Tips

Bridging the Gap with Onboarding

Madison Schacht

Manager of Talent Acquisition

May 20, 2022

Okay, so you’ve made a new hire … now the hard part’s over, right? Not quite. Although That’s Good HR works with our clients primarily on the hiring process, we know that the transition from new hire to company contributor is one that takes a lot of input and support. Having a well-planned onboarding process can help your new hire know they’ve made the right decision to join your company, so it’s important to get it right from day one. As you prepare to train your next new hire, we recommend establishing or reevaluating your onboarding process with these tips.

Planning your onboarding process

Having a plan is the most essential aspect of onboarding. Whether your new hire is joining the workforce for the first time, or has 20 years of experience, you don’t want to assume how much they will know about how your company operates. Ensure that they feel welcome by setting up the basics of their workspace, help them begin important HR processes like benefit enrollment and get them set up with payroll as soon as possible.

In their first weeks, provide your new hire with granular-level duties and detailed explanations, prioritizing self-sufficiency where you can. Let them know that no question is too basic to ask, especially with regards to setting up their phone, computer or other devices. Some people will have plenty of knowledge about how an office, their technology, etc. works, but others will not. Err on the side of offering more information than not enough.

Establishing a mentor

If you are frequently onboarding new hires, it may be beneficial to establish a formal orientation. Large companies often align hiring dates for new employees on a cycle that allows for group orientations either weekly, biweekly or monthly. The leader of this orientation is often a dedicated human resources team member, with their onboarding schedule allowing for additional training in each new hire’s specific department.

While this is a great method of efficiency for larger employers, smaller organizations can establish a similar protocol. Having a dedicated HR staff member to onboard new hires (even if that’s just one aspect of their job) will provide each person with a similar experience and ensure they learn about the company’s overall mission and culture, before getting into the weeds of their specific job. This HR member can be there to answer general questions for new employees, but ideally there will also be a mentor within each new hire’s department as well. It’s important to dedicate time to onboarding, with regular training and check-in’s for up to 12 weeks.

Onboarding with That’s Good HR

One of the best parts about working with the hiring specialists at That’s Good HR is that you can also incorporate our team into your onboarding process, especially with temp-to-hire positions. We can provide new employees with their payroll, benefits and health insurance, allowing you more time during the onboarding process to focus on teaching them about company culture and the details of their job. Temp-to-hire placements also offer a natural time to assess the situation for both parties, and with a successful onboarding process, new hires are much more likely to be satisfied with their position becoming permanent.

Some employers may be concerned about the cost of an elaborate onboarding process, but we urge you to consider the higher cost of an unsuccessful onboarding. From the start of the hiring process, companies should be transparent about their culture and what each job entails, and as supportive as possible once the hire has been made. For many new hires, if they feel they’ve been part of a “bait and switch” and there has been no loyalty built to the company yet, they will have no hesitation in leaving. At that point, you’ll have not only wasted your time and effort in their hiring and/or training, but you’ll have to do it all over again too.

If you’re looking to hire and onboard at your company, we’d be happy to help! Contact our staffing specialists today at 317-469-4141 to learn more about partnering with That’s Good HR.

HR Insights

The Art of Wooing Potential Hires in 2022

Tiffany Moore

VP, Client Partnerships

February 24, 2022

Are you an Indianapolis company looking to fill an open position? In this day and age, wooing potential hires is actually quite similar to dating … and you can think of That’s Good HR as the ultimate matchmaker! Let us help you better understand what it means to woo job seekers during your hiring process with these tips and tricks, and how you can utilize our strategic services to “set you up” with the best candidates in the Indy market.

What does wooing mean?

Let’s start first with what “wooing” actually means. A few definitions include “to seek the favor, affection, or love of,” “to seek to win,” “to court,” “to seek to persuade, as to do something.” As you can tell from these definitions, wooing potential hires during the interview process is not unlike early dating or courting, where each party is showing off their best qualities and determining whether it is worth taking on a long-term partnership.

There are a few other business-related “wooing” definitions as well. If you’ve ever completed the popular StrengthsFinder assessment from the Gallup firm, you might also recognize the word Woo as one of their 35 CliftonStrengths themes, which stands for “Winning Others Over.” This phrase might be the most accurate synonym to “wooing potential hires.” There is also a highly-recommended book called “The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas,” by G. Richard Shell and Mario Moussa which employers have used for more than a decade to both learn and teach the skills needed for relationship-based persuasion with their employees, colleagues and potential hires.

Making a good first impression

Your first step in winning over a potential hire is making a good impression. If we want to keep going with the dating analogy, probably one of the top ways that people meet these days is on dating apps, just like one of the top ways that people look for jobs is online. Just like a dating profile, your job description should be well-written, transparent and explain as much about the open position as is possible in written form. And if your potential hires are anything like an online dater, they are probably going to google you before applying to your open position or coming to an interview. This means that your online presence should be appealing, with up-to-date social media posts and a high-quality website.

Keeping interest during the wooing process

Once you’ve got some potential hires who are interested in your company, it’s time for the big date — er, interview. Obviously, you want to continue making a good impression during the hiring process, but you also want to keep the interest of your potential candidates. You can do this in a number of ways: by telling them about the perks of the job, sharing your passion for why you love what you do at the organization, and by demonstrating the environment they can expect by introducing them to current employees. Also keep in mind that the best candidates are likely to have a number of suitors, or employers, who are also wooing them. Take advantage of every opportunity to show why you want them to pursue employment at your organization.

Continue wooing after a hire is made

Once you’ve hired the best candidate for your position, the hard part is over, right? Not quite. Just like in a long-term relationship, you need to keep the spark alive and continue wooing your partner. It takes time and effort to retain your employees, and you can think of it like continuing to date — or woo — them. First, make sure that your orientation and onboarding are a positive “honeymoon” for your new hires to get to know your organization even better and get to know all of the internal jargon and procedures they will need to know for a successful partnership. Invest in your workplace culture, be flexible in scheduling, and keep offering new and desirable benefits to current employees when you are able. You can also celebrate important anniversaries as another way to show your appreciation and woo them into remaining in your work relationship.

If you are looking for more assistance with wooing potential hires at your Central Indiana workplace, contact That’s Good HR today at 317-469-4141. We’d love to help “set you up” with a candidate who will make an excellent fit at your organization.

Tips

Top 3 Things New Professionals Need to Know in 2022

Kirstia Cropper

Operations Manager

December 15, 2021

Are you a new professional entering the job market? It might seem intimidating right now in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but 2022 is expected to provide numerous new and exciting opportunities for first-time job-seekers and new professionals. With the unemployment rate lower than it’s been in decades, you’re more likely than ever to find gainful employment with a great Indianapolis business. And with the support of That’s Good HR in your job search, you’ll be starting your dream job in no time!

First-time job-seekers have an edge

The so-called “Great Resignation” caused by COVID-19 has created a higher rate of turnover and major labor shortages. That means that organizations are either having to offer high-quality hiring packages to experienced workers, or more likely, are choosing to hire new professionals without as much experience and then training them on the job. If you are willing to accept a slightly lower compensation than full-time experienced employees, first-time job seekers and freelancers have a great edge in the market.

New professionals may even be able to find positions beyond just entry-level, with the added benefit of on-the-job training. According to research from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, new hires over the last several months have overall had less education than their counterparts in previous years. Many new professionals did not have the ability or desire to obtain post-grad education, in part due to school shut-downs, so a number of employers are lowering job requirements and offering additional training once hired.

Wages are growing, especially for new professionals

With the current market, new professionals may be taking a marginally lower compensation than experienced employees, but wage growth overall is continuing to increase. Especially since inflation isn’t slowing down, these raising prices and wage growth will continue to feed each other. The wage growth will be particularly beneficial for new hires, as well as workers in manual service industries. And if you’re still in the early stages of your career, but not a brand new hire, there’s good news for you too. Continuing inflation means higher cost-of-living raises, as well as pay raises to compete with the salary of new hires — and at a much faster rate than over the past decade.

Job perks aren’t as important as company culture

As a new professional, it may be easy to get lured into a company with the promise of job perks like company happy hours, ping pong tables or free food. As you begin a career, work-life balance may not seem like as big of a deal. But a flexible work schedule now will lay the groundwork for better balance as you add to your personal responsibilities.

Seek out an organization with a positive company culture by asking important questions during your hiring process. Find out how your future employer addresses employee burnout, and whether their employees feel that their mental wellness is valued. Ask how the company is working to create an environment where their employees can feel seen and heard. Don’t let shiny new perks overshadow a toxic company culture.

When you’re ready to start your job search, we’d be proud to help place you in a great local job, in fields like HR, administrative, customer service, healthcare, and accounting. Check out our open jobs or submit your resume today so we can match your skills to applicable jobs with our employer partners.