4 Onboarding Touchpoints you can Improve

Congratulations! You have decided on the employee that will be the perfect fit for your business. But what next? It is now time to deliver an onboarding experience that will make them feel like your business is the perfect fit for them. Today we are going to talk about onboarding touchpoints. What are they and how you can improve some key touchpoints. These will vary business to business.

What is an onboarding touchpoint?

Similar to working on all of the touchpoints you make with your clients/customers, you should also take the time to map out your employee touchpoints. This is all of the points of communication you will have with them. Things such as the job offer, contracts, welcome messages, and information packs are all onboarding touchpoints. There are so many simple ways to improve these and make them more engaging. In turn, this will better showcase your company culture and lead to higher staff satisfaction.

We have outlined 4 key onboarding touchpoints and how you can improve them. Making simple changes today, can have a flow on effect with all employer/staff communication channels.

1. Job Offer

Without counting the interview process, the very first touchpoint in your onboarding process is when you make the offer. This is where you pass on the good news that they have been successful in the hiring process. Now, in my opinion, this can be the easiest touchpoint to make more engaging and exciting. Now a phone call to tell them is usually the first step, but from there you should be streamlining the communications for them to accept the offer and get ready for day one. You can do this through onboarding software (such as Simon). Make accepting the offer as simple as the touch of a button so you can get on with all the nitty gritty.

2. Before Day One Information

Feeling anxious before starting a new job is normal. By improving some of the ‘before day one’ onboarding touchpoints, you can help ease that anxiety. Do this by providing communication that is both engaging but also not overloading them. Some simple ways you can do this is by:

Let them know the details they would actually be thinking about. It is pretty well known that you will start learning about the role and policies on the first day. Because of this, most people are actually wondering about where to eat, what to wear, best public transport route and other details you get so used to when working somewhere. Let them know these details because you will have plenty of time to show them the ropes of their role.
Once you have shared this, you should then start organising for documents and contracts to be read and signed. Getting this ‘boring’ stuff out of the way before their first day will leave more room to make engaging and meaningful onboarding touchpoints on their first day.

Before day one is about finding that sweet spot of communication. Ease their anxiety, get the boring stuff out the way but don’t overload them with too much information.

3. Their First Day

Day one is probably the easiest onboarding touchpoint to improve. There are so many ideas to make a more memorable and welcoming day one. The only goal with their first day is really just making them feel welcomed into the business and to make them understand a bit more about their new workplace. Some ideas we recommend:

Inform the rest of the team/business about the new starter and encourage other to introduce themselves.
Leave a gift on their desk for when they first arrive.
Take them out for coffee/lunch to get to know them better.
Get Senior Management to come and introduce themselves.

4. Follow Ups

An onboarding process should never just be the first few days, weeks or even just the first month. We recommend putting a workflow in place with various onboarding touchpoints anywhere between 2 months and 2 years (depending on the role and progression). There is always so many things to learn, improve, provide feedback on. Having positive follow ups should always be part of your onboarding process.

Simon makes starting a career with you – and sticking with your business – memorable, engaging and intuitive. You can deliver personalised experiences and complete all the necessary forms, from offer to first day, without touching any paperwork.