The silver bullet for successful hiring lies in the quality of the induction. As a new employees’ first real taste of the business they’ve decided to join, inductions are the single most important piece of direct employer/employee communication. It’s the make or break that cements years of goodwill and contented employment – or festering resentment.
Getting the onboarding process right can be a minefield and the last 18 months have massively changed the way a new hire enters a business and how they engage with it.
Onboarding is an area where creatives have the chance to shine.
Onboarding is the start of a new employee’s journey with your company. It’s a process that should involve excitement, enthusiasm, warmth and fun in order to make that newbie truly believe they’ve got the right job, in the right organisation. It should NOT only be about health and safety processes and operational edicts presented in a bumper pack of typed A4. This tells the new employee nothing about the business whatsoever – except maybe that they’ve made a mistake in joining it.
Internal comms have shifted since the pandemic started and a lot of employee engagement became online focused. For many of us, that means we’re working with people we’ve never actually met – but now the return to the office is changing the way we communicate once more.
The creative opportunity
Coming back to physical offices is ripe with opportunity for creatives. For some people, this will be their first chance to experience the business in the flesh and that can immediately shift the perceptions they’ve built online. A creative approach can be key to reinforcing good messaging and creating a feeling of harmony and togetherness.
The key is to keep the team mentality strong and continue creating loyalty. Regular communications, presented in an engaging way, delivers clear and memorable messages. Think short and sweet for maximum effectiveness. You should aim to create a passion for the company and enthusiasm for the future; motivation is key to fostering a happy and productive culture.
Before people begin work – or return to the office
There’s a really important time and opportunity to engage well through creative means and that’s before people start in the office. Whether it’s a new employee, a return to the office or the first time a pandemic hire sets foot in the building, change such as a shift in location is always a good opportunity for creative engagement.
Share information in an engaging way: video; animation; interactive sites; funny stories. Not only can you show your company’s personality and creative flair, but any information given is far more likely to be retained.
Creative inductions: not just health and safety
To cement team-building and reinforce good feeling, inductions and welcome-backs should be more than just the necessary legal requirement. Creatives should look at ways to present the myriad of company information that will need to be included in a more exciting way.
This can include values videos, guide packs and key business facts, as well as a visual guide to team members so there’s no awkward wondering if that is Andy from accounts or Alex from IT.
Why inductions matter
When a new hire knows everything from the start, they feel more prepared, excited and confident for what’s to come; and it will help them know they’ve made the right decision.
For team members who are coming back to the office after a long home-working hiatus, there may well be some hesitancy about a return to the old normal. A positive and successful welcome back process can help allay concerns and reinstate team harmony.
One thing is key: it’s important to focus on being clear, consistent and regular in your communications.
Embrace multiple ways of communicating so that you can engage with all team members, wherever they are, but remain focused on keeping the tone of voice true and the messaging consistent.
