Why Recruiters Should Be Part of the Onboarding Process

AdminAssist
AdminAssist January 19, 2021
6-minute read
team members working together around a plan in the office

2021 stands to be a year of renewed job markets. Businesses are hyper-focused on recruiting the brightest new talent they can find – even if the recruiting process is completely virtual. As a recruiter, you're ready to meet the challenge.

In fact, you already know a perfect candidate. You'll nurture them through the entire recruitment process through to the hiring close. Once the candidate signs on with their new job, your job is done, right?

A lot of recruiters would say yes. If you did, you're not alone.

But you are missing out on a great opportunity to make the hiring hand-off a bit smoother—an overall greater experience for employee and employer, alike. Heck, you might even grow in the process!

What's the best way to accomplish this? You need to change up your recruitment game.

You found the talent, now keep the momentum going by staying on throughout the onboarding process. Onboarding is an essential piece of the hiring process that acclimates a hire to their new role in a much more intimate way. If done correctly, onboarding gives new employees an understanding of company goals and missions, and helps them reach their own. Today's business world is rapid-paced and onboarding done right gives a new hire the tools they need to find success in their new position.

What are the Benefits of Recruiters Integrating Onboarding?

According to Glassdoor, great employee onboarding can improve employee retention by 82%, yet 88% of companies are not good at it. Negative onboarding experiences double the chances of a new hire looking for another job at some point. Creating a better process can save time and money. Instead of handing off the football and hoping there isn't a fumble further down the field, go long! If you integrate your services with the hiring company's onboarding process, the company replaces lost time and money with increased efficiency and better gross margins.

But—and this is most important of all—integrating recruiting with onboarding offers the opportunity to cultivate genuine relationships throughout every touchpoint of the process, from the candidate's initial showing up at your agency through their first month or so on the job. The employee and employer will both thank you for it.

If you break these bonds, it can translate into an unpleasant experience for the hire – but an even worse one for you and your agency. Chances are, the hire or the company—or both—will share their story.

The bottom line benefit here is this:

The better experience the candidate has, the happier they'll be, and the longer they'll remain in the position, reducing the costs of talent acquisition via retention.

This isn't just true for temp agencies but for companies that hire directly, too.

How to Integrate the Onboarding Process

As the pilot of the recruiting plane, you have a valuable role. You're not just leading horses to the water trough—you're helping them learn how to drink in the excitement and responsibilities of their new position. Here are a couple of ways you can successfully integrate the onboarding and hiring processes.

Start onboarding during the recruiting phase

During the hiring process, you're likely the only person communicating with the candidate. You're most familiar with what the candidate wants in a position, and what they need. Onboarding begins with the position that brought the candidate into your agency. You can share company goals, mission statements, and culture right from the beginning, making it even more likely that whoever comes through your door will be more engaged with your process, with the hiring company, and the desire to be productive, successful employees.

Help the candidate have a rockstar first day on the job

A new position can be incredibly exciting—it can also be rather stressful. The desire to fit in and do a good job can be all-consuming. Consider all the ways you can minimize any stress the new hire feels that first day and help them feel at home in their new position.

For instance, if they'll be working in-office, make sure you set their office up prior to their first day. Help them meet their coworkers. Give them a tour of the business. If the position is remote, set up a virtual meet-and-greet and help them acclimate with the tools they need to successfully complete their tasks, whether this is special software or hardware they may need for the job. Assign a fellow employee to be their "buddy"—preferably someone that's been at the firm for some time, who can show them the ropes. Because you've been with the candidate since the very beginning, it's a good idea to stick around that first day for moral support if needed.

Successful Onboarding – The First Day and Beyond

A smooth transition into a new position doesn't happen like magic and it's not completed the very first day.

The next few weeks and months are critical. This time shapes how the new employee feels in their role, about their new employer, and about the service you provided. Don't be shy about reaching out and checking in from time to time. It shows the hire you care about their transition and it gives you the real dirt on what it's like to work for that company, too. You have a small window of time to show them they're right where they need to be.

Admin Assist knows the key to catching the eye of top talent—and keeping them—lies in the onboarding process. By working together when you find the perfect candidate, you'll help more perfect candidates become successful, productive employees.