Increasing Conversion Rates by Optimising Digital Onboarding Processes

Onboarding employees has always been challenging if you work in the HR department. But the reality is that onboarding is one of the most vital processes in an employee’s lifecycle.

The employee onboarding process plays a crucial role in employee retention rates, productivity, and experience in the long run.

What is Digital Employee Onboarding?

Digital onboarding allows organizations to use tools and technologies to onboard new employees, giving them 24/7 centralized access to information regarding the company.

Optimizing Digital Onboarding Processes to Increase Conversion Rates

Here are tips to optimize your digital employee onboarding processes to boost conversion rates.

Break Your Digital Employee Onboarding Process into Phases

There is no one size fits all employee onboarding software. Administrators must always understand that the needs of employees evolve as the onboarding process continues. Unfortunately, failing to understand the needs of new hires can reduce their engagement and productivity.

The onboarding process has four phases: introduction, first day, initial development, and separation.

The introduction or pre-onboarding phase should start immediately after the employee accepts the job. Throughout this phase, the employer should remain in contact with the individuals to motivate them about their new role.

On the first day of onboarding, the employer must engage in strategies that reduce anxiety. Engage your virtual hires with icebreakers like quizzes that will turn their anxiety into excitement.

The third phase of the employee onboarding process is the initial development. Here, your main goal is to help your new hires find the right footing within the company before you can nurture their talent.

Although the primary goal of an employee onboarding program is to hire top talent within the firm, the last stage is a separation where the employee can decide to leave the organization. Utilize this opportunity to understand why an employee is leaving the organization, as this can help to make necessary improvements.

Gather Feedback

One way to improve your digital onboarding is by gathering employee feedback. Feedback helps the management understand the process from the employees’ perspective if used correctly.

If used intentionally, feedback has the power to optimize business processes. But this calls for openness to employee contributions. Also, ask specific questions to help you understand employees’ feelings so that you can create an open feedback loop.

Use a Helpdesk Software

The use of employee onboarding software can greatly help your customer help desk. Using it has proven to boost employee morale as they feel empowered by the necessary tools to help customers navigate various issues.

Digital onboarding has the advantage of enabling the employees to understand the customer from different perspectives and increases the ability to form deeper relationships with them.

Use Technology

Technology can help you to transform your organization’s new employees’ experience. Invest in onboarding specialists who can use technology to optimize different parts of the digital onboarding process.

With digital employee onboarding, employees get personalized experiences based on the business model, goals, and customer needs, among other factors.

Do Something Special for Your Employees

The idea of an effective digital employee onboarding process is to set the company’s tone with its new employees. Do everything possible to make your employees feel welcome and integrated into the organization from the first day.

You want your new hires to know they are wanted and that the company is lucky to have them. Consider giving your new hires a personalized gift before they report to work. This will remind them that the company is excited to have them and give them a peek into your company’s culture.

Also, sending your new hires an email describing what is needed to be successful on the first day can boost their morale and eliminate the anxiety surrounding their first day at work.

Implement a Buddy System

Although there are many benefits associated with digital onboarding, one of its downsides is an increased isolation level for new hires. If you are not in a position to create enough online interaction to foster active engagement, your new hires may easily feel abandoned.

With a buddy system, new hires have someone to talk to about the onboarding experience. A buddy system also helps to relay industry-specific information, tips, and techniques to thrive throughout the company.

The Society for Human Resources Management points out that a buddy system helps to create immediate personal attention between the new hires and the organization.

In an online employee onboarding process, a buddy can help employees to feel more welcome by helping them navigate the company’s online platform. A buddy system can also fix the gap between new and old employees by availing the employees who have been with the company longer to answer new hires’ questions.

A buddy should not be confused with a supervisor or someone responsible for developing the skills of new hires. Instead, a buddy uses the skills and knowledge acquired through their current role or previous work experience to help new hires navigate the company.

Final Thoughts

As your digital onboarding process sets into motion, you’ll begin the positive impacts it will have on your firm. Continue to increase your chances of retaining talent and getting the best from your new hires through process optimization from when they sign their offer letter to when they leave your company.