How can you balance speed and thoroughness during onboarding?

1 Assess your needs

Before you design or update your onboarding program, you need to assess your specific needs and objectives. What are the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviors that your new hires need to succeed in their roles and fit in your culture? How can you measure their progress and performance? How can you tailor your onboarding to different types of learners, roles, and locations? By answering these questions, you can identify the gaps and priorities in your current onboarding process and focus on the most relevant and impactful content and activities.

2 Automate and streamline

One way to speed up your onboarding process is to automate and streamline some of the administrative and repetitive tasks that can slow down or distract your new hires. For example, you can use online tools and platforms to create and send welcome emails, contracts, forms, policies, and checklists. You can also use chatbots, FAQs, and video tutorials to provide quick and easy access to information and support. By automating and streamlining these tasks, you can save time and resources, reduce errors and confusion, and improve consistency and compliance.

3 Use a blended approach

Another way to balance speed and thoroughness during onboarding is to use a blended approach that combines different formats and methods of learning and interaction. For example, you can use e-learning modules, webinars, podcasts, and articles to deliver self-paced and flexible learning content that covers the basics and essentials of your organization and role. You can also use live sessions, workshops, mentoring, coaching, and feedback to provide interactive and personalized learning opportunities that foster collaboration, engagement, and development. By using a blended approach, you can cater to different learning styles, preferences, and needs, and create a more dynamic and holistic onboarding experience.

4 Set clear milestones and goals

To ensure that your onboarding process is both speedy and thorough, you need to set clear milestones and goals for your new hires and track their progress and performance. For example, you can use a 30-60-90 day plan to outline the key tasks, expectations, and outcomes for each phase of the onboarding process. You can also use regular check-ins, surveys, quizzes, and reviews to monitor how your new hires are adjusting, learning, and contributing. By setting clear milestones and goals, you can provide structure, direction, and feedback to your new hires, and help them achieve quick wins and long-term success.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?