5 questions leaders should ask for successful employee onboarding

Congratulations! You’ve just hired a new employee. It’s time for someone else to step in and get them onboarded. Right?

Not so fast. It’s no longer enough to simply plug new team members into your onboarding journey (even if it’s a really good process with clear purpose).

Today’s employees want connection at all stages. So the importance of human-centered onboarding can’t be overstated. Relationships and a feeling of belonging build stronger foundations than introductions to tools and “the way we do things here.”

Yet too often, human connection is missing from the process. In a CareerBuilder and SilkRoad study, over a third of new hires said they felt their manager didn’t play a prominent role in supporting their onboarding experience. Worse, nearly 10 per cent said they have left a company because of a poor new-hire experience.

It’s safe to say that you want people to come, stay, and do their best work in your organization. To achieve this, you must create connection and meaning right from the start, by taking an active role in helping your new employee settle in and be set up for success.

The most effective and meaningful way of doing that is to get curious, and ask questions. I’ve felt firsthand the power of being asked questions, in my onboarding phase at Within People. Questions create space for two-way dialog and personal expression, and help a new person feel valued and engaged.

5 Questions To Ask New Hires To Create Meaningful Work Long-Term

Here are the five most memorable questions Within’s leaders asked me in my first weeks with the organization. These questions helped me declare my own desires and preferences for meaningful work, but also gave me a window into the culture and connection to the people I had recently joined.

1. WHAT’S YOUR WORK STYLE?

Gone are 9-to-5 days for office workers. Where, how, and when we work is now personal choice (unless you work for Elon Musk). Understanding those preferences is key to helping new hires feel welcomed and understood. Digging into this nitty-gritty right at the start helps everyone understand how to work better, together. Tools like Manual of Me are a lovely way to capture this in an open and friendly way.

2. HOW DO YOU LIKE TO LEARN?

One of the first questions posed to me, and also one of the most powerful. This question emphasizes a desire to understand what a new person needs, when so much is new and different. It also signals inclusion; we’re not all wired the same, and we process information at different rates, in different ways. Onboarding – whether remote or in person – is about learning (about information, culture, people or processes). But it takes employees roughly 12 months to reach their peak potential. That could change dramatically if we understand how people like to learn.

3. HOW CAN I HELP CONNECT YOU?

Employee disconnection and loneliness are costing organizations in the billions due to high turnover, lowered productivity, and absenteeism. A sense of camaraderie, and meaningful relationships, are the antidotes to workplace disconnection. Ask your new hire how you can help connect them; it’s crucial to their overall well-being and the success of your company.

4. HOW DO YOU WANT TO GROW HERE?

Lack of career development is one of the leading reasons people leave their jobs. According to CultureAmp research, employees without access to consistent development opportunities are twice as likely to leave within a year. When you ask this question immediately, it helps everyone understand how a new employee wants to develop. As a leader, you get clarity on what’s important to this person, and you can then step into understanding how you can support their growth (and help them stay).

5. WHAT DO YOU HAVE THE APPETITE TO TACKLE RIGHT NOW?

Too often, we expect new hires to plug in and perform, without asking what they’re up for. We assume that everyone will be raring to go, champing at the bit to take on whatever is thrown at them. When we ask this question, we acknowledge that individuals have varying degrees of comfort, knowledge, and confidence at the start. Let your new person set the course and inspire them to own their journey.

Keep asking questions, long after onboarding

Don’t stop asking questions once your new team employee reaches the end of their onboarding phase. Staying curious and listening carefully should be part of your presence and practice as a leader, regardless of how new or seasoned your people are. After all, it’s tough to build an equitable employee experience if you don’t hear from the people at the heart of it.

Onboarding is the door to your employee experience. Need help crafting your employee journey? Get in touch!