Many businesses underestimate the importance of onboarding for new employees and the support they need from the moment they receive a job offer. A smooth onboarding process is a critical part of the new-hire experience – done right, it can result in more engaged, productive employees that fit in well with their team.

Technology can play a key part in making the onboarding process seamless and hassle-free – allowing managers to focus on training and employees to feel at ease in their new role.

Here are some tools for getting the most out of the onboarding process:

Workflow automation

Workflow automation can enable efficient employer-employee communication – even before the first day of work. Software such as Microsoft Power Automate can complete time dependent tasks such as writing a welcome email or sending payroll-related paperwork. Tasks can also be shared across departments so while HR enters new paperwork, IT can set up network access. An automated process ensures all admin is complete before the new recruit arrives.

Managed IT services

Outsourcing your IT to a managed IT services provider can aid in the setup and ongoing support for new employees. Benefit from 24×7 skilled service desk and on-site engineers ready to tackle any IT issues your employees may experience. This can ensure a smooth onboarding process for employers without the worry of technology causing problems.

Collaborative platforms

Platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams give employees an easier way to communicate with each other but also help new employees navigate some of the challenges that come with starting a new job. Employers can easily send new employees messages or instructions of the steps in their onboarding process and when tasks are completed. A key benefit of these platforms is new staff have instant access to files, documents or training material through the shared channels.

Social media

Social media has long been a popular way of recruiting but what about better onboarding? During the daunting first few weeks of the job, employees could be invited to join an online community to connect with those already in the company and other new hires – private groups can be set up in LinkedIn or Yammer. Also provide the LinkedIn profiles of all new hires to the management team and encourage them to connect before they start – helping employees feel familiar with their managers.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality has become popular with businesses for employee training – it allows simulation of real-life scenarios through immersive video and audio. In the onboarding process, this is particularly useful for jobs that are highly stressful, making the employee more comfortable when they face the real environment. With some VR platforms, employees can participate in the training at home – meaning remote workers can benefit from the same support as office-based employees.

Onboarding is no longer about face-to-face meetings and training post job offer – thanks to the range of software available, it has become flexible, personalised and interactive. Speak to your IT provider about tech-enabled onboarding.

We can support your business with a range of managed IT services including migration to the cloud, integration of collaborative workspaces and proactive IT support. For more information, contact us.