HR industry experts have devoted a lot of time and research into demystifying millennial employees, only to discover that this younger generation has more in common with mature, seasoned employees than once thought.
This is especially true when it comes to the desire for day-one productivity. The C-suite values new hires who can become contributors faster; millennial employees, who were born between 1981 and 2000, crave the opportunity to do just that.
So, the goal they share is desire to be immediately productive – to be a valued contributor as soon as they walk through the front door.
Getting an early start
Growing up when technological advances made instant gratification a way of life, millennials have come to expect it in almost every aspect of their lives, including work. Young employees want to feel purposeful in their jobs, and nothing meets that need quite like getting the chance to work on the first day, instead of filling out form after form and memorizing the alarm code.
One way to get there is by designing an onboarding process that gives new hires the ability to complete onboarding tasks efficiently, either on or before day one. Consider incorporating the following strategies into your plan:
“Preboard” new hires.
Allow them to complete new-hire paperwork and train electronically, via an employee self-service software. They can get the groundwork done before they even start in order to hit the ground running on their first day.
Assign goals and expand training.
According to Gallup, half of employees don’t understand what’s expected of them at work. To prevent this type of uncertainty from affecting a new hire’s productivity, include training on his or her individual role, and what his or her job looks like when done well.
Introduce your culture.
Understanding what your company values can help new hires feel confident about making smart decisions. Not only can this boost early productivity, but it can help build long-term engagement, too.
Invest in employee-facing HR technology.
Making these strategies part of your onboarding process is easy with employee self-service technology. In addition, providing self-service functionality to tech-dependent millennials shows you’re committed to giving them the tools they want and need to get things done.
Just a few tweaks to the traditional onboarding process can help new hires devote more time and attention to the activities that will help them become a valued contributor sooner than later. And that’s something both your C-suite and millennial new hires will love.