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Great news: You extended the job offer to your favorite candidate and they accepted! This is the time when most hiring managers breathe a sigh of relief and feel like the process has concluded. Only, it hasn’t.
In the same way you want to get candidates excited about joining your franchise during the interview stage, you need to continue that positive momentum after they’ve agreed to join your team. This means making sure the initial steps of your onboarding program live up to expectations.
The Essentials of Early Onboarding
Here are five components to include in franchise onboarding before a new hire starts:
1) A Welcome Packet
This should include all of the basics, such as employment forms, information about benefits and perks, and other HR materials. Employees don’t want to start their tenure filling out stacks of forms in a conference room. Allowing them to complete forms from the comfort of their own home also gives them easier access to personal information they may need, such as a spouse’s Social Security number, tax information, and other personal details they may not have top of mind during their first day. Make your welcome packet more personal by including a personalized welcome note along with the materials.
2) An Online Portal
Consider investing in a software program that allows candidates to learn more about your franchise as an employer. Provide as much information as you can to give new hires a better sense about your corporate culture, career paths, dress code, line of business and other factors that will present the full picture of what it’s like to work there. In addition to sharing national standards from your franchise, make sure your online portal gives a sense of anything unique to your local area. New hires will feel more at ease if they know what to expect when they start.
3) Support
Before day one, line up employees who will serve as trainers and mentors. While managers are the obvious choice, it’s a good idea to round up others on the team who can share particular skills. For instance, an assistant manager can tackle the basics of the job while your master salesperson shares her winning sales strategies. Make sure your new hire is aware of key contacts should there be any questions before starting work. Your goal is to create a true support system.
4) A Timeline
According to this Forbes article, you should lay out an agenda for the new hire’s first week. Spell out the schedule of activities, including who they’ll be meeting with and what will be covered in initial orientation and training. This not only gives new hires a sense of what’s ahead but also allows you to ensure existing employees are scheduled to work during times they may be needed during onboarding.
5) The Resources To Do Their Job
Think beyond the basics needed for the job, like a uniform with your logo, and send the person some fun gifts. Making new hires feel welcome goes beyond the paperwork and planning. Ensuring they have a space to get settled and any user accounts or onsite materials ready to go on their first morning, helps them feel like their arrival has been planned, as well as prepared to hit the ground running.
