We have all been in onboarding sessions that were lengthy beyond reason and monotonous. To make it worse, at the end of the session it leaves you feeling that you haven’t learned anything worthwhile. In this article, we will discuss why it is important to have an engaging onboarding session and 5 strategic ways in which we can make that happen.
First, let’s talk about
Why is an engaging onboarding system important?
Employee training and onboarding is important for talent strategy.
But, What is ‘Talent Strategy’?
Talent management is a human resources strategy that refers to how a company acquires and manages employees or talent. It specifically focuses on improving certain HR processes with the end goal of improving the employee experience and increasing the value of a business.
Now we will talk about the 5 things you should do for an engaging onboarding experience:
1. Match high performers with new employees
The best way to onboard a new employee is simply to have them work with the department supervisor or high-performing employee side-by-side for a few days.
The supervisor can help them get situated, walk them through common tasks and projects, and show the new staff member how someone experienced does their job. This personal approach lets the new worker ask questions at their own pace and see the steps in action.
The supervisor can help them get situated, walk them through common tasks and projects, and show the new staff member how someone experienced does their job. This personal approach lets the new worker ask questions at their own pace and see the steps in action.
People are much less likely to ask clarification questions when they are in a large group, so the new staff members will likely start getting lost but will be too embarrassed to ask for help. Therefore, a company’s focus should be on mentorship for effective results.
2. Take training outside the office
Make your training memorable. Plan the free-time activities as carefully as the training sessions. That’s how you’ll get not just to instill knowledge into participant’s minds, but also caring and gratitude into their attitude towards the company.
When they return to their daily tasks, even when they don’t remember or don’t know how to do something, they’ll be motivated to invest the effort to find the answers by themselves and do the best job they can.
3. Understand that people learn differently
Each generation has a preference, whether it be hands-on, online, or self-directed on both topic and timing. When providing skills training that is applicable to all employees such as communication, change management or conflict resolution, offering the training at various times over multiple sessions can be very effective.
When employees aren’t forced into a schedule that can create conflict with other responsibilities, they are better able to focus. You may also offer training after-hours, happy-hour style, to pull in more employees and offer a casual approach – great for those that are nervous about attending any training.
When employees feel they have a choice over the training they receive, they are more likely to participate. Sending surveys with topics for upcoming training can be very effective. Identify the most popular ones and work them into a training schedule. This is also a good way to better understand what the employees feel is needed for training, rather than making arbitrary decisions.
4. Use stories to motivate them and show the value
Too often training is about providing content for people to use in their jobs but without the stories and examples, people can use to relate it to their jobs.
If you can relate the stories to actual situations and problems the people see in their daily jobs, it will help them to better understand and use the training tools.
No one will give you money or agree to work for you if you’re bad at storytelling. Every pitch — whether it’s to a VC or a sales prospect — is a story, and the best ones have compelling narrative arcs that connect listeners to a higher purpose
Faul, COO, Athos
5. Hire professionals to train new employees
Even though it can be expensive, it is important to and totally worth it to hire professionals to train the new employees.
Professional individuals can explain the software or teach them the product at hand way better than any other employee. Therefore, as a company keeps aside a certain amount as onboarding investment.
Professional individuals can explain the software or teach them the product at hand way better than any other employee. Therefore, as a company keeps aside a certain amount as onboarding investment.
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