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How to Efficiently Onboard and Train Your New Hires

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Train New Hires

Quality employee onboarding is one of the most important things you can do for your business. You want your new hires to feel welcome and wanted as soon as they walk in. You need to give them an excellent first impression of your business and show that they matter. For many new employees, it’s essential to feel that there is a well-defined role and a clear career path.

Not only that, but a good onboarding process can make a massive difference to your retention rates and your revenue. Onboarding can also improve employee productivity and morale. And you save time and money when you don’t have to keep replacing employees.

Great onboarding starts with excellent planning. You really can’t wing it when it comes to training your new hires. Having planned training and processes for dealing with new employees is important.

Before hiring any new employees, plan out what they need to know and how you deliver it. This will also make it easier for you. For example, you’re not having to scramble to find something for them to do while trying to balance your own work.

You could also create an onboarding checklist for you and one for your new hires. This allows you to quickly know what to teach next and see clear progress and tick off what they’ve learned. It’s motivating for both parties. Even better if you have training software that allows for gamification. New hires can tick off modules as they finish them, see what’s next, achieve rewards, and more.

Once you have your onboarding training prepared, you can then use your calendar to plan it out and ensure success.

1. Set up a dedicated onboarding calendar

Many calendar apps will allow you to set up multiple calendars. So, for example, you can set up a calendar just for onboarding training, showing the full schedule.

This allows you and your new hires to look at your full calendar view with all your tasks and appointments and to look at just the training schedule on its own calendar when you need to.

It’s helpful to have both views. With the main calendar view, you can ensure no clashes and time to get to training sessions. And with the onboarding calendar, you clearly know the training and what comes next.

2. Share your calendars

You can coordinate together more efficiently by sharing your calendars. Your new employee will have other items on their calendar in addition to their onboarding training. For example, they may have previously booked medical appointments scheduled or a holiday that was already booked before they got the job. And there’s the work that they need to be involved in.

If you both share your calendars, you can easily be more flexible, if needed, and quickly rearrange sessions if something else comes up. In addition, your new hire will be able to see when you’re free, so they can book time if they need more help.

Encouraging your new employees to start, regularly use, and share their calendars is good practice for the future.

3. Set up your to-do list

Unless your only job is employee onboarding, you will have other work to fill your time. With your time split between onboarding your new hires and your everyday work, staying organized is essential. You can add a task/to-do list and make notes on many calendars to easily keep track.

This helps you balance your work with your onboarding duties. It also gives you a heads up if you’re going to have a busy week that may need extra organization and planning.

Another benefit of adding your to-do list to your calendar is seeing how much you’ve achieved. Ticking off completed tasks gives a nice hit of dopamine and is highly motivating.

4. Use time blocking to ensure you get everything done

When trying to learn something new, it can be easier to spend a solid block of time on it, rather than jump around over several sessions. Time blocking can be helpful to facilitate that.

However, time blocking involves splitting your day and week into blocks for specific tasks. This is a great way to combine your to-do list with your calendar. This can be a beneficial technique for ensuring you can fit in onboarding training and your regular tasks and meetings.

You can choose what works best for you with so many options and techniques. For example, time blocking could be one more helpful tool in your organizing arsenal.

5. Set up reminders

One of the best things about using a calendar and task lists is that you can add reminders to keep yourself on track.

When you are setting up your onboarding calendar, ensure you add in reminders where it’s helpful. This ensures that you don’t miss any meetings or tasks or your trainees.

When you’re busy, it can be easy to miss breaks and lunches. Adding reminders for these can ensure you take a breather when you should. It also provides that you don’t set yourself up for burnout.

6. Integrate with Trello

Some calendars integrate with Trello, a simple but effective project management app.

You can add tasks, checklists, and processes to Trello. It’s helpful to break down more significant tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks. It’s possible to tick them off when you’re done, which can help to motivate you and your trainees.

One other great thing about Trello is that you can set up boards and processes as a template. Then when you need it again, copy the template, rename it, and you’re ready to go.

Integrating this option with your calendar could help you manage your training better. You can also add team members and work on tasks together, aiding your trainees.

7. Bear in mind remote working

So many companies now allow remote working since the pandemic that you need to consider it. In addition, you may be training both in-office workers and remote workers to onboard them.

It’s important that your onboarding training includes your company culture and expectations, but it’s particularly important that remote workers feel part of your company.

Of course, you need to organize your time and calendar to ensure you can onboard everyone, remote or not. In addition to planning tasks and meetings, you’ll need to consider what technology you need, including cameras, Zoom, and more. Then, organize your tech in plenty of time for each meeting for success.

8. Start with a welcome pack

Once you know the start date of your next hire, add a task and a reminder on your calendar. Then send them a welcome email a few days before they start. You could even save time by writing a template for this email if you’re going to need it more than once. Then, you could set it up, keep it, and just hit send on the day.

If they’re based in-house, include practical information your new employee needs to know. Include directions, parking information, and a building map marked by their office or area. Add in where they can find vending machines or a kitchen for snacks and drinks. Include any local shops, such as bakeries or sandwich shops for food.

You’re starting them on the right foot before they’ve even walked through the door. And they will appreciate it.

Don’t forget your remote workers here. They will also appreciate a friendly, welcoming email with helpful information on start times and what to expect.

9. Use your analytics

Many calendars have excellent analytics. Office 365, for example, includes MyAnalytics, which provides information on various tasks and events. For example, you can see how many meetings you’ve had and how you spend your time.

This is helpful because you can see an overview of your onboarding training. You can check if you’re offering balanced training or leaning too heavily toward one subject. You can see whether you have covered everything or if there are any gaps.

Calendar analytics are equally helpful for improving your general productivity. You can ensure you still have the time to work on your own tasks as well as fit in onboarding.

10. Assess your onboarding regularly

Use your calendar to schedule follow-up meetings with new employees to get feedback on your onboarding processes.

Diarize time every year, at least once, to review your onboarding, look at feedback, and see how you can improve.

With quality onboarding so crucial for every business, it is vital to stay organized and on top of it. The right calendar apps can help you deliver onboarding well and keep improving.

Image Credit: Edmond Dantès; Pexels; Thank you!

How to Efficiently Onboard and Train Your New Hires was originally published on Calendar by Howie Jones.

How Can You Make the Recruiting Process Faster?

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recruiting process

Did you know that the average time to fill a position is 42 days? ‌However,‌ ‌the recruiting process varies from industry to industry. Still, during that span, top talent may accept an offer elsewhere. And that means you have to continue devoting resources to filling that opening. This puts more strain on your current team as they have an additional workload.

But, there are some additional benefits to speeding up the recruitment process. It improves the candidate experience, but this can also lead to higher acceptance rates. And it will put a smile on the faces of your recruiters and leaders.

But, how can you make the recruiting process faster? Well, try out these ten strategies.

1. Enhance‌ ‌your‌ ‌job‌ ‌postings.

Let’s not mince words. Having a lot of unqualified applicants applying to your job openings might be due to‌ ‌your‌ ‌job‌ ‌posting. ‌So what makes an effective advertisement?

Yes. ‌Your job posting must include all essential requirements. ‌However, it should also be aspirational as well.

In order to attract the best talent, you need to write about why the candidate should choose you over anyone else. ‌In other words, promote your company as their best option.

There’s nothing wrong with the description of your job following a general template. ‌However, it should also include‌ ‌the‌‌ ‌‌following‌‌ ‌‌criteria:

  • Give a brief description of your company. ‌Make sure you include your firm’s tagline or pitch.
  • Make it clear whether the position is remote or on-site. It’s simple to narrow candidates who are only seeking remote work opportunities.
  • The‌ ‌job posting should also be specific‌ ‌about‌ ‌the‌ ‌role. ‌For example, describe who the candidate will report to and their responsibilities. ‌Also, explain how they can succeed in their new role and how to track their performance.
  • List the skills, requirements, or pre-requisites that your candidates must possess. ‌Of course, some candidates may not apply unless they meet those requirements. ‌Yet, it can assist serious candidates in deciding whether this role suits them.
  • Explain what the perks of your job or company ‌are. ‌By doing so, candidates will feel valued before they even meet you.

2. Make it easy to apply.

A lengthy and exhausting application process is not appealing to candidates. ‌What’s more, they expect to apply for the job directly from their phones. ‌According to Indeed, it is estimated that 62% of job seekers use mobile devices for their job search globally. Mobile job searching is driven primarily by convenience for 55% of job seekers. ‌Additionally, 66% of applicants would use a mobile device to apply for a job if it were easier.

‌As a result, they expect you to parse their resumes. And also limit the remaining fields to relevant information related to the application process.

In fact, Careerbuilder reports that 20% of candidates abandon application forms that take more than 10 minutes to complete.

Take the time to review your application process. If it doesn’t meet these standards, you need to step up your recruiting game. To start, you can offer a mobile-friendly application process that helps candidates apply faster by choosing the right recruitment software. Some suggestions would be Zoho Recruit, Recruitee, or Freshteam.

3. Encourage passive candidates.

Passive candidates are also encouraged to reach out during recruitment. ‌Often, those not actively looking for work have extensive experience, ideal for a position you’re filling.

Is‌ ‌it‌ ‌hard‌ ‌to‌ ‌convince‌ ‌specific ‌passive‌ ‌candidates? It can be. ‌You might be able to secure an interview with nothing more than a quick email to a few candidates you’re interested in.

4. Automate tasks.

Looking to focus most of your recruiting efforts on the jobs that have the most significant ‌impact? ‌Well, removing time-consuming tasks from your schedule is key.

Thanks to technology, recruiting has become more effective and ‌time-efficient. ‌In addition, these tools allow employers to automate menial tasks. ‌For example,‌ ‌screening‌ ‌resumes,‌ ‌scheduling‌ ‌interviews, answering‌ ‌simple‌ ‌questions,‌ ‌or‌ ‌sending‌ ‌‌rejection‌‌ ‌‌emails.

In the same way that talent pipelines influence efficiency, task automation does the same. ‌This way, you can focus on improving your hiring process’ speed and quality.

5. Implement an employee referral program.

There’s no spoiler warning here. Many of the best employees are hired internally or through ‌employee‌ ‌referrals. ‌About half of referrals (45%) stay for four years or longer. And, only 25% of employees hired from job boards remain for more‌ ‌than two‌ ‌years.

Employee referral programs let your employees do a substantial amount of recruiting on your behalf. ‌By doing so, recruiting and hiring will take a lot less time, and advertising costs will be reduced. ‌It is also more likely that candidates with a personal relationship with a current employee will accept a job offer.

Best of all? Referral programs are not ‌complicated‌ ‌or‌ ‌expensive. ‌You could, for instance, try an old-fashioned approach like asking your employees who they know. ‌However, you should make sure that they know you will help them through the process.

6. Leverage AI-powered candidate screening.

Screening candidates is a crucial step in the hiring process. ‌Why? Recruiters can eliminate applicants who are not suitable for the job, focusing on the most qualified ones.

However, you probably have to perform this manual task daily. And, suffice to say, it can take a lot of time and effort. ‌Moreover, if you receive many applications, it is practically impossible to screen all of them accurately and ensure only the best are considered in the hiring ‌‌process.

The best solution? Automate the screening process with AI.

Using an applicant tracking system allows you to automate the process of selecting candidates based on the job requirements you set. ‌As a result, it can speed up your recruiting process while retaining the quality of screening. Also, this technology doesn’t get tired of screening candidates and reviewing their CVs. ‌Additionally, it doesn’t rely on human biases.

7. Expand the reach of your job listing.

Again, providing a good job listing will appeal to prospective employees and make the hiring process faster. ‌If the listing has not been placed correctly, serious repercussions can be. ‌Without enough job advertisements, your candidate pool will be less diverse, and the number of applicants will also decline. ‌You can save time and resources by diversifying where you advertise your job openings now and in the future.

The thing is, if you do it inefficiently, actively increasing the preparation phase can bog down the process even further. After all, if you aren’t using the right tools or channels, you’ll be wasting both time and money. ‌So instead, make your company more recognizable by increasing brand awareness, or use the next tip for optimal results.

And, despite your personal feelings, don’t overlook the power of social media. For example, 94% of recruiters leverage LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter in their recruiting efforts.

8. Hire from within.

Employees should always be encouraged to apply for new positions. The reason? Well, it’s less expensive and boosts employee engagement. But, it also makes the recruiting process faster.

Based on your current employee’s skills, knowledge, loyalty, and work ethic, you already know they are a good fit for your business. ‌Likewise, it takes time and effort to welcome a new team member. ‌But, on the other hand, an existing employee is already settled and comfortable in your organization.

9. Embrace flexible interviews.

Can you offer more flexible interviews? For example, do you have the availability to meet with them during the evening or weekend? Are you willing to travel to meet them? Or, the interview can be done remotely over Zoom.

10. Enhance the candidate experience.

Lastly,‌ ‌improving the candidate experience will make your hiring process more efficient. ‌Besides improving candidate experience, these methods also speed up ‌hiring.

Candidates would get a better experience if the application and overall recruiting process were shortened. ‌Recruiters would also have fewer touchpoints.

If you keep an engaging career page and employer brand, candidates will be able to decide if they will fit in with your company culture. ‌By pre-screening, they can reduce the number of applicants not fit for the role. ‌Informed and enthusiastic candidates will also feel more qualified and enthusiastic about the job.

Final tip. Keep in constant contact with candidates. ‌Through effective communication, you can improve their experience and prevent delays and roadblocks.

Image Credit: Andrea Piacquadio; Pexels; Thank you!

How Can You Make the Recruiting Process Faster? was originally published on Calendar by .

Still Struggling to Hire? Here’s What You Should Do Differently

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struggling to hire

Businesses are navigating through one of the most unprecedented times in recent history. After overcoming many difficulties related to Covid-19, numerous establishments are now struggling to fill positions with new hires. Having new hires ready to go for the new year comes at the same time as high levels of unemployment. So, where’s the overlap?

The ratio of open job positions to jobs being filled is at a record high. With so many potential hires, where is the disconnect? If you’re experiencing some hiring struggles of your own, here are a few things you might consider changing:

Be More Flexible

Perhaps the top thing that prospective employees are now looking for is more flexibility. During episodes of quarantine, workers saw just how feasible it was to work from home. Many workers were able to take side gigs to improve their work-life balance while still making an income. If employees don’t see those same opportunities even as Covid-19 blows over more likely to move on to greener pastures.

Becoming more flexible will not only increase your chances when it comes to hiring, but you also have a better shot at landing high-quality hires. Typically the best employees know that they can afford to prolong their job search looking for the best option. Showing that you can be flexible for them will lure them to your place of business.

Being flexible doesn’t always mean that you offer remote opportunities. Being willing to work with individual schedules, hire part-time help, and make unique accommodations is sometimes what it takes to get the best talent. This is particularly true for workers who haven’t reentered the workforce yet due to lingering concerns about the Covid-19 virus.

Review Your Compensation Package

Many former workers have concluded that they just aren’t getting paid enough for what they do. Besides, why go to work for 40 hours a week when you can get a comparable benefits package from the government while doing nothing? But, of course, that’s without even mentioning climbing inflation rates that wage increases have yet to match.

You don’t have to overpay by absurd amounts just to fill your vacant positions. However, it’s not a bad idea to take a look at your compensation package to reevaluate it. For example, how long has it been since you’ve increased your hourly wages? Are you providing fair access to insurance and retirement programs? The more improvements you can make, the more attractive your workplace will become.

Offer a Return Incentive

Some people just need a little nudge out the door to get back into the workforce. You can do your part by offering a return incentive for new hires. In addition, some exclusive offerings can get some workers out of the woodworks.

A typical example you can find is a signing bonus. Many a business trying to funnel in more job applications, a lump sum of $1,000 or so has been dangled. At the very least, this can get people thinking about applying for a job opening, whereas before, they were being more passive with their job search.

Other incentives might include your revamped benefits package, the ability to work remotely, or access to tools and software programs employees will need to perform their job to the fullest. But, again, choose incentives that fit the role you’re trying to fill that also draw in the type of employee you’re hoping to acquire.

Focus on Your Culture

Run a poll with your existing employees about your company culture. What do they like about the environment there? What aspects of the workplace could they do without? In many cases, good hires are found by word of mouth, and even your best employees might not be keen to spread the news about a job opening if they have a few gripes left unchecked.

For example, you might not have noticed a micromanagement trend seep from the top of your organization to the bottom. Of course, most employees hate being led by a micromanaging leader. But, even if the rest of the organization is up to par, the sour taste that micromanagement leaves in your mouth can make you forget about all of that some days.

Whatever problems you uncover by communicating with your team, look for a viable solution. For example, perhaps using an online calendar to better label due dates and meetings will cut down on some habits that may seem like micromanagement. In addition, by taking better care of your existing employees, not only will you draw in more talent, but your retention rates will be higher than ever.

Look to New Sources

If your usual hiring route keeps coming up empty, perhaps it’s time to try a different approach. There are multiple channels and platforms you can use to find new hires, and all of them are worth trying.

Previously you might have only relied on Facebook posts and window signs to advertise vacancies. Try a job posting website to expand your reach if that’s not working right now. Even branching out to different social media sites should better get your job postings on the map.

With Covid-19 not as prevalent an issue anymore, in-person events are another great place to go. For example, a job fair at a local college will be filled with inquisitive students who can at least fill a part-time or internship role to help your business out for the short term. Internship openings can also lead to exciting new opportunities for your business, such as an extensive onboarding process or a boosted relationship with your community.

While looking to fill roles, make decisions that will get you the best talent and retain your greatest employees. Think about the people you want to work with, and the rest of your organization will slowly fall into place.

Image Credit: Kampus Production; Pexels; Thank you!

Still Struggling to Hire? Here’s What You Should Do Differently was originally published on Calendar by John Hall.

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