A new hire shows up for their first day of work and their journey with your company begins. This situation happens every day across the globe yet no matter the country, industry or company the onboarding process is an essential part of the equation. It is also perhaps the most crucial activity towards shaping a new employee’s time at your company.
Onboarding: A Pivotal Time for Learning
The onboarding process can be a stressful one for both the new employee and the company they are joining. While the anxiety of the interview may be over, the “newness” of the job is just starting. In this time, a new hire will be introduced to your corporate culture, rules, procedures and benefits. For the employee, it can be overwhelming. It’s best to approach this process with as much organization as possible, so nothing of importance gets lost in the noise. Make sure information given is concise and easy to digest. If possible, try to conduct onboarding over several days. If that timeline isn’t doable, try to structure presentations so there are multiple breaks. Also, ensure there is a point of contact given should there be any questions in the days and weeks following.
Safety Should Be a Key Element of Onboarding: Skills-Based and Awareness-Based Training
It’s key to make sure your onboarding program starts a new hire on the right foot. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to include safety training in your onboarding program. There are many benefits of this approach. Most on-site accidents take place within the first year of employment, so providing safety information and training during onboarding can prevent accidents before they happen. Arming employees with the knowledge of the right way to do things can avert bad habits from forming that will be harder to adjust later. Safety information can be broken down into two defining areas: skills-based training and awareness-based training.
Skills-Based Training
Skills-based training involves new hires who are set to work on and around operational equipment and machinery. In this training, new hires would be trained and taught the skills necessary to safely operate the machinery and perform the tasks required for their new position. This specific training conducted during onboarding could significantly reduce the risk of injury.
Awareness-Based Training
Awareness-based training covers general workplace policies, procedures, and awareness of expectations. For example, providing new hires with general workplace rules and regulations that encourage a safe and hazard-free work environment would fall under awareness training. This is also a good time to instruct employees on environmental issues and response procedures such as emergency exits and wash stations.
Partnering With a Staffing Firm During Your Onboarding Process
Onboarding is a critical time for both a new hire and an employer. It is also the time where employees expect to be learning and have the time to dedicate towards this pursuit. If you need help in building your onboarding and safety training processes, it’s best to consult an industry expert who is well versed in crafting onboarding and safety training.
At New Era HR Solutions, we are proven providers of leading industry risk management consulting. Our consulting services are designed to reduce exposure to liability and ensure regulatory compliance. Contact us today on how to enhance your current onboarding and safety training.
