Enhancing Onboarding for New Engineering Grads: What Are Your Best Ideas?

I am working on a project to enhance the onboarding process for newly recruited engineering graduates. My primary focus is on the period from the recruitment of a candidate to their first day as an employee at the company.

Any ideas or suggestions regarding this?

Thanks in advance,

Regards,
George

Interesting question, I must say!

Suggestions for Pre-Onboarding

Here are a few suggestions for pre-onboarding:

- Send the material for induction, announcing a test on it on the induction day. This is just to ensure that they read the material and gain an understanding of it.

- Share the training program outline, along with certain study materials, so that they can work within their limits and be ready for it once it commences.

- Connect them to your employees through LinkedIn and Social ERP so that they can start networking. Form a LinkedIn group to initiate discussions and interactions between them and your existing employee base.

- Complete the medical test before induction, so that you don't have to relieve them once they report to you.

- You can even schedule a call with them, creating a number to bridge the conference call, to keep tabs on their progress.

- A walk-through of your office premises would save their time once they join in.

- Finally, if you have the option to, consider an internal Elance for them. Involve them in small pet projects where they can get a feel of the work, understand their potential, and learn more about the working culture of the firm.

I am certain there are more ways to involve them productively before they join in for a full-time role. Looking forward to hearing from our experts.

* [including the Employee Handbook, Process document for managing the ERP to raise a request for leave or reimbursement and so on]

Regards

Thanks and appreciate the suggestion quoted by Ms. (Cite Contribution). On the first day, the CEO of the site/firm should address and inaugurate the training/induction session along with all the apex members. The new joiners should be made aware of the business and safety norms being followed across the organization.

Morning Sessions

The morning sessions can cover some theory of the products/plants of the complex.

Post-Lunch Session

In the post-lunch session, some leaders of the organization should share their experiences, discussing the challenges they had faced after joining the organization as fresh engineers and how they have overcome them. A visit to the awards gallery and plants can be organized to learn about the achievements of the organization.

Regards,
Somnath RoyChowdhury

George has shared some good stuff. I would like to add some more:

1. Engage a buddy who will be in regular contact with the new job aspirants. The buddy's feedback should be evaluated on a weekly basis.

2. Try to make arrangements for their seating, uniform, ID cards, bank account, safety gadgets, stationery, etc., and hand them over to the new joiner on the date of joining.

3. Plan for the buddy's visit to the new job aspirants' home 10 days prior to joining and issue them the uniforms, shoes, etc. This will create a bond for both the individual and the family.

4. On the date of joining, arrange a breakfast meeting or a cup of tea/coffee with the highest official in the factory or office.

5. Give them the plan for the week and, if possible, monthly.

Small efforts will make a vast difference and create an emotional bond with the organization.

Thanks,
Keerthi

You got great ideas from the learned members. While I do not add any more to their number, I only share my views on the factors to be kept in mind while designing an onboarding process for a new hire. The object of an onboarding process is to facilitate a proper understanding of his role and a smooth merging of the employee into the work culture of the organization. Therefore:

1. Keep the process simple. It should not look so grandiose as to overawe the new hire. Feed the information about his role/induction/training/hierarchy/culture/CEO/goals/peers and superiors in small bites so that he can chew them and digest them properly. Do not thrust all information at once in a big chunk to suffocate him with a surfeit of information.

2. Keep it informal. Induce an element of friendly sound bites in the way you communicate with him or interact with him. The new hire shall not take these communications as directions/instructions coming from an HR Manager or a senior leader of the organization. This may inhibit his communication, and he may keep all the questions to himself about his role, learning needs, career, etc., which may bear on his performance.

3. Understand the total personality of the new hire - his traits and demeanor, etc., and give feedback about him to the manager who is the key in nurturing the new hire for his role and responsibilities.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
In-House HR & IR Advisor

I like your question as it opens up a thought on the emerging role of HR. HR has a role to take care of talents from the beginning. As the first impression lasts long, we can make them feel invited and at home by sending an invitation letter from the immediate superior. We can even arrange a get-together of employees with their family members to understand their expectations. We can keep them informed about important developments.

Somnath, Keerthi, B. Saikumar, and Snisonko, thank you very much for such wonderful and valuable insights. In line with what Raghunathan has asked for, I would like to add some more details regarding the project.

Project Details

My organization is in the manufacturing sector. Once the candidates are recruited, there is a 6-month gap before they join the organization (as of now, this is our target period). After they join the organization, the new joiners will have extensive training that spans about three months.

As of now, there are no plans to share the assessment indicators or training methods in advance with the trainees.

Regards,
George

I guess everyone has experienced this period, and here are some of the emotions attached to it:

1. When will I get my call letter?
2. How does it feel working in a corporate setting since all are GETs going into their first job?
3. What kind of work am I expected to do, or what skills am I expected to exhibit?
4. What are the said and unsaid norms of the place?

Recommendations for HR Intervention

I believe one needs to take cognizance of the following emotions and try to satisfy them with HR intervention. Recommendations:

1. Try going the "Social Way" by incorporating a social networking platform like CiteHR, which can be moderated by the company.
2. Arrange informal meets within the company with the previous batch of GETs.
3. Try to engage them in community/CSR activities of the company. The list can go on.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Jujhar