There’s nothing quite like the excitement of welcoming a new sales rep to the team. You want them to feel supported, confident and genuinely excited to get started. That’s where preboarding comes in. By connecting with promo pros before their first day, you can smooth out the nerves, set clear expectations and give them a head start on feeling like part of the team. Instead of waiting for day 1, preboarding lets you create momentum early.
Onboarding is also important. This takes place on a new hire’s first day and continues for the first few weeks or months as they get up to speed on their role and your company. Pre-boarding is kind of like laying out the welcome mat for employees and onboarding is like opening the door and walking them in.
Paula Cury Monteiro, a content marketing specialist at isEazy, crafted a blog that explains how to combine the 2 phases to give new employees the best possible start. We share her thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
Plan in advance. In order for your new hires to have a seamless start, Monteiro says it’s crucial to meticulously plan the pre-boarding process. Providing them with all the essential information before their first day. This will minimize the time spent on paperwork during onboarding. You can start by sending a clear offer letter and send detailed information about the contract and company perks.
Merge pre-boarding with onboarding. This helps create a seamless transition. Monteiro says any insights gained during pre-boarding will help the new hire dive straight into strategic tasks more efficiently during onboarding. Give new hires access to the right information and tools before their start date to help speed up adjustment time and improve their productivity. This also helps them avoid information overload during the first few days.
Continuously engage employees. Monteiro emphasizes the importance of keeping new employees fully engaged with your company’s core values and culture. Pre-boarding lays the groundwork for a high level of engagement and can help enhance the effectiveness of the entire onboarding process. As their start date approaches, send a welcome email or invite them to an informal meet-and-greet with their co-workers. Whether this is done in person or virtually, it’s a great way to help a new hire feel welcome.
You may have a robust onboarding program but don’t overlook pre-boarding. It’s a simple, thoughtful way to welcome new hires and create a smoother path into their role. When you combine pre-boarding with onboarding, you’re setting the tone for connection and long-term success.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Paula Cury Monteiro is a content marketing specialist at isEazy, an e-learning tool for corporate training.
