How HR software can help smooth the employee onboarding process
Onboarding has more of an influence than many people think on a new starter’s experience at a company. It’s the first real taste they’ll get of the way you as their new employer like to work, and it’s crucial to their engagement and perception of their new workplace, and ultimately, their success.
In fact, research has shown that a great onboarding experience can improve staff retention by 82%, and boost productivity by over 70% – revealing how important it is to do onboarding right. However, it would seem that many companies aren’t succeeding in this, with research from Gallup finding that only 12% of employees agree that their organisation has a good onboarding process.
Presenting a new recruit with a mix of emails, physical documents, and a variety of company portals can be overwhelming and confusing. But this is where the power of HR software comes in to streamline the entire process – ensuring any new starter joins the company feeling welcomed, organised and empowered from day one.
HR software powers success
Onboarding starts before an employee’s first day, so they feel part of the team as soon as they accept your offer. HR solutions, like Natural HR, will allow you to easily set new starters up on the system and give them instant access to the self-service function so they can get familiar with the interface and input any details needed – empowering them to be proactive from day one.
Before they’ve even set foot in your office, they’ll be able to ‘meet’ their new colleagues and get a feel for the culture, with company updates and news. This will help make the employee more familiar and build their excitement and anticipation for joining the business, as well as aiding inclusivity.
HR software can also help get the boring – but important – stuff out of the way. Most HR solutions allow managers to send documents and information online so employees can read and, if needed, sign them in advance of their first day. This will save valuable face-to-face time – whether that be physical or virtual – for engaging with their team and immersing themselves in the company.
HR systems keep everything in one place
An all-in-one HR system, such as Natural HR, acts as the hub for all information any new starter needs. They can find useful information on company procedures and processes, benefits, and health and safety, for example – making it easy for new starters to get their questions answered.
It’s also where they can review their own HR profile, enabling them to check their timesheets, payslips, and annual leave. This boosts employee engagement with the software, as well as empowering them to take control of certain aspects of their employment, as opposed to relying on their line manager or the HR team.
This can make a huge difference to remote teams who might not be able to physically pop in to the HR department with a query like requesting leave, or following up on a missing payslip.
During the first week at a new job, there’s a lot to learn, so it’s only natural that things may be forgotten – maybe you didn’t receive their signed H&S form, or they might have some online training outstanding. However, you can also send your new starter reminders and notifications through the HR system to gently prompt them of outstanding actions.
And this works both ways. New employees can also send you questions or reminders, opening up the line of communication no matter where they are working. At Natural HR, our cloud-based software can be used from anywhere, at any time.
How HR tech is set to impact the future of onboarding
With our technology, you can streamline the entire onboarding process, making it more efficient for both your existing team and new employees. It also ensures you are complying with employment laws and regulations, whilst acting as a secure database for all employee information.
HR software can make the difference between a great onboarding experience and a bad one. In our opinion, incorporating HR software into your onboarding process is a no-brainer. If you’d like to learn how to implement HR software effectively, download our free guide.
If you would like to learn more about delivering an impactful onboarding experience, download our free guide here or book a demo to see Natural HR in action.