The benefits of an organized new employee onboarding process is immense.
These statistics prove its value:
- Organizations with a standard onboarding process experience 50% greater new hire productivity overall.
- Onboarding programs have increased retention by 25%.
- Onboarding programs improve employee performance by up to 10%.
It’s not the benefits of onboarding that hold organizations back from implementing programs that work. It’s the time, money and manpower that keep leaders and their new hires from a highly engaging first few weeks on the job. That’s where new hire onboarding software comes in.
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What is Onboarding Software?
Onboarding software is technology that helps employers facilitate a smooth transition for new hires. Often, employee onboarding software features a digital dashboard that allows talent acquisition teams to easily communicate with one another and track the progress of each hire as they move through the employee onboarding stage of employment. This includes I-9 verification, compliance insight and tools, integrations for payroll and benefits administration. Some software even acts as a connection between the organization’s applicant tracking system and performance management system to provide a seamless transition in the new hire’s employment history.
Do You Need Onboarding Software?
There is a tool or software for just about every process your department has in place. The number of options can cause leaders to wonder just what is actually necessary for their company.
In general, companies should have an onboarding solution or tool if:
- Bringing a new hire onboard causes the HR team to spend most of their time sending, tracking, checking and filing paperwork instead of welcoming and working with the new employee.
- You work in a compliance-heavy industry.
- You’re experiencing onboarding hiccups, such as, forgetting to send a background check or missing I-9 deadlines.
- You have high turnover early on in an employee’s tenure.
These are indications of some common issues faced by companies that will benefit from onboarding software. If your organization is facing exponential growth, it might be time to start exploring your options before these issues begin.
Why Adopt Onboarding Software?
The first few weeks on a job are critical for both the success of a new employee and the relationship an employer forms with them. In fact, a third of employees surveyed stated they knew whether they would stay or leave a company after the first week on the job. Creating and maintaining an awesome onboarding experience that satisfies the new hire’s need for training and also keeps productivity levels at their peak is a challenge many organizations struggle with.
Employee onboarding should equip new hires with everything they need to be successful and satisfied within the company. That’s everything from establishing logistical employment standards to explaining unspoken internal collaboration rules.
Adopting employee onboarding software reduces the risk of missing out on crucial steps in the process because it standardizes the program for each new hire, while allowing customization for specific job titles and employment levels. What works for an executive hire will be completely different than that of an intern, but both will likely need new hire paperwork and introduction to the company mission, values and culture.
Employee onboarding software does this by providing these features:
Managing New Hire Paperwork
When bringing on a new hire, it can feel like the paperwork never ends. With onboarding software, employers can house all documents in one place as well as carry information from form to form, reducing time spent typing in redundant information.
Employment Documentation Compliance
Employment compliance is complicated, but onboarding software can help ensure your organization is using the latest forms while providing thorough explanation and guidance to the employees who are filling them out. From state tax forms to e-verified automation, a new hire onboarding software can help your team stay compliant while saving time.
Background Checks
Background checks are important for keeping your organization and new hire safe and protected, so it is essential that they are handled appropriately. With onboarding software, background checks can be sent with one click, and your team will receive automatic updates once the new hire has authorized the check, and again when results are in. No more chasing down authorizations or facing internal bottlenecks.
Automatic Workflows
Onboarding software will allow your organization to set up multiple automated workflows so that you can set something up once, then never worry about it again. Most softwares allows the organization to define a process for each role or department, including setting deadlines and reminders for the new hire and internal team with specific directions for each step. Once one step is completed, the responsible individual will be notified and given the next step to be completed in the process.
Access to Employee Information
This includes everything from benefits enrollment to employee handbooks. Because the system is a tool for both the employee and employer, both have access to essential employment information through it.
Progress Reporting
Do you know where your new hire is in the onboarding process? Do you know who will be training them tomorrow? With onboarding software, each step the new hire has completed is clearly displayed and easily followed by leadership. This functionality can also help audit the performance of the onboarding team, helping to improve the onboarding process as a whole.
Another thing you should know, is that ‘onboarding softwares’ and ‘new hire forms’ go hand-in-hand in the new-hire process.
What Forms are Needed for a New Employee?
Listed below are the required new hire forms when onboarding employees:
Employee Information Form
Gathers essential information on new hires, such as emergency contacts.
W-4
A Federal form that must be completed before the first paycheck is issued.
I-9
Federal form to ensure employment eligibility in the U.S.
Direct Deposit
Allows an employer to pay employees directly to their bank account.
Equal Opportunity Data Form
Necessary for companies with 100+ employees, or 50+ that handle federal contracts.
Self Identification Forms
Form to gather information on gender, race/ethnicity, and veteran status. Often required for federal contractors.
Background Check Forms
For some types of background checks, you’ll need the employee to fill out an authorization form.
W-2 Form
Must be filled out by the employer and received by each employee.
What are the Common Hiring Forms?
The most common types of employment forms include:
- Employment application.
- Employment agreement.
- Employment verification letter.
- Employee warning letter.
- Non-disclosure agreement.
What Identification Forms are Needed for Employment?
The following are acceptable forms of identification for employment:
- Driver’s license.
- Federal or State I.D. card with identifying information.
- School I.D. with a photograph.
- U.S. Armed Services identification card or draft record.
- Voter Registration Card.
- U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card.
- Native American tribal document.
- Driver’s license issued by a Canadian government authority.
What is I-9 Paperwork?
I-9 is the Employment Eligibility Verification paperwork. Employers must ensure each new employee properly fills out the I-9 paperwork.
What are the Acceptable I-9 Documents for New Hire Verification?
- An unexpired U.S. passport.
- A U.S. passport card.
- An unexpired temporary resident card.
- An unexpired employment authorization document.
- An unexpired employment authorization card.
- An unexpired temporary resident card.
- A permanent resident card (often called a “green card”).
- An alien registration receipt card with photograph.
The benefits of onboarding tools is that it saves you time, money and other resources. Imagine no longer wasting paper and data space required for bookkeeping, or hiring additional personnel simply to manage new hire paperwork. Implement these tools in your hiring process and watch your employees grow along with your company.
