Top 6 Tips for Successfully Retaining Pre-Hires Through Pre-Boarding
Talented people who fit the company culture are hard to find. Once you find them, there is a risk that while waiting for them to join your company, another employer makes them an offer. 65% of employers say they have had job seekers accept an offer and then not show up on their first day (Talentful).
Whilst new hires cannot begin working before their start date, they can be introduced to the company, learn about their role and the organization, and included in team activities.
Why Did We Need a Process Like This?
Pinsight is a virtual-first company with employees around the globe. One of our most recent hires had to give 2-months’ notice for their change of employment. Longer lead times are becoming more common, especially outside of the United States. Our challenge was to keep them engaged during this time and to ensure a successful start-up and onboarding process down the road.
The pre-boarding process we followed is outlined below:
| Phase of Pre-Boarding | What Pinsight Does |
|---|---|
| They’ve Accepted the Job | • Welcome and virtual introductions to the team • Share the company materials and starter pack information • Video from our CEO on company values, culture, and organizational structure |
| Assessment Feedback & Development Plan | • Provide assessment feedback • Create a leadership development plan • Provide access to the company’s e-learning programs • Regular check-ins to discuss progress and experiences |
| Kick-off Meetings | • Virtual team planning meetings • Join the company’s Slack channel • Attend the monthly company-wide Town Hall meetings • Send a welcome note/video from the entire team for the start day |
What did we learn from the Pre-boarding Process?
By the time the new hire started working for us:
- They already knew a lot about the company, its values, and its culture.
- They knew about the team structure, team projects, and priorities.
- They were able to jump right into their work once they began, thus speeding up the onboarding phase by several weeks.
So, how do you ensure that your new hire’s pre-boarding process is enough to keep them engaged, interested, and excited about the work they’ll be doing? Here are some top tips:
Top 6 Tips to Ensure Successful Pre-boarding:
- Pre-boarding is a shared activity, not just an HR role.
- Allocate a dedicated contact person and have regular conversations with the new hire so they feel connected to the company before they start.
- Send a brief friendly and personalized video to the new hire with introductions to the team, photos, and fun facts. (See 360 Learning’s Remote Onboarding Playbook for more ideas (www.360learning.com).
- Invite the new hire to team meetings and company-wide activities.
- Ask the CEO to welcome the new hire with a personalized video focusing on the company values, ethics, and culture so the new hire knows more about the company and what is expected of them.
- Once the new hire starts working, invite them to the team and company-wide virtual meetings and encourage them to contribute so they feel involved and others can get to know them. See another blog on this topic.
At Pinsight we offer online assessment tools followed by a developmental App so new hires can start working immediately on their personalized leadership development plan. For more information please see www.pinsight.com.
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