The answers · 9
9 Most Important Documents for New Hires
Which document do you consider important for new hires and why? To help you with Documents, we asked founders and CEOs this question for their best tips. From “Benefit Forms” to “Emergency Contact Form”, there are several pieces of advice that may help you with Documents in the future.
Here are nine recommended documents that are needed for a new hire:
Outline the Onboarding Process With a Training Roadmap
Drawing a roadmap for onboarding helps cement expectations for new hires. Because there is so much information to grasp at a new company, having an outline to structure the basic daily processes helps new hires adapt and get up to speed. The keyword is “structure.” You don’t want new employees to feel lost in the onboarding process as you throw more and more information their way for days or weeks. I outline each day what will be covered, what to research next, and what level of competency to exercise for our next meet. Without the additional outlining as a roadmap, you set up newbies to be drowning in information. You have to show them where their priorities should lie and diffuse the learning process outward gradually from there.
The Guiding Hand of the Handbook
All new hires should receive an employee handbook. An employee handbook can be an overarching and encyclopedic resource for situations both professional and ethical. For example, the handbook should not only have instructions of daily work functions and guidelines for business processes, but should also outline your business’ mission, values, initiatives and more. When a team member has a question, they’ll know to refer to their handbook first to most efficiently find their answer.
Benefit Forms
Any new hire should be aware of the different benefits your company offers them. Giving them a document with all important benefit information and steps to take to properly opt in or out of. There are so many offerings that go unused by new employees when they are not properly informed of what offerings they can benefit from. It is also great on your part as an employer to use keep these records and have proof that your employee has been informed on which benefits they qualify for.
Emergency Contact Form
An emergency contact form is an essential document for new hires. These forms contain the contact information of people closely associated with the employee—employers will contact these people if any accidents occur while the employee is at work.These forms can also help determine who the company is allowed to speak to regarding the employee’s needs. For example, if an employee is in a car accident, the company may need authorization to speak to a family member while the employee is incapacitated. This form essentially documents the person/people the company can talk to on behalf of the employee.
Culture of Listening Among New Hires
As a senior manager, the most important document of new hires that I prioritize is our mentoring sheet, where they specify their expectations from me and our agency. This is a snapshot of the current bandwidth of team members and, at the same time, I get a sense of the level of involvement that they are comfortable with. When we say, we want an opportunity that is mutually beneficial, this document is an execution plan of how we can both deliver results.
Employment Contract
An employment contract is a legally binding agreement between an employer and an employee that sets forth the terms of employment. The contract can be for a specific period of time, or it can be an at-will agreement, which means that either party can terminate the relationship at any time for any reason. An employment contract protects your business by setting forth the terms of employment in writing, ensures that both parties are clear about the expectations of the job, and serves as a written record if there are ever any disputes about what was agreed to.
Code of Conduct
A code of conduct is a way for you to communicate your expectations about performance and behavior in the workplace. It includes specific rules related to confidentiality, identifying who will be bound by the agreement, stating the context and reasons for it, and defining what information should be considered confidential. Misunderstandings may still occur with this policy in place however at least employees have something they can refer back too if they’re unsure about what your expectations are as far as their performance or behavior goes.
Job Analysis Form: Essential New Hire Document
It must be a prominent document for new hires as new employees are generally confused about their onboarding. Thus, the best thing to provide them is a job analysis form every month for a few months to analyze their growth and development over time. It helps them build the document, and they tend to work at their best to make their job analysis look good. It also helps you (the employer) to know about their goals of the month and achievements from their perspectives.
Non-disclosure Agreement
If you’re a start-up, and you’re trying to get off the ground and running, there is at least one document that you should have and that new employees should sign. That document is an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). It’s important because it ensures that your company’s trade secrets remain that way … trade secrets. It’s not just important to protect your new ideas, but it’s also just a good idea to keep your employees from talking about your company, your projects, and your client list with their friends, family, and everyone else that they meet. In the world of digital marketing – the client list is like the holy grail of the company’s revenue potential. And while instilling trust within your team is a prerequisite for a company’s morale, the use of an NDA is a widely accepted measure that can protect all parties involved.
Related Questions
Connecting Experts with Publishers
Connectively connects subject-matter experts with top publishers to increase their exposure and create quality, ready-to-publish Q & A content.
About Connectively →
