Best Practices for Digital Onboarding

You probably already know that well-structured onboarding significantly reduces employee turnover and super-charges time-to-productivity. The new hire hits the ground running and will likely stay around longer. 
However, you may not have realised how onboarding impacts health and safety. According to WorkSafe, effectively communicating health and safety requirements during onboarding reduces workplace incidents among new employees. And that's critical in competency and compliance-focused industries like construction and manufacturing. ​

Why digital onboarding matters

Traditional paper-based onboarding isn’t always the best option for companies with multiple sites and on-the-go workers. Wading through a hefty information manual just doesn't work for busy employees. Nor does it make for an engaging experience that sets the right tone for a fruitful relationship with your workers. 
That’s where digital onboarding comes in. Taking the process online is a more efficient way of doing things. It reduces the admin burden for managers and means you can create a consistent experience for all. What’s more, anytime, anywhere access fits in with workers’ lifestyles.
Here are six best practices for digital onboarding to help new hires feel welcome, informed and productive from day one. ​

Top tips for digital onboarding for remote and deskless workers

1. Keep it simple

Remember, simplicity is key. Overloading employees with information will only add to their first-day stress. Instead, keep the onboarding process as straightforward as possible. Provide a user-friendly interface and break tasks into manageable chunks, making the process less overwhelming. ​

2. Make it interactive

Make onboarding more fun and engaging by incorporating interactive elements. Who doesn’t enjoy a good quiz? So why not create online assessments and quizzes to check understanding while also engaging new employees?

3. Ensure its mobile-friendly

Most construction, manufacturing, transport or logistics employees don't have a desk or a PC. For these workers, their mobiles are a lifeline, connecting them to head office. 
With mobile-friendly access and design, workers can complete their onboarding on any device, anytime, anywhere, significantly reducing the time-to-productivity.

4. Prioritise what’s important

With digital onboarding, you can create a customised solution that prioritises what's important to you. 
For many New Zealand businesses, this means workplace health and safety. Digital onboarding offers instant access to information about on-site hazards, safety procedures and compliance documentation. You can also document and confirm employees’ verifications of competence.  
Furthermore, a centralised onboarding platform is more straightforward to update than a paper manual. And workers can be confident they're accessing the very latest information.

5. Collect feedback

Regularly check in with new employees and get their feedback on the onboarding process through digital surveys and polls. Then, use the insights gained to refine and improve the onboarding process continuously. ​

6. Check out CheckSafe

Digital onboarding is super-easy with user-friendly online induction software. CheckSafe provides a paperless, mobile-friendly induction process that can be completed anywhere. Our system gives everyone the knowledge and safety protocols they need before they even set foot on site.
Find out how CheckSafe can transform your digital onboarding with a free demo today. ​