---
title: Onboarding Strategies That Make A Difference
description: When it comes to onboarding new employees, we recommend you take the following steps to create a solid onboarding process to help welcome new team members.
---

[Knowledge Base Articles Archive | LeaderStat ](https://www.leaderstat.com/knowledge-base)

# [Onboarding Strategies That Make A Difference](https://www.leaderstat.com/knowledge-base/onboarding-strategies-that-make-a-difference)

 Written by [LS Admin](https://www.leaderstat.com/knowledge-base/author/ls-admin) | Dec 15, 2020

[As seen in McKnight's Long-Term Care News](https://www.mcknights.com/marketplace/marketplace-experts/onboarding-strategies-that-make-a-difference/)

“Of course, we onboard. Doesn’t everyone?”

While most facility leaders would say their organizations use onboarding for new hires, the real question to consider is how effective that onboarding process is from a new employee’s perspective.

Because healthcare workers are so desperately needed, new employees have options. Whether it’s a job with a different organization or a counteroffer from their current position, if the new organization isn’t communicative with the new hire, they will be less apt to make that leap into a new position.

Even after a competitive offer has been received, many candidates admit that a lack of communication from the prospective employer leads them to look elsewhere. After all, tackling a new job can be an intimidating, anxiety-filled prospect — an aspect of the hiring process that long-time hiring managers can often forget.

A quick start date can help prevent a case of cold feet. Management must remember that an effective onboarding plan should begin the minute an offer is extended.

We also recommend you take the following steps to create a solid onboarding process to help welcome new team members:

**Be available and be encouraging.**  
Provide contact information and extend a genuine “ask me anything” invitation. Be encouraging to show you understand how being the new guy/gal can be tricky.

**Create a sense of excitement.**   
Send a “Welcome to the Team” email to the new hire and copy the team. In a separate communication, request that the team/department members also reach out via email welcoming the new hire.

**Outline expectations for what Day 1, Week 1 and Month 1 will look like.**  
Include everything from what to wear — scrubs, business attire, something in between — to parking info, lunch and break routine details, and anything pertinent about the organization. As soon as possible, provide a work schedule that specifies assigned shifts and addresses when the new hire will be shadowing versus being on his/her own. Explain how upcoming holidays or special events will be managed.

**And about that onboarding schedule . . .**  
Plan various activities, training scenarios, and connecting-with-co-worker situations to ramp up the new employee’s engagement. Steer clear of a process that plants him or her in a room with a bunch of training videos for an extended time.

**Make the first day awesome.**  
Set your new hire up for success by rolling out the welcome mat on the first day on the job. Arrange for a workstation to be set up in an orderly fashion, have a name tag ready to go and assemble an array of company swag. Make every effort to extend a warm welcome with words and actions. Share a detailed onboarding schedule with a reminder that all questions are welcome.

**Assign a mentor.**  
For many positions, a mentor-new hire relationship makes sense, contributing positively to both sides of the hiring scenario. Such an arrangement demonstrates an investment in the new employee’s success in a very tangible way.

A reliable onboarding program with a purposeful, thorough focus will pay compounding dividends across the company as it brings in and retains skilled employees committed to your organization’s high standard of patient care.

     

                          <https://www.leaderstat.com/about-us/meet-our-team/Kendra-Nicastro>              <https://www.leaderstat.com/about-us/meet-our-team/Jami-Brett>

*[Kendra Nicastro](https://www.leaderstat.com/about-us/meet-our-team/Kendra-Nicastro) is director of business development and [Jami Brett](https://www.leaderstat.com/about-us/meet-our-team/Jami-Brett) is an executive recruiter at LeaderStat, an interim leadership, executive recruiting and healthcare consulting firm.*

[View full post](https://www.leaderstat.com/knowledge-base/onboarding-strategies-that-make-a-difference)

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