16 Ideas to Help Your New Starter Settle In
19 Nov, 2024
How to Optimise the Onboarding Process
19 Nov, 20241-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- What an onboarding process is.
- Why an onboarding process is important.
- How to optimise the onboarding process.
- Discover more about accountancy and finance recruitment services.
A fine tuned onboarding process is essential for the smooth integration of new employees into an existing team. If your accountancy practice or finance team is busy recruiting and you’re looking for ways to create an efficient onboarding process, we’re here to help.
What is an onboarding process?
An onboarding process is a structured approach within a business, designed to ensure new employees are successfully welcomed and integrated into an existing team.
The onboarding process should help new starters adjust to their role within a new work environment and showcase the company culture of your accountancy practice or finance team.
Onboarding typically involves completing tasks related to IT set up, paperwork, job specific training and the opportunity for social integration within a team.
Effective onboarding should enhance employee engagement and reduce employee turnover. If a new starter doesn’t feel welcome within their new workplace, or the onboarding process has been difficult, they may be discouraged from remaining in your company.
Why is an onboarding process important?
Creating a smooth onboarding process not only encourages new employees to remain within your accountancy practice or finance team, it helps them have everything they need ready to start their new role on the right foot.
Providing clear guidance and any necessary training throughout the onboarding process can aid a new starter's productivity from day one. If they are equipped with the tools and knowledge they need from the outset then a new employee is able to get on with contributing to a team's overall success, which in turn can help to increase their job satisfaction.
A smooth onboarding process also increases a new starters chance of being able to successfully showcase their skills effectively. If a company’s onboarding process is lacking and there is not adequate support for new employees, this could result in them having to waste time sorting things out that should already be in place for them.
How to optimise the onboarding process
There are a number of ways to optimise your onboarding process, including:
- Complete pre-onboarding.
- Clarify company policies.
- Build connections.
- Set goals for new starters.
- Check in regularly.
- Go over the finer details.
Complete pre-onboarding
There’s nothing worse (and more unprofessional) than having absolutely nothing set up for your new starter upon their arrival. Not only will this make your accountancy practice or finance team look disorganised, it could create an awkward situation for your new starter in which they begin to feel like a burden on your time.
Getting ahead and having what you can prepared for your new starter ahead of their arrival, is the best way to deliver a smooth onboarding process.
To avoid feeling stressed when they walk through the door, we advise having their email account, contract, logins for work platforms and desk space set up and ready to go.
It might be wise to create a new starter checklist that your company can refer to each time you have a new hire and assign tasks to the relevant employees responsible. This way you can ensure no steps have been missed and that they have everything they need ready in advance of their first day.
Clarify company policies
We advise setting some time aside during your new starters first morning to run through any essential company policies with them. Joining a new company often leads to a number of questions surrounding things like annual leave, sick days and flexibility for new starters, so assigning some time to go through these things with them could help to answer some of their queries.
Alongside company policies, you might want to provide your new employee with a company handbook to refer to should anything be left unanswered. Your handbook could include the names and job titles of your team, important HR policies and a copy of your new starters contract.
Build connections
For a new starter to feel welcomed into a new team, it’s vitally important you help them build connections with their new colleagues. As part of your onboarding process, we advise taking your new starter around each department within the business to meet new team members face to face.
If your company is too big to visit each team, or you are situated across multiple offices, it is a good idea to send an email around to let your existing employees know that your team has grown. Introduce your new starter by their name, job title and an overview of their responsibilities so that your existing employees get a full insight into who they are.
Team building activities are also a great way to help new starters create relationships with their colleagues. If you don’t have the budget for an activity or day out, you could invite your employees out for a team meal during their lunch hour.
Set goals for new starters
Giving your new starter goals to hit before their probation period ends is an effective way to integrate them into the success of your team.
Affording them the opportunity to showcase their skills and contribute to the company’s achievements is essential for their job satisfaction.
During your onboarding process, we advise clearly defining 3 or 4 goals for your new starter to work towards during their probation period. Not only will this give them something to work towards, it will provide you with solid evidence of their abilities.
For example, if you run an accountancy practice, your new Accountant might be tasked with preparing budget forecasts or auditing financial transactions.
Check in regularly
Checking in with your new starter on a regular basis not only optimises your onboarding process, it shows them that you care about them as an employee.
Prioritising employee wellbeing is of utmost importance for many employers, especially within a sector such as accountancy and finance which can be stressful at times.
Regular check-ins with your new starter will give them the opportunity to ask any questions they have and will give you a clearer idea of how they are getting on during the first few days in their new role. Check-ins will highlight if any additional support is required for your new starter.
Go over the finer details
Whilst introducing your new starter to your company policies is important, it’s also advised to go over the smaller details with them too. Showing them things which might seem simple to someone who has worked at your company for a long time, can really make a difference to how easily they settle in.
For example, show them how to work your coffee machine or where the tea bags are kept. Even the small things like this can make a huge difference to how welcome they feel within your team and are important for an optimised onboarding process.
Accountancy recruitment services
As specialist accountancy recruiters, we support practices nationwide with their permanent recruitment needs.
Whether you’re searching for a tax, audit or payroll specialist, we will help you to find whoever you need to make your practice thrive.
If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with Management Consultant Lauren Bailey on 01772 954200 to see how we can help?
Accountancy jobs
If you’re searching for your next accountancy job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.
Meet Lauren Bailey
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re a vibrant and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West.
We continually reimagine the recruitment process to challenge convention and defy expectations; from creating a better recruitment experience to remodelling employee engagement, we thrive off doing things differently and turning heads along the way.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
