In this post, I am going to discuss how implementing a thorough onboarding process has made my life 10 times easier with me training new staff. I share what I know to help other trade business owners improve both their personal and business lives.
The Onboarding Process
Simply put, an onboarding process has been of tremendous help when getting new staff up to speed as quickly and efficiently as possible, with things like; industry terminology, standards, and also the day to day processes that we implement within our business.
For me, I will say that one of the biggest challenges that I faced with creating onboarding templates in my trade business was taking the time out to actually do it!
I only stopped to hire people when I was too busy. In fact, I needed to take a step back and create an effective onboarding template, so that I could allow my new employee/s to get onboard quickly and efficiently, and very thoroughly. This way, they could easily undertake and take tasks off me as they progress quickly into the business.
Creating an Onboarding Template
Initially, the biggest obstacle I faced was that I just did not know where to start; like with most other things. I was literally lost in the business, with no idea of what to do. The reason for me actually hiring a new person was to try and considerably lighten my load, but I just could not find the time to create a good onboarding template, and still have the time to review and document that process before the new employee started.
However, I found it to be quite a simple process to overcome this challenge. What I did is, I simply removed myself. I decided one day just to take a day off, worked from home and I documented a lot of the processes that this new employee would need to implement; then, the tasks that they could take off as soon as they started. These tasks were a considerable burden to me time wise, and there was no reason why a new employee could handle these tasks instead if they knew what they were doing.
After carefully doing this, I executed checklists for each task that they would need to undertake on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, and set expectations for each of those tasks. All of these led to my employees having a clear definition of exactly what I wanted and needed them to do, and why.
My Realisation
The one thing I do regret is not realising sooner how much easier it was going to make my life, and how much time it would save me. There is a difference between a new employee taking 6 or 8 months to come on board fully, versus the process that can be cut down to the shortest minimum – one or two weeks, with implementing an onboarding template.
The process also brings that staff member up to speed as quickly as possible, making them efficient and maximising their value in your business. They can immediately start undertaking some tasks and making you money.
If you had a better idea of how much onboarding and using an onboarding template would save you in your business, I can bet you would implement it tomorrow.
Keeping New Staff in the Loop
It is also very important that you inform your new staff member that you are onboarding, and to review that onboarding template as your working relationship progresses, and they work their way through it. This means that they enter your business with new, fresh ideas, a clear mind, and can help you review, revamp and improve that process greatly for the next employee.
The thing about an onboarding template is its never-ending cycle. They continually evolve. They are always improving, and the more hands, the better they get. The more people that are on-boarded, the more people that go through the process. It is very simple.
Plain and simply put, onboarding has completely changed my business hiring process, as it allows me to get better quality candidates who are well suited to the job, and it has made it easier for staff to get on board quickly and efficiently. If you are still curious or need some extra help, do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for reading. If you have further questions or need help and guidance, remember we are here to help, always.
