What Are the C’s of Onboarding?

Onboarding employees can be a challenging task if you don’t have the right tools. And using an onboarding process checklist can help you get it just right. But what other tools can you use when onboarding new non-desk employees like construction workers? You can use the 5 C’s! In this blog, we explain how the 5 C’s work and how they impact the onboarding process.

What Are the 5 C’s of Employee Onboarding?

The 5 C’s of onboarding are a scientific framework, created by Talya Bauer, Ph. D., to simplify the difficult task of onboarding new employees. Using the foundations of compliance, clarification, confidence, connections, and culture, you can successfully onboard your new non-desk employees, despite its challenges. So what is the ideal onboarding process? Let’s explain the 5 keys to onboarding in more detail.

Compliance

Compliance is all about getting your new non-desk employee set up with everything they need to do their job—including paperwork, equipment, or communication devices like phones. Essentially, you need to make sure new employees are prepared for day one and beyond. Have your new employees received and signed their contracts—and other essential legal forms? Is there a handbook or set of rules? Who should they contact when they need assistance? Do they need formal training and certifications like a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or hazmat? All of these compliance steps help your employees adhere to any policies or laws during and after the onboarding process.

Clarification

Clarification refers to the process that helps your newest non-desk employee to understand their responsibilities and any expectations you have. This includes outlining goals and scheduling regular performance check-ins. Naturally, it’s difficult to pick up the basic skills required for the job without a point of contact, especially for employees who don’t work in an office. Management and HR—or a dedicated mentor—should always be available for new hires to ask questions. Ultimately, onboarding clarification initiatives need to focus on raising new employees’ confidence in their abilities and overall satisfaction with their position. With two-way communication services like Yourco, you can easily and quickly provide clarification to non-desk employees out on a job.

Confidence

While confidence and clarification are closely related, confidence refers to the tools and support you give your new employees during onboarding—so they feel positive about their abilities in their new role. When employees take initiative early on, they feel more invested in their success. That means supporting your team is essential to the success of new non-desk employees, who might not have the same resources as an office worker. When it comes down to it, boosting an employee’s confidence leads to a better work ethic and more investment in your company.

Connections

Your new non-desk employees need to build connections with their coworkers, plain and simple. In fact, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 70% of workers with one to five work friends would reject a job offer from another company—i.e., they stick around. Plus, employee satisfaction skyrockets when they’re connected with their coworkers. And it’s important that, as an HR representative or manager, you initiate and foster these relationships during onboarding to help new employees feel like they belong. You should create opportunities for new hires to socialize with their coworkers, find a mentor, or simply provide a space where they can ask questions and share their ideas.

Culture

Culture refers to the level that new employees are familiar with the company’s set objectives and basic values. What is your company’s history? Why do you do things a certain way? How do you manage and grade performance? Getting your new non-desk employee acclimated to the environment—and expectations—throughout the onboarding process is important to make them feel comfortable and secure in their position.

More recently, a sixth “C” has been added to the employee onboarding process: Checkback. Checkback is the practice of following up with new hires at various stages in their onboarding process to ensure they are integrating successfully and achieving their professional goals within the company. With Yourco, you can schedule tips, tricks, and documents to be delivered at different times of the day, so as not to overwhelm your new employees.

What Are the Five Key Steps in Order of the Onboarding Process?

The onboarding process can be complicated, and while there are many ideas to improve the onboarding process, following these five steps will help you give your new non-desk employees the guidance they need to succeed:

• Pre-Onboarding: Before your new hire walks through the door, start preparing for their first day. What documents do they need? Who do they need to be in touch with? Is equipment set up and ready for day one?
• First Day: It’s time to make a good first impression and give your new hire the tools and information they need to start their job. Introduce yourself and the team and get them involved right away.
• First Week: Continue to make your new hire feel valued while clearly introducing company culture, necessary processes and identifying goals. Set frequent meetings to check in during the onboarding process.
• First Month: The new employee will be able to put their training into effect after their first few weeks on the job. It’s okay if your direct reports make mistakes while they learn the basics. Continue to check in regularly with your new hires.
• Beyond the First Month: New employees typically learn the most within their first month on the job. Now that they’ve made it past the first month, employees can continue on the path to achieving their long-term performance goals. Regular check-ins with non-desk employees should still be a part of their onboarding process throughout the following months—especially because they’re away so often. Before your new hire walks through the door, start preparing for their first day. What documents do they need? Who do they need to be in touch with? Is equipment set up and ready for day one?
• First Day: It’s time to make a good first impression and give your new hire the tools and information they need to start their job. Introduce yourself and the team and get them involved right away.
• First Week: Continue to make your new hire feel valued while clearly introducing company culture, necessary processes and identifying goals. Set frequent meetings to check in during the onboarding process.
• First Month: The new employee will be able to put their training into effect after their first few weeks on the job. It’s okay if your direct reports make mistakes while they learn the basics. Continue to check in regularly with your new hires.
• Beyond the First Month: New employees typically learn the most within their first month on the job. Now that they’ve made it past the first month, employees can continue on the path to achieving their long-term performance goals. Regular check-ins with non-desk employees should still be a part of their onboarding process throughout the following months—especially because they’re away so often.

What Is the Best Tool for New Employee Onboarding? Yourco!

Yourco is specially designed to help your non-desk employees during the onboarding process. With Yourco you have the capability to connect with your new hires from day one. Whether they’re a truck driver or construction worker, employees always have access to texts, even without data plans or an internet connection, which is especially important for new hires. Yourco offers many features including translations, schedule sending, and the ability to share SOPs & training documents via SMS. Take advantage of two-way communication with Yourco. Try for free or contact us today to learn more.