If you're looking to hire IT specialists into your organization, there's one fundamental step that can make a real difference to the success of your new hire: Onboarding.
But what exactly is onboarding? It's all about initiation into your organization: giving new hires the tools and information they need to be both efficient and effective from their first day on the job. It includes introducing them to the company culture, connecting them with their colleagues, setting expectations for performance, and providing all necessary resources.
If done correctly, it can give you a competitive edge when it comes to recruiting talented IT professionals as well as helping new hires to stay productive and engaged throughout their tenure in your organization. Here at ABC Recruiting Inc., we've compiled some essential tips for successful IT onboarding so that you can ensure that your new hires thrive from day one.
Have a Structured Onboarding Process for IT Roles
Research has shown that the first 90 days of a new employee’s job are especially important. That’s why it’s critical to build an onboarding program specific to IT roles. This should include elements such as:
- Introducing them to the company culture and organization
- Outlining job expectations and performance metrics
- Giving them comprehensive training and orientation on the product/service
- Teaching them how to navigate the tools, systems and processes they will use
- Connecting them with mentors or colleagues who can help show them the ropes
These steps ensure that IT professionals are able to hit the ground running, increasing their productivity and helping you retain top talent in the long term.
Assign an Onboarding Buddy or Mentor
Assigning each new hire an onboarding buddy or mentor is an excellent way to quickly get them up to speed. Not only will this help them learn the ropes faster, but it'll also make them feel more connected and supported by their new team.
The onboarding buddy should be a knowledgeable, experienced person within the organization. They should be able to answer questions and provide guidance as the new hire learns the workflow and processes. The onboarding buddy should also be available in between shifts and outside of regular working hours so they can always reach out when they have questions or run into challenges.
Having an onboarding mentor not only helps ensure that the new hire is successful—it helps keep them with your organization for the long-term. As they become more comfortable with their role, they're more likely to stay on board, boosting productivity and contributing to your company's growth.
Provide Technical Training and Resources
IT onboarding isn't just about getting new hires up to speed on the company culture and policies; it's also about providing them with the technical resources and training they need to succeed.
Training should go beyond the basics of your IT systems and processes—it should include detailed answers to questions like, “Why do we use this system instead of that one?” and “What’s the best way to accomplish—X?”. These discussions should be ongoing, with employees being provided up-to-date resources to help them better understand their roles and responsibilities.
By equipping new hires with both the industry knowledge they need and an understanding of why you use certain software or processes, you can ensure that they become productive team members — quickly.
Set Clear Expectations and Goals
Setting clear expectations and goals for your new IT employees is key for successful onboarding. You want to make sure you're setting them up for success from their first day.
By outlining their duties, the timeline of how you expect them to get the tasks done, and the standards of performance needed, your IT employee can start their job with clarity and certainty. It helps them feel more confident in their role and motivated to meet the expectations that were set out for them.
It's also important to set reasonable achievable goals for communication as well as performance. Knowing how often they should report back on progress, or be available for communication, can increase motivation and help build trust between your team members and create a better working environment.
Finally, setting rewards or incentives for hitting certain milestones encourages your IT employees to stay motivated and engaged along the way. Rewards don't have to be anything elaborate—it could be something simple like giving a shout-out in team meetings or getting a gift card when they succeed at a project milestone.
No matter what you decide is best, make sure they are given feedback and recognition throughout their onboarding process, so that they feel supported and valued every step of the way!
Check-in Regularly and Provide Feedback
Regular check-ins and feedback are keys to ensuring your new hire has a successful onboarding experience. Checking in routinely helps you keep tabs on how your new hire is adjusting to the environment and culture, and it allows you to provide feedback so they can make adjustments when needed.
But that's not the only advantage. Regular check-ins provide an opportunity for your new IT specialist to give you feedback as well. This is their chance to let you know how their experience is going and whether they need any extra support or resources that could help them be successful.
At ABC Recruiting Inc., we recommend scheduling regular check-ins with your new IT specialist once a week after they've completed their onboarding period, then reassess from there depending on the situation. During these meetings, use open-ended questions that encourage dialog so you can gain insight into how they’re feeling about their job, their tasks, and the team dynamic — this will help foster an open line of communication between you and your new hire.
In addition, be sure to provide constructive feedback during these meetings as well — this will help them stay motivated and focused on meeting goals while also learning how they can produce better results overall. The more support they receive from you, the more likely they'll feel valued as an employee — which is essential for successful onboarding and long-term retention.
Building a Foundation for Success: Transforming Onboarding for IT Professionals
From the first impression to the first day, the onboarding experience should be designed to be informative, welcoming, and engaging. Many successful IT companies have already implemented a comprehensive onboarding program that can benefit from a few minor tweaks.
By taking the time to prepare for the onboarding process, you can make sure you build a strong team that feels validated, motivated and ready to get started on day one. When done correctly, onboarding equips new IT specialists with the best tools, resources and support to set them up for success in their new role, resulting in greater retention and productivity.
Meeting the needs of IT hires today isn’t easy, but with the right onboarding plan in place, you can be rest assured that your new recruits will thrive from day one.
