How LMS Improves Employee Onboarding and Orientation

Welcome to the world of employee onboarding, where first impressions are everything, and your new hires’ first few days are critical to setting the stage for their tenure in your organization. Now, imagine a tool that could streamline your employee onboarding process, making it more efficient, more effective, and more engaging. That tool is a Learning Management System (LMS).

If you are unfamiliar with the term, an LMS is a software application or web platform used by HRs to plan, deliver, manage, and assess a specific learning process. In the context of employee onboarding, an LMS can be used to automate, track, and improve the entire process. This is not only about introducing new employees to their roles; it’s about acclimating them to your company culture and setting them up for success.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how an LMS can enhance your workflow, and why you should consider implementing it in your organization. You’ll learn about the best practices for employee orientation, and discover some of the best onboarding software available on the market. So, let’s dive right in!

The employee onboarding process refers to the organized and deliberate approach in which new employees are integrated into the organization. From the moment a job offer is accepted, this process begins and continues until the new hire is fully settled into their role. It’s a journey that involves paperwork, training, and mentoring, designed to equip the employee with the necessary tools, skills, and knowledge to perform their job effectively.

It’s not about bombarding the new hire with information on the first day. Instead, it’s a gradual process that takes place over weeks or even months. The goal is to make the new employee feel welcomed, valued, and prepared for their role. It’s about instilling in them the vision, mission, values, and culture of the company.

However, it can be complex and time-consuming, especially when onboarding remote employees. The survey by Paychex shows that 36% of new remote employees struggle with the adaptation, and poor onboarding may cause them to leave. That’s where an LMS comes into play.

Onboarding is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it helps newcomers grasp what is expected of them, which is crucial for their performance and productivity. A well-planned employee onboarding program can significantly reduce the time it takes for a new hire to become productive, which can have a direct impact on the company’s profits.

Secondly, onboarding is an opportunity for the company to establish its culture, values, and expectations. It’s a chance to show new hires what the company stands for, how it operates, and what it expects from its employees. This can lead to increased engagement, retention, and job satisfaction.

Perhaps most importantly, onboarding is the first step in building a relationship between the new hire and the company. Successful employee onboarding training can lead to a positive employee experience, which can have far-reaching benefits for both the employee and the company.

Onboarding directly impacts the productivity, engagement, and retention of the new hire. For example, a tech company might have a comprehensive onboarding program that includes classroom training on their products, one-on-one mentoring with an experienced team member, and social events to introduce the newcomer to the team.

IT companies are prone to having smaller, tight-knit teams within large departments, so Buffer’s experience of including every team member into the onboarding process can also work for small businesses. It ensures quicker integration and reinforces learning for the new employee, and gives the sense of significance to the rest of the team as well.

In contrast, a retail store might have a more hands-on employee onboarding process, with the newcomer placed on the shop floor to learn about the products, customer service, and store operations. In fact, Walmart’s orientation day is a jam-packed schedule of sales and communication training, as well as diving into the company’s culture.

Regardless of the industry or company size, a well-thought-out onboarding process should leave the new member feeling confident, capable, and part of the team.

The onboarding process can be divided into several stages. These steps may vary depending on the company and the role, but they generally include the following:

• Pre-boarding involves engaging with the new recruit beforehand:
• Company information, introductory videos, or e-learning modules

• Orientation is introducing the new hire to the company’s mission, vision, values, policies, and procedures:
• Presentations, videos, or interactive modules

• Training involves providing the new employee with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their role:
• Job-specific training, product training, or soft skills training

• Socialization: is about giving opportunities for the new hire to build relationships with their colleagues and superiors:
• Team-building activities, networking events, or mentoring programs

• Feedback and evaluation involves evaluating the new recruit’s performance and providing feedback:
• Assessments, surveys, or one-on-one meetings

Learning Management Systems can significantly improve the process because, you can create a standardized program that can be accessed by new hires anytime, anywhere.

1. The first step includes creating the onboarding training content, such as e-learning modules, videos, quizzes, and surveys. The content should be engaging, relevant, and easy to understand.
2. Next, you need to assign the curriculum to the new hires. This can be done by creating a learning path for each new team member, which outlines the courses they need to complete and the order in which they should complete them. The SaaS onboarding software can then track progress and provide real-time data on their performance.
3. The final step is to evaluate the effectiveness of the process. This can be done by analyzing the data provided by the LMS, such as completion rates, test scores, and feedback. This will help you identify any gaps in the onboarding process and make the necessary improvements.

You can upload all the necessary training materials, documents, videos, and quizzes onto the platform. This not only saves time, but also ensures that all new hires receive the same level of training. Furthermore, online onboarding software can facilitate social learning by allowing new employees to connect with their peers, ask questions, and share knowledge. This can be particularly beneficial for remote employees, who might otherwise feel isolated or disconnected.

Speaking of industry-leading LMS tools, there is some software available that can aid in creating an effective onboarding process. These employee onboarding solutions range from comprehensive HR platforms to more learning-specific tools:

An effective onboarding process is crucial for assimilating new people into the company and setting them up for success. With the rise of remote work and digital technologies, LMS has proven to be a valuable tool in improving this process.

By leveraging SaaS onboarding best practices, you can provide a standardized, interactive, and engaging training program that can be accessed anywhere, anytime. This not only improves the new hire’s experience but also benefits the organization in terms of increased productivity, engagement, and retention.

As we move towards a more digital future, the role of onboarding tools will only continue to grow. So, whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, now is the time to invest in an LMS and take your onboarding process to the next level.

BY VERONIKA SINITSA