When onboarding a new employee, do you still print out documents and forms for the employee to fill out? Do you need to create spreadsheets on a regular basis to help track HR information? If you said yes to either question, then it’s time to start creating a Paperless Onboarding process.
Onboarding is an essential part of an employee’s transition to a new job. It helps employees gain the knowledge and tools needed to be effective in their new role, and it lays the foundation upon which future success is built. However, onboarding can quickly become cumbersome with excessive paperwork, long lists of information that need to be collected, and one-size-fits-all processes for every employee.
In this article, we will provide a quick guide to cover all you need to know to set up your system if you’re thinking about switching to paperless onboarding but aren’t sure where to begin.
Cutting Through the Clutter of Traditional Onboarding: What Is Paperless Onboarding?
According to research by Wynhurst Group, in the onboarding process, businesses anticipate that new workers will complete an average of 54 distinct tasks. Nearly all these duties (58% of firms) include filling out, signing, and returning paper forms to various offices and departments.
When we are talking about paperless onboarding, we want our new employees to go over the compliance documentation and training as they typically would in a conventional onboarding procedure but done through easy online forms on a single platform, which considerably reduces the burden of mailing or handing over physical documents and the possibility of further delays due to mishandling or errors.
Considering the significance of onboarding procedures, it’s crucial to keep in mind that onboarding encompasses more than just your own staff. In many situations, organizations also need new clients to finish onboarding procedures. Even though businesses can execute these duties independently, it makes sense to standardize these processes to increase the efficacy of investing in new digital technologies
Is your HR department taking advantage of the benefits of a Paperless Onboarding System?
Paperless onboarding systems offer several benefits to your organization over traditional paper-based onboarding processes. First and foremost, they are far more efficient and cost-effective.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each operational change inside a business. However, many of the drawbacks when it comes to implementing a paperless onboarding system are usually nothing more than potential friction spots.
Here Are Five Benefits of Going for an Eco-Friendly and Digital Onboarding Solution.
1- Reduces Time.
In addition to obtaining and reading their employee handbook, completing their direct deposit form, and attending orientation, it can take some time for new hires to do all their paperwork. Not to mention setting up a meeting with the new employee to confirm everything was done appropriately. New hires may complete everything on their own time with paperless onboarding. Companies might even begin doing employee orientation online.
2- Increases Accuracy and Consistency.
Using a paperless onboarding process may guarantee that all new hires’ data is entered accurately. A simple pen and paper methods are prone to human error, and it normally takes a second pair of eyes to double-check that the new employee didn’t forget anything or make a mistake. Imagine a system that would quickly notify a new hire if something was forgotten or entered improperly. The second set of eyes wouldn’t be required at all with paperless onboarding.
3- Hazard Mitigation.
Traditional new hire documentation can be time-consuming, unreliable, and messy. Documentation for new hires also includes a lot of sensitive information that could be dangerous for firms. If someone’s social security number falls into the wrong hands, especially with I-9s, it could result in identity theft. Because employees would only have access to their own records in addition to those of other authorized personnel, paperless onboarding significantly decreases risk.
4- Visibility.
Process administrators, such as HR directors, can examine processes in real-time, assign tasks, gauge processing speed, identify pain points, and more using the dashboard in HR software. They can even determine precisely where a process is stuck and who is to blame. This promotes accountability in a team and ensures transparency. These potent characteristics aid in the transformation of your HR department into an inventive workplace.
5. Increases Retention of Employees.
New hires may follow their progress more easily with a paperless onboarding process. Receiving stacks of paperwork to complete can seem never-ending, but with paperless onboarding, new employees could see exactly what stage of the process they were on and how much of it was still left to finish.
Automated paperless onboarding lets new employees know exactly what areas they are required to fill out, as well as if they made any mistakes. This creates a positive first impression for new employees and builds trust inside the organization, both of which will ultimately result in a greater employee retention rate.
You already know the main benefits of going paperless, but What are the first steps to start establishing this process? There are many great Paperless Onboarding software programs available. The first step is to find one that meets your needs. Once you’ve found a good option, the next step is to implement it.
Following Steps and Tools to Start a Paperless Onboarding Procedure.
The first step to start your new onboarding process it’s to take stock of your current one and all the paperwork that it includes. The next one is to identify which documents can be digitized and stored electronically. Finally, work hand in hand with your IT team to choose the best tool and create a plan for implementing paperless onboarding in your organization.
IT will be able to help you choose the right software for your company and train you on how to use it. They can also assist with creating a plan for rolling out the paperless onboarding system to all new hires. Implementing a paperless onboarding system will require some upfront work, but it will ultimately save your company time and money.
Choosing a Digital Tools for Your Paperless Onboarding Procedure.
This tool creates excellent HR technologies that enable users to innovate in the space of Human Resources. Its onboarding strategies put more emphasis on providing better learning opportunities for new hires than traditional training methods.
With BambooHR, the onboarding process is more streamlined and effective, assisting new hires in learning more effectively and quickly and motivating them to remain with your business for a longer period.
Features: applicant tracking, electronic, webinar library, and a mobile hiring app.
This is a cutting-edge onboarding tool that gives new hires a wonderful online experience. Goco allows companies to send personalized offer letters with an electronic signature and a sample of the benefits and pay. All HR workflows can be streamlined within the platform.
Features: self-service benefits enrollment, automated workflows, and employee management software.
File Request Pro help in the process of collecting document and the data collection platform simplifies and enhances the digital onboarding processes. Offering employees and clients a single, secure repository for all documentation with configurable automated reminders, File Request Pro can radically improve the onboarding experience for all parties involved.
Make a straightforward upload platform where candidates may submit files and respond to inquiries. Direct transmission of all data to your cloud storage, where it is automatically organized according to your preferences.
Features: dynamic file organization, automated email sequences and deadlines, template forms, conditional logic, and granular branding options.
It’s Time to Start Paperless Onboarding!
Overall, a paperless onboarding system can save time, reduce errors, and make the onboarding process more efficient in general. If you’re looking to streamline your company’s onboarding process, transitioning to a paperless system is a great way to do it.
Paperless onboarding satisfies the strategic requirements of onboarding, such as orientation and engagement, without sacrificing the tactical requirements of compliance and tool integration. Employee satisfaction is increased by the end-to-end automation of the onboarding process, which also improves company performance.
