Small Business Smarts: Tips to Onboard Your First Employee
Part of a series | Small Business Smarts
Effective onboarding is more than paperwork. It’s how you turn a new hire into a confident, connected member of your team. Recently, small business owner, Victoria Jordan, spoke with Laci Buzzelli, senior vice president and general manager for ADP Small Business Services. In the video conversation below, Buzzelli emphasizes how planning ahead and preparing systems to create meaningful first days sets the tone for long-term success.
As a small business owner, hiring your first employee can feel both exciting and daunting. A crucial component of this journey is creating an effective onboarding process.
Understanding new hire onboarding
Onboarding is not just about paperwork; it encompasses everything you do to help new hires feel connected, comfortable, and clear about their roles. This process begins even before the employee’s first day and extends through their initial months in the company.
Plan ahead for their first day
Your employees are your greatest asset. Begin by planning your onboarding process well in advance. Consider the health plans, retirement plans, and other benefits that will attract and retain talent. A strong onboarding experience sets the tone for a positive long-term relationship with your employees.
Pre-start new hire preparations
1. System setup: Before your new hire starts, ensure you have them set up in your system. Research and prepare all necessary forms for them to complete.
2. Welcome note: Sending a welcome note with important details before their first day—such as the start time, what to bring, and who they will meet on their first day—can make a significant impact.
3. Workspace setup: If applicable, set up their workspace with everything they will need to get started. Adding a small welcome gift or company swag can enhance the experience and make employees feel valued.
The new hire's first few days
The first few days should focus on orientation and connection. Here are some effective strategies:
Policy walkthrough: Review and discuss your company policies and culture. This helps new hires understand the expectations and values of your business.
Forms completion: Ensure they complete all necessary forms like direct deposit and tax documents.
Workplace tour and introductions: Give them a tour of the office and introduce them to the team. Building relationships early can foster a sense of belonging.
Success discussion: Discuss what success looks like in their role, aligning expectations from the start.
Benefits enrollment: If your company offers benefits, start the enrollment process early on.
Social engagement: Try to include something special in their first week, like a coffee break or a lunch outing. This fosters connection and makes onboarding more enjoyable.
Set them up for success
One common concern among new hires is feeling overwhelmed, often described as “drinking from a firehose.” Here’s how to mitigate this:
Clear workflows: Provide clear workflows and expectations. Allow time for new employees to digest the information without feeling overloaded.
Regular check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins—either weekly or bi-weekly—to provide ongoing support. Use these meetings to answer any questions, give feedback, and set short-term goals.
Training and development: Consider any necessary training or e-learning that new hires will need. Tailoring these sessions based on feedback can significantly enhance their onboarding experience.
Continuous improvement of the onboarding process
As new hires assimilate, make it a habit to gather feedback on their onboarding experience. Understanding what worked and what didn’t allows you to tweak your process, ensuring future employees enjoy a smoother ramp-up to their roles.
Conclusion
Onboarding is a vital process that extends beyond the first day. It is about being prepared prior to an employee's start date, planning thoughtful initial days, and maintaining consistent follow-ups. By investing in a structured onboarding process, you set the stage for new hires to thrive, ultimately contributing to the success of your business.
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About Victoria Jordan
Victoria Jordan is a seasoned entrepreneur and advocate for small business owners, dedicated to providing resources and insights that empower them to thrive in today’s competitive market.
Video transcript of “Small Business Smarts: Tips to Onboard Your First Employee”
Victoria Jordan: Onboarding is equal parts paperwork, training and welcome committee. I'm back with Laci Buzzelli from ADP for part three of our conversation about prepping to hire for the first time. In part one and two, we discussed how small business owners should set up to hire employees. The next step is to define an onboarding process. Hey, Laci.
Laci Buzzelli: Hey, Vicky.
Jordan: Let's talk about onboarding. How should very small businesses like mine create a process that works for them?
Buzzelli: Yes, that's a great question, Vicky. Think of onboarding as everything you do to help that new person feel connected, comfortable and clear on their role. And this starts even before day one and continues all the way through their first few months. The first thing I recommend is that you plan your onboarding in advance. Your employees are your greatest asset and the health plans, retirement plans, and other benefits that you offer are going to be the things that attract and retain them.
Jordan: Totally makes sense. What's next?
Buzzelli: Before they start, set them up in your system. Research the forms you'll need them to fill out and get all of their paperwork ready. It's also a really nice touch to send a welcome note with simple details like the start time, what to bring, and who they'll meet with on their first day. And if they're going to be coming into an office, set up their workspace with everything that they need to get started. And extra points if you have some swag or a welcome gift that you can have on their desk that first day.
Jordan: I love that. I still have some swag from some of my previous employers that they gave me on day one.
Buzzelli: That's right, it makes you feel special and thought of so I love that. In those first couple of days should really be focused on orientation and connection. Walk them through your policies, finish any forms like direct deposit and tax documents and give them a tour. Introduce them around and talk about what success will look like in their role. If you offer benefits, start the enrollment process and try to build in something special that first day or week, even if it's just a coffee or taking them out for lunch.
Jordan: I have a fear of my employees using phrases like drinking from a firehose when they start working with me. How do I make sure that I avoid that for them?
Buzzelli: The first thing is take them through clear workflows and the processes that you expect and give them a time to digest. So it doesn't overload them on that very first day or even a week. Next thing I would do is make sure that you have a regular check-in scheduled, whether it's weekly or bi-weekly. This will just allow you to answer any questions, give them any feedback, and align and set some short-term goals. It's also important to think through any necessary training or e-learnings that you're going to require of them. As that new hire assimilates, keep listening for their feedback. How's the onboarding experience been? By taking this feedback you'll be able to tweak your process and make the next new hires ramp even smoother.
Jordan: This actually feels doable. Thank you, Laci. Onboarding is really about being prepared before the start date, planning a thoughtful first couple of days, and consistent follow-upsFor more information on hiring and recruiting the right employees, go to ADP.com/Hiring101.
