
Onboarding Checklist: Optimize your onboarding process using an HRIS

Key takeaways:
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A human resources information system (HRIS) is a software solution to improve core HR functions and workforce management. HR teams use HRIS systems to build simplified and successful onboarding programs that enhance employee engagement, retention, and experience.
Before jumping into the onboarding checklist, here’s a quick overview of tech’s role in onboarding and what you should look for when selecting future tech.
The role of tech in onboarding
Technology and data can simplify onboarding in both asynchronous and in-person work environments and make your new hires feel more confident about joining your organization.
Below are the six qualities to consider when choosing HR tech:
Data security
As you scope new tools to adopt in your onboarding process, you first need to consider the security of data management. The right people will need access to private information when necessary, but this shouldn’t be widely available to all.
Compliance is essential here because if your organization operates across several countries, you’ll need tech that provides a standard level of security that complies with varying GDPR requirements worldwide.
Automation
Your tech must also automate collaboration across organizational functions to help you avoid manual communication and micromanagement and provide greater autonomy and flexibility.
Automation can include the following:
- Send and collect new hire paperwork
- Welcome emails
- Timed messages
- Project reminders
- Step completion
- Progress updates
- Workflows
Intelligence
Experience
Root cause analysis
Program access mapping
Program access mapping is essential if you ever consider applying for a SOC2 certification, as the auditors will look at the history of your procedures and the people involved.
If you’re looking for a new HRIS, check out A Buyer’s Guide to HRIS: How to Find an HRIS Built for the Future.
HRIS onboarding checklist
Stage one: Plan and design
The following checks will set you up for success when planning and designing your onboarding program with an HRIS.
Define requirements, current state, and future expectations
Identify key stakeholders and users
If you need to provide equipment, ensure clear communication around when new hires can expect to receive their equipment and that it arrives ahead of their start date, so they’re ready to begin their new job.
Need an equipment provider? We’ve partnered with Hofy to provide remote employees and contractors with the right equipment wherever they are in just a few clicks.
Forecast impacts and limitations
This is also an excellent time to determine your onboarding process’s limitations. Perhaps the limitation is the scope of your tech stack or the headcount dedicated to the onboarding process. Knowing where your process could fall short will help you prioritize during the build.
Determine success metrics
Onboarding metrics and KPIs to track performance can include the following:
- Retention rate
- Engagement rate
- Completion rate
- Feature adoption rate
- Activation rate
- Number of onboarding support tickets per day
Arrange teams and tools to optimize impact and tracking
The last check in the plan and design phase is to arrange your teams which involves communicating the role each team member will play within the onboarding program and their cross-functional impact. You should also explain the tools you plan to track and optimize that impact.
Auto-onboard anyone
Stage two: Develop and test
The following checks will help you develop and test what the onboarding program will look like at this stage.
Create a high-level experience map
A high-level experience map will help you ascertain how you indent every new hire to work through each step of the onboarding process. When can the new hire escalate to the next stage? Who do they need to meet with? What onboarding tasks must they complete?
Carefully planning the process will help new hires ramp up faster and familiarize them with the company culture, company policies and procedures, employee handbook, and overarching team structure.
Mapping also helps streamline the onboarding process for the broader team since everyone involved will know what’s coming up next and can plan their schedule accordingly.
Research norms and differentiators
Throughout the new hires’ onboarding journey, it’s wise to communicate the norms and differentiators of your organization. This information will help new hires understand their niche and how they can drive the business strategy forward. As a result, new hires will be more engaged throughout onboarding and the rest of their lifecycle at the company.
When creating your onboarding program, incorporate the overarching company goals. You want new hires to:
- Understanding the greater global market
- Create baseline knowledge of the different teams and how they work together
- Outline how the individual impacts the strategy and outcomes
Mock trial the experience, tools, and automation and get early feedback
Stage three: Launch and feedback
Communicate widely and tailor to learning styles
Collect feedback and translate it into data (NPS)
This is a great time to obtain an NPS (net promoter score) to gauge the new hire’s onboarding experience. Requesting an NPS survey at the end of the new hires’ first week, first month, first quarter, and the first year will provide a clear idea of how they feel they are developing during that time frame.
Top tip: Managers should collate frequently asked questions (FAQs) from new hires to build a list of standardized answers you can share during onboarding.
Stage four: Reiterate
Interpret feedback
Adjust low-barrier functionality
If something requires more structural reorganization that involves more significant spending or involvement, open the discussion to a wider group for additional feedback and advice before creating a long-term plan.
To learn more about how using an HRIS is a critical enabler of success, check out our webinar: Simplify onboarding and increase employee engagement using an HRIS.
Streamline onboarding with Deel HR
- Easy onboarding that covers equipment, workspaces, background checks, localized contracts, benefits administration, and app provisioning
- Consolidated people management that keeps expenses, time off, documents, visa procurement and eligibility, and your entire people directory in one place
- Visual reporting for headcount planning, retention, global costs, and payroll to clearly understand the health of your entire organization
- Deel Engage plugins for PTO, Pulse Surveys, Org Charts (feature coming soon), Referrals, One-on-Ones, and more to help you track and increase engagement and employee satisfaction