Onboarding Done Right: Questions to Ask 90 Days After Hire
A smooth and focused onboarding process is crucial for the long-term success of new hires at your company. In fact, a 2009 study by the Aberdeen Group of senior executives found that 86 percent of respondents felt that a new hire’s decision to stay with a company long-term is made within the first six months of employment.
Communicating with new hires at the 90-day mark and continuing an effective onboarding plan during the first year of employment will help to ensure they have everything they need to excel.
Questions you should be asking new hires
The best way to know how a new employee is feeling during the onboarding period is to ask them. Their answers will help you plan the next steps in the process and improve your onboarding plan for future hires. Consider asking new employees these questions after 90 days:
- Did the onboarding process make you feel valued?
- Do you have the resources to do your job more than adequately?
- What can make our company more attractive to key talent like you?
What your onboarding plan should look like 90 days after hire
Many people make the mistake of thinking of the onboarding period as only the first few weeks on the job. While onboarding is crucial in the first months, it is equally important to continue the process in the months that follow. Don’t forget about these key steps of an effective onboarding plan after the first 90 days:
- Continue to build internal relationships: It is critical for new hires, especially executives, to build relationships with the other members of your team. Internal relationships can directly affect progress.
- Make introductions to external parties that are appropriate to the position: New executives are often very busy learning the ins and outs of their new company. Don’t lose sight of planning out how to introduce them to key external contacts that will make them more successful in their position.
- Build company knowledge at multiple levels: Your new hire likely has a good surface-level understanding at this point, but companies are complex and leadership positions require knowledge at multiple levels. They’ll need to dive deep into your company’s strategy, history, structure, and systems and processes.
- Set key initiatives for 90 and 180 day goals: One of the most important steps in an onboarding plan is setting measurable goals for future progress. Setting initiatives will encourage your new hire to work hard and be accountable.
- Schedule feedback sessions: Giving and getting feedback is a key component of onboarding. To ensure that time does not slip away from you, set up times to review a 3-6 Month Observation Report with your new hire about their progress, and ask them for feedback on the company, too. It helps to create a better understanding of what their current status is and what they need for continued growth.
The onboarding process is meant to be a helpful tool to transition a new hire into a valuable and educated high-level employee. Invest in successful, long-term employees by implementing an onboarding plan for your company that continues to educate and encourage growth throughout the entire first year of employment. If you need assistance creating an onboarding plan that’s right for your company and its varying positions, contact The Overture Group.