirements.
- Training or introduction videos.
- Procurement and provisioning for the new hire
- Stakeholder’s preparation for the new hire
If the process is clunky, disorganised or inefficient, it can be an instant red-flag to candidates. It’s so important to impress new-hires right from the get go, as up to 20% of staff-turnover occurs in the first 45 days.
What is an employer brand?
Employer brand is a term that describes a company’s reputation or image among candidates in the job market. When building a positive employer brand, HR managers need to put on their marketing hats, and treat the company as a ‘product’, and job-seekers as the ‘customers’.
Top-quality candidates know their worth. They don’t just accept any employment opportunity presented to them. In order to attract, hire and retain these candidates, the company needs to appear desirable.
In this digital age where everyone is connected, the employer brand and the customer brand are becoming increasingly intertwined. If a candidate has a negative experience with a potential employer, it can easily be splashed across social media, or spread via word of mouth.
A strong employer brand is multifaceted; it is influenced by all areas of the candidate and employee experience. There is no ‘one easy way’ to achieve a flawless employer brand. However, employers can be strategic in building a strong employer brand, by providing employees with a positive experience from day one.
Modern onboarding software can stand out among the archaic processes of competitors, and blow-away new hires, causing them to promote their experience to other job-seekers. Now, let’s discuss the features of onboarding software that can help boost your employer brand.
#1: Onboarding Pack helps create a Better Candidate Experience
“We are delighted to inform you…” are the magic words that every candidate wants to hear. We can all agree that finding out that you’ve been successful in securing a new job is the best feeling.
Unfortunately, this excitement can be extremely short lived when the new hire begins the onboarding process. It hardly screams ‘cutting-edge, modern company’ when a new hire receives a pile of paperwork, or a discombobulating email with no clear instructions to follow. It really dampens the mood.
To keep up the post-job-offer momentum, HR managers need to adopt digital onboarding to prove to new hire’s that they made the right decision.
Digital Onboarding Features that will make your employees go WOW:
A singular online location makes everything so easy for a new hire. They are provided with a holistic digital ‘pack’ customised just for them, not emailed a folder of PDF documents.
Digital signing is the best thing since sliced bread. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to download, print, sign, scan and send off multiple documents. Who has time for that? It annoys new hires before they’ve even started. Digital signatures make the process of completing contracts and documents so easy. New hires won’t procrastinate the onboarding process, and HR managers won’t need to chase up missing signatures or delay the start date.
A clear flow of data allows the new employee to know exactly what is required of them, in a logical, easy-to follow order. Digital onboarding packs ensure every box has been ticked, form has been filled, and signatures have been approved, before the new hire can move onto the next document.
Mobile compatibility means that candidates can complete their forms as soon as they receive them. Whether they’re on the train, at the beach or out for lunch, new hires can complete the onboarding pack on the go. No need to wait to access a computer.
Branded designs make the onboarding pack visually appealing, accurately reflecting the company personality. It’s a small detail that adds to the overall professionalism of the pack.
After completing the digital onboarding pack, the new hire won’t be able to stop raving about their super seamless, speedy onboarding.
#2: Provide a Personal Touch with Onboarding Videos
Modern software has the capability to imbed training and induction videos into onboarding packs, to be watched by the new hire. Videos are the perfect way to provide a new hire with a taste of what to expect in their new role, and provide them with valuable information such as an introduction to the company, an overview of their role, company history and mission statement.
Reasons why new hires love Onboarding Videos:
Introduction to the key managers and team members gives a human face to the company. New hires will feel a part of the team straight away, alleviating first day nerves. It’s reassuring knowing that they will see familiar faces when they walk into the office.
A sneak-peak into company culture is one of the major benefits of onboarding videos. They can exemplify the value proposition and values in an authentic and compelling manner. This will make new employees feel excited to start in their new role, heightening their sense of belonging.
Engaging presentation format allows new-hires to absorb key information easily and leave them with an excellent impression of their new company. People would much rather watch a punchy, highly-informative short video, rather than sit through a dry monologue on their first day, when there’s already an overload of information to remember.
Compliance is vital for creating a safe and happy workplace. New hires will appreciate having an overview of workplace safety regulations and company policies prior to the start date. It’s one less thing to stress about on their first day!
High quality, unique onboarding videos have the potential to boost an employer brand to the next level. There are so many examples of onboarding videos that have gained media attention and even gone viral, boosting the employer brand immensely. Here are some examples if you’re curious.
#3: Digital Reminders Facilitate Candidate-Employer Communication
So… the onboarding pack has been completed and the videos have been watched. Is the onboarding process over? Absolutely not!
Candidate management is an aspect of onboarding that should never be overlooked. Internal communications are a major factor that affects an employer brand. New hires want an open and consistent flow to communications right up until their start date, or else they’ll feel neglected and let-down by their new managers.
Modern onboarding software has the capability to send automated triggers to members of the HR team or any other relevant stakeholders, reminding them to touch base with the new hire and prepare for their arrival.
How can digital communications help the employer brand?
Text messages for a personal relationship. Onboarding software provides users with the option to send updates regarding a new hire via text message or email. Traditionally, emails would be the obvious choice, however sending a text message can be powerful when setting the tone for a candidate-employer relationship. When we think of receiving a text, we imagine it being from a friend or family member – not an employer! Sending your new hire a quick, humble message rather than a rigid email sets the foundations for a down-to-earth employer brand.
Perfect timings will impress new hires. HR managers (and everyone for that matter) have a lot on their plates. When preparing for the arrival of a new hire, there are so many nitty gritty logistics that need to be considered. Humans can be unreliable and forgetful. If one little detail is forgotten, a new hire could turn up on their first day without a computer, a desk, or even a person ready to greet them! These little slip ups can leave a terrible impression on a new hire (causing them to share their discontent with others). Automated reminders minimise this risk, and help to keep everyone on track, ready for the arrival of a new hire.
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Flawless onboarding is the key to combat those alarming statistics of staff-turnover in the first 45-days. If you can impress new-hires with your modern and efficient onboarding processes, they’re going to become advocates for your company from day-one, rather than sceptics. Want to improve your onboarding processes heading into the new year? Get in touch now!
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