How HR Software Enhances Employee Onboarding

Onboarding has a greater impact on a new employee's experience at a company than many people think. It is the first real impression they get of the way you work as their new employer and it is crucial to their engagement and perception of the new workplace and ultimately their success.

Research has shown that successful onboarding can increase employee retention by 82% and productivity by more than 70% - showing the importance of getting onboarding right. However, many companies seem to be failing to achieve this, with Gallup research finding that only 12% of employees believe their company has a good onboarding process.

When a new employee is faced with a mix of emails, physical documents, and a multitude of company portals, it can be overwhelming and confusing. This is where HR software comes into play to streamline the entire process and ensure that every new employee feels welcome, organized and competent from day one.

HR software for success

Onboarding begins before an employee's first day of work so that they feel part of the team once they accept your offer. With HR solutions like IceHrm, you can easily set up new employees in the system and give them immediate access to the self-service feature so they can familiarize themselves with the interface and enter all the necessary data - allowing them to be proactive from day one.

Before they even set foot in your office, they can "get to know" their new colleagues and get a feel for the company culture by receiving updates and news. As a result, the employee becomes more familiar with the company and the anticipation of the new job increases, which in turn promotes integration.

HR software can also help get the boring - but important - things out of the way. Most HR solutions allow managers to send documents and information online so that employees can read them before their first day and sign them if necessary. This saves valuable face-to-face time - be it physical or virtual - for connecting with the team and immersing yourself in the company.

HR systems keep everything in one place

An all-in-one HR system like IceHrm serves as a hub for all the information a new employee needs. Here you will find useful information about the company's procedures and processes, social benefits and occupational health and safety - so new employees can easily answer their questions.

They can also view their own HR profile here and check their timesheets, payslips and annual leave. This increases employee engagement with the software and gives them the opportunity to take control of certain aspects of their employment rather than relying on their direct manager or the HR team.

This can make a big difference for remote teams who may not be able to reach out to HR to request time off or verify a missing payroll, for example.

There's a lot to learn in the first week at a new job, so it's only natural that things will be forgotten - perhaps you haven't received the signed health and safety form, or you still have some online training to complete. However, you can also send your new employees reminders and notifications via the HR system to gently alert them to pending actions.
And that works both ways. New employees can also send you questions or reminders, allowing communication regardless of their work location. IceHrm's cloud-based software can be used from anywhere, at any time.

How HR technologies will influence the future of onboarding

Our technology allows you to streamline the entire onboarding process, making it more efficient for both your existing team and new employees. It also ensures you comply with employment regulations while serving as a secure database for all employee information.

HR software can make the difference between a good and a bad onboarding experience. In our opinion, integrating HR software into your onboarding process is an absolute must.

If you'd like to learn more about how to make the most of your onboarding, visit our free user guide here or book a demo to see IceHrm in action.