Making a Company Orientation and On-boarding Process for Filipino Companies

An important part of welcoming employees into the fold is through the company orientation process. The orientation is defined as “a function that allows a new employee to learn about the organization, what the expectations are in the position, who is responsible and accountable, and in general what they need to know to become an integral part of the company.” – Effortless HR blog

But contrary to common practice, experts advise that the orientation should also put emphasis on the employee himself, rather than the standard seminar where it’s all about the company. Here are a few guidelines on how to make your company orientation process an effective one.

The employee should feel that he is a good fit for the company.
After a brief primer on company structure, vision, and goals, it is also equally important for the orientation to focus on company culture. That way, the new hires will get a semblance as to how they will find their place in the company. Orientations which focused on “enabling newcomers to express their individuality” led to an increase in both employee retention and customer satisfaction, according to research by Administrative Science Quarterly. This shows that employees who feel that they belong, will absolutely put in their best efforts into the company, thus leading to good results.

The orientation process is only part of a well-rounded program.
Relying on the orientation process alone would not cut it. Even before applying to the company, the applicant must have already been assimilated into the company. This is called the ‘on-boarding process’, which familiarizes the employee to what the company is all about, and most importantly, job understanding and expectations. Ideally, the employee should have applied not because of the salary, but because he knows fully well that being part of this office will take him the furthest in his career goals. The HR must therefore see to it that the on-boarding and orientation should be part of a well-functioning whole, and that the respective goals for each program are not confused or overlap.

Keep the orientation brief but effective.
The ultimate goal of the company orientation process is for the employee to adjust and transition easily. Spending 2 weeks on orienting the employee would prove futile, as valuable man hours are wasted; office hours that could have been converted to productive company output. Thus, the HR must also see to it that the employee is fulfilling his end of the learning process. He must not be merely listening to the HR lectures; he must be taking down notes himself, or he must demonstrate (by way of a quiz, or a practical test with the client or customer) that he is qualified for his job description.

Conclusion
In fine, the company orientation process is important because it is one of the first impressions of the employee into the company. Lest he think of the company as a cold and uncaring structure, it must be impressed upon him that the company cares; a company that is ultimately interested in the success of its employees; a company that is in it for the long run.