After effective recruitment and selection, one of the most important ways organisations can improve their talent management systems is through the strategic use of onboarding.
Onboarding refers to the processes in which newly appointed employees are integrated into the organisation. Onboarding is often confused with orientation. While orientation is necessary for completing paperwork and other routine tasks, onboarding is a comprehensive process involving management and other employees.
All new employees are onboarded, but the quality of the onboarding makes a difference. Too often, onboarding consists of handing a new employee a pile of forms and having a supervisor or HR professional walk the employee around the premises, giving introductions on an ad hoc basis. However, when onboarding is done well, it lays a foundation for long-term employee and employer success. It includes activities that allow new employees to complete an orientation process and learn about the organisation and its structure, culture, vision, mission, and values. It can improve productivity, build loyalty and engagement, and help employees become successful early in their careers with the new organisation.
The mission and vision statements of a company help direct the organisational strategy. Both provide purpose and goals, which are necessary elements of a strategy. They outline the audience for the business and what that audience finds important. By identifying these elements, the business executives can develop a more step-by-step strategy that helps the company achieve its mission in the short term and its vision in the long term. Mission and vision statements help businesses to outline performance standards and metrics based on the goals they want to achieve. They also provide employees with a specific goal to attain, promoting efficiency and productivity.
Mission and vision statements aren’t only necessary for employees and business owners when it comes to the organisational strategy, they also apply to external stakeholders like customers, partners and suppliers. The mission and vision statements can be used as a public-relations tool to attract media attention, engage specific audience segments, and develop business partnerships with like-minded companies.
No matter the industry, every organisation needs policies and procedures to operate effectively and successfully. Together, they guide your organisation and reduce the risk of liability. In addition, they promote consistency across the organisation for both employees and customers. This consistency builds a healthy reputation for your organisation, especially regarding employee touchpoints with customers.
Successful organisations don’t see their HR policies as just a compliance requirement. Instead, they recognise that these vital components set guidelines and parameters for how their business operates. Workplace policies have received a poor reputation, sometimes for being long or voluminous. However, in practice, a well-drafted set of workplace policies can play an essential role in protecting the employer’s interests while creating a positive workplace culture.
Without adequate and well-developed policies and procedures, there are no rules. And unfortunately, without defined rules, people create their own.
Article By: Marco Horak
Dispute Resolution Official – CEO Cape Town