How Technology Can Improve Your Employee Onboarding Process

As more organizations are recognizing the benefits of a solid employee onboarding program -- greater employee engagement and productivity, improved retention rates, and reduced turnover -- they are investing in enhancements to their internal process. One way companies can improve the onboarding process is by using technology. Here are five reasons why.

A more productive day one. The first day for so many new hires is spent with HR, filling out forms and completing paperwork. A more efficient way to spend day one is meeting team members, getting acquainted with the organization and learning about the role. By implementing a technology solution in the onboarding process, new hires can finish the administrative aspects of joining the company online before their start date, freeing up the first day for more productive activities.

Ensures consistency. Some managers may see the value of onboarding, while others may not be as convinced. This means that employees across the organization receive different, inconsistent onboarding experiences, depending on their department. By creating a structured online onboarding program, companies can control the accuracy of the materials and ensure all employees are receiving consistent information.

Greater flexibility. New hires will come to your company with varying levels of experience. For example, some people may be familiar with a software program or process the company uses, while it will be new to others. Putting everyone through the same onboarding is not an efficient use of time. Onboarding technology can allow new employees to spend as much or as little time on the areas as they need to, based on their individual knowledge and skill level.

Improved reporting. Using technology can make it easier to report on onboarding results. This can identify where changes need to be made in the program, helping the learning and development and management make decisions on areas for improvement. 

Better use of HR resources. Using technology for the onboarding process is not only better for new hires; it is also good for HR. Technology can automate some of the manual process such as assigning courses, sending reminders and following up to ensure completion, leaving them more time for tasks that offer greater value.

Set up your new hires for success from day one. Download the Employee Onboarding Handbook: Save New Hires today and update or create an effective employee onboarding program for your organization. As a bonus, you can also download a handy employee onboarding checklist.