What are the 5Cs of Onboarding for Small Business?
When you decide to take on a new employee, the process doesn’t end after you have selected the successful candidate from those interviewed; made the call to this individual informing them of the good news, or received their acceptance to the job offer and start date. Now it’s time to prepare for the appointment of your new recruit.
Before we discuss the 5Cs let's first consider the following:
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Have you prepared a workstation for the new starter which includes a desk, chair, PC or laptop, telephone device, stationery connection to the company server, and assigned an email address?
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Do you need to order a uniform, name badge, security access token and safety shoes?
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Have you notified the team manager when the new starter will be joining the team?
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Has a person been assigned to greet the new starter on their first day, conduct a tour of the workplace and facilities and introduction to the line manager?
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Is a parking space available?
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Has the Welcome Pack been prepared?
1. Clarity
• The Welcome pack should include – a Contract of Employment, Job Description, and new starter forms for their completion, along with any access or parking tokens if relevant, and a copy of the latest Employee Handbook.
• The Job description should be clear and provide details of the job role and what objectives they are expected to meet.
2. Compliance
• The new starter must complete all the necessary paperwork required to capture their details onto the payroll system which is linked to statutory processes.
• The Employee Handbook provides the new starter with some relevant procedures that they should know e.g. When to apply for annual leave and when their payday is.
• However, it may not provide all the details of company policies or relevant industry regulations that they should know as these details may form part of their job role. This could be done in video format through the company intranet, or a hard copy brochure or a Company Policies handbook.
3. Culture
• Wherever possible, provide details of the business ethos, values & practices to the new starter. A copy of the Company mission & vision statement is a useful tool if this is available.
• Alternatively, the business owner can meet with the new starter to provide some history of the business, competitors, why the business was established and what the current goals and targets for the business are.
4. Connection
• This is where teamwork & collaboration begins.
• It’s through daily work activities that the new starter begins to find their way and cement their place in the team.
• Everyone needs time to learn the procedures of their job role until they can work independently. Typically, it takes most new starters an average of 6 months for them to demonstrate their ability in the role and to feel at home in the team.
• People who have been in a job role for a long time, are inclined to forget the early stages of fitting in and coming to grips with the job. Impatience with a new starter can cause tension in the team and stress for the new starter. If this is not properly managed the new starter may leave resulting in the rest of the team picking up additional duties placing the entire team under pressure.
5. Check-ins
• Regular check-ins and performance reviews should be conducted monthly during the first 3 months.
• Performance Reviews and the relevant supporting documentation are critical if you have a probationary period requirement as part of your Employment Contract.
• Provide ongoing support, address concerns and adapt the process based on feedback.
Please feel free to forward any comments to helen@pplsolutions.co.za. Thank you for reading and I look forward to hearing from you.