Boost Employee Engagement with an Effective Preboarding Process
Starting a new job can be exciting, but it also brings a wave of anxiety and stress.
Research shows that new hires often experience significant stress before even stepping into the office. It may surprise you to know that 59% of workers report losing sleep due to job jitters, while 49% experience negative physical or emotional symptoms. Additionally, many struggle to juggle personal and professional responsibilities, with some feeling unsettled for months. A well-structured preboarding process plays a crucial role in mitigating these challenges.
By setting the right tone early on, preboarding can not only ease anxiety but also boost productivity, enhance employee experience, and improve retention, ensuring a smoother transition for new hires.
Understanding Preboarding
Preboarding plays a pivotal role in setting the tone for a new hire’s success—it lays the foundation for a productive, engaging professional relationship. It is the role of HR that during this phase, new hires are introduced to the company culture, complete essential logistical tasks, and start building early connections with their future colleagues.
Failing to incorporate preboarding into your onboarding process means potentially missing out on an easy win. It’s a simple way to ensure new hires feel welcomed and prepared before they even step through the door.
Why It’s Crucial for Employee Success?
Here’s why preboarding is crucial for employee success:
- Engage and Excite New Hires: Keeping new hires connected before their first day keeps them excited about their new role, increasing their commitment and enthusiasm.
- Provide Key Information: Sharing essential details and documents early ensures new hires are informed and ready to hit the ground running on day one.
- Introduce the Onboarding Buddy: Connecting new hires with their onboarding buddy ahead of time helps them feel supported and comfortable, easing any first-day anxieties.
- Complete Administrative Tasks: Having new hires complete necessary paperwork during preboarding eliminates administrative delays and allows them to focus on their work once they start.
- Introduce Future Team Members: Early introductions help new hires build relationships and get familiar with team dynamics, fostering a sense of belonging.
- Prevent Employee Turnover: A strong preboarding process helps reduce the likelihood of no-shows on the first day, ensuring that new hires remain committed to their decision.
Preboarding sets the foundation for a successful employee experience, but what differentiates it from onboarding? Let’s understand.
Preboarding vs. Onboarding
Preboarding and onboarding are distinct but complementary processes that shape a new hire’s experience with your company.
Preboarding occurs between job offer acceptance and the first day, when employers set expectations and prepare new hires. It includes completing administrative tasks, reviewing company culture, and sharing key information. Examples include welcome emails, essential forms, and team introductions.
Onboarding starts on day one and continues for weeks or months, focusing on integrating the new hire into the company and their role. It includes interactive activities like orientation, office tours, and role-specific training.
Key Elements of an Effective Preboarding Process
Below are the essential steps to consider when building an effective preboarding process.
✍️ Send Welcome Emails
The first impression a new hire gets from their employer is crucial. A personalized welcome email helps make them feel valued and excited about joining the team. This email sets the tone for what’s to come and serves as an introduction to the company culture. Including a message from the CEO or a company leader adds a personal touch that reinforces the organization’s welcoming attitude.
Tip: Ensure the welcome email includes details about the company’s values, what to expect in the first week, and any other helpful resources to help the new hire prepare.
✍️ Draft the Onboarding Agenda
New employees appreciate knowing what to expect. Creating a clear and structured agenda for their first day—and even the first week—helps alleviate any first-day jitters. An agenda provides clarity about what tasks need to be done, who they will meet, and what training they will receive.
✍️ Complete Pre-Employment Paperwork
Preboarding is the ideal time to handle all necessary paperwork. Having new hires complete documents like tax forms, company policies, and benefits enrollment before their first day allows them to focus on their role and team once they start. By handling this in advance, new employees can avoid feeling overwhelmed on their first day and jump straight into their work.
Tip: Use an online document management system to streamline the process.
✍️ Prepare the Work Environment and Equipment
The work environment should be ready and waiting for new employees. This includes ensuring that their workspace is set up, all necessary equipment is in place, and access to software, emails, and internal systems is granted. Having everything ready ahead of time shows that the company is organized and invested in the new hire’s success. This preparation is crucial for a seamless start.
✍️ Remote Workstation Setup and Introduction
For remote employees, ensuring their workstation is properly set up is essential. This includes confirming that all necessary hardware (laptops, monitors, headsets) and software (VPNs, communication tools, and project management systems) are in place before the first day. It’s also important to introduce them to digital platforms they’ll use to interact with the team, such as Slack, Zoom, or company-specific tools. Providing clear instructions or even a virtual walkthrough helps new hires feel confident in using these tools.
✍️ Notify the Team About the New Hire
It’s essential for the rest of the team to be aware of the new hire’s arrival and understand their role within the company. Informing the team about the new hire before their first day helps create a sense of anticipation and makes the new employee feel welcomed from day one. This is also an opportunity to clarify the new hire’s responsibilities and how they’ll fit into the team’s overall goals.
Tip: Encourage team members to reach out via email or LinkedIn before the new hire’s first day, creating a warm virtual welcome and helping the new hire feel part of the team immediately.
✍️ Draft a 30–60–90-Day Plan
A 30–60–90-day plan provides new employees with a roadmap for their first three months. It outlines expectations, key milestones, and goals for each stage of their integration. By having this plan in place before the first day, employees can clearly understand how they will contribute to the team and what they need to achieve. This plan also helps managers stay aligned with their new hire’s progress.
✍️ Stay in Touch and Be Available
Preboarding isn’t just about completing tasks—it's about building a relationship. Staying in touch with new hires during this period helps keep them engaged and excited about their new role. Regular check-ins give them an opportunity to ask questions and share any concerns they might have. Having an open line of communication helps foster a sense of belonging and reduces any anxiety they might feel before starting.
Tip: Schedule periodic check-ins with HR and the hiring manager during the preboarding period. It’s important to offer consistent support and ensure that new hires feel engaged and informed.
Ensuring Success Through Preboarding
By focusing on these key steps, HR professionals can ensure that new hires feel welcomed, prepared, and confident as they begin their journey. A thoughtful and organized preboarding experience not only supports a smooth transition but also contributes to higher employee engagement and long-term success within the company.
