As a department/unit leader, you play a vital role in guiding new employees through their journey at the university. It may be tempting to squeeze everything into a new employee’s first few days of work, but this can leave employees feeling overwhelmed.
The onboarding process begins from the time of initial hire through at least the first six months. Take time to break it down into bite-size chunks, and your new hires will be more likely to retain all the new information and perform their jobs successfully.
There’s no denying that onboarding takes time and effort. But if you follow this checklist and commit to it, you can enjoy a huge payoff as onboarding programs have been shown to increase retention by 25% and improve employee performance by up to 11%.
New hire onboarding roles and responsibilities
Onboarding employees is a team effort that requires employee collaboration across the organization. Some key roles that contribute to effective new hire onboarding include:
- Human resources (HR): You may have an HR representative to oversee the onboarding process. If so, they are likely the person to coordinate paperwork, facilitate orientation sessions, and relay information about benefits, compensation, and administrative details. They also act as a point of contact for new employees, addressing any initial queries and providing ongoing support. If your area does not have this person, these duties will fall upon you.
- Supervisors: Supervisors are directly responsible for guiding new employees in their roles. This involves assigning job-specific training, clarifying expectations, and setting performance goals. Supervisors also help new hires navigate their responsibilities, foster a positive working relationship, and ensure employees feel supported in their professional development.
- Mentors/buddies: Mentors (onboarding buddies) are seasoned employees assigned to support and guide new hires. They provide insights into company culture, offer advice on navigating workplace dynamics, and assist with day-to-day questions. Mentees can ask mentors questions new hires don’t necessarily feel comfortable asking their supervisor.
- Coworkers: Coworkers socialize new employees by introducing them to team dynamics and providing practical insights into daily work life. Supervisors may assign new hires to shadow coworkers to learn specific tasks and processes that the supervisor doesn’t have time to teach.
Each role brings unique perspectives and inputs, collectively ensuring that new employees receive the support and guidance needed for successful integration into the team.