Bringing new staff into the fold can be exciting and stressful for all parties involved. Fresh employees always have a lot to learn, while their new teammates and managers have a lot to teach. And the quicker and more smoothly this transition period can happen, the better for the bottom line.
Besides the more human aspects of learning a new role is the task of integrating a new user into all myriad of the IT systems and platforms your company relies upon – and there are probably more than you think. Companies and employees also need to understand data protection and security practices, issues which have been brought to the forefront by the recent reform of European Union (EU) data protection laws.
Yet some companies struggle to get their new staff onboarded efficiently and staff are left with the wrong equipment, access to data and no policies in place. We know it can be a tricky process.
If you’re keen to streamline and get on top of your staff onboarding process for your business, then read on. We’ve compiled our top five tips to help you get your new staffers up to speed in no time in a safe and secure way!
New staff members in varied roles will require different hardware, and it’s important to think about which devices and accessories will best suit them for the job they need to do. Check warranty and licenses on the devices, and that they all have the appropriate security software installed.
Consider where and how the new staff member will be working, and whether a desktop or a laptop will be better. If they are planning to work remotely, are out in the field or will work from home part-or full-time, what procedures do you have if a device goes missing or gets stolen? With cloud-based systems, Retrac can wipe all of our customer devices remotely to ensure the security of information.
We find that having all of the devices ready to go, subscribed to the company portal, and antivirus installed is best practice. This helps prevent a first day where nothing gets done, and the new employee has multiple IT issues to attend to instead of learning their role and meeting their new team.
Retrac has perfected the art of device set-up for the entire onboarding process across a whole range of companies – we would love to help with yours. Plus we can offer you warranty certainty, an additional one-year warranty and Windows 10 Pro Version on your devices for the best user experience.
It’s not just having the right devices that matter. It also needs to operate with the right applications and give the correct permissions for the new employee. Consider what systems and programs they will need to use both now and in the future, and which parts of the company systems and databases they will need access to – all of it or just specific modules?
All too often, not enough thought gets put into this before the staff member starts. This results in confusion and potentially staff shown things they should not see. Have it set up before they begin, and it will be much smoother sailing.
Permissions should also be considered when someone leaves the company. It is vital that you have a clear process in place to take away access to company information from former employees and forward accounts and emails on to someone else. A cloud-based system is extremely helpful in this regard, particularly for any employees using personal devices for their work. A study undertaken by Stroz Friedberg “On the Pulse; Information Security Risk in American Business found that up to 87% of senior managers have company information stored in their personal files. If a staffer leaves you need to be sure they aren’t walking away with your company information and important data because it is buried away on their home computer or mobile device.
Getting a new staff member set up with all of the permissions and accounts they need is easy when you can centralise everything with a single sign-on. This also becomes an advantage when an employee leaves, as IT can retract access at that single point and it will cascade from there. If you’re looking at setting up single sign-on or multi-factor authentication, Retrac can help with setting up a simple and effective system for you.
Your company should also have a policy in place regarding work-related social media use, and access to online tools that allow or require social media logins. Can staff use personal accounts, or do you have company accounts for this? How do you keep track of who has access and login details for online assets?
It’s all too easy for employees new and old to sign up for various tools and create accounts here and there as part of their role, and when they leave, it can be a complicated process to untangle who has access to what – particularly when personal social media and emails are used. A robust policy in place before new employees start will help.
A training plan helps you make sure that your new team member gets up to speed as fast as possible. It should cover all of the systems you are using, including Microsoft Teams or Planner, or any customer relationship management system.
Staff should be able to use all tools and applications consistently and to their full advantage – after all, as the employer, you have paid for them, and you want them to be used as effectively as possible! Ongoing training for existing staff can also be helpful in using your IT tools to their full potential.
Security of information and good IT practices are essential, but only around 5-10% of companies who talk to Retrac have a robust policy in place. Not only are these policies critical to protect the company, staff and customers or clients, but it makes bringing new team members onboard much easier when you have a solid foundation.
A set policy on how employees should use company devices and applications will prevent your business from being part of the statistic mentioned above: the 87% of managers with company data stored in personal locations. We understand that it is a daunting task, however it is a vital one, particularly in the modern age of data breaches and new legislation regarding data protection. A full security plan to protect your IP and company data is essential.
The five tips we’ve laid out above are just a starting point for you to welcome your new staff into the fold with minimum fuss. IT systems are the backbone of any company. Getting them in order right from the start will make life a lot easier for all parties involved.
Retrac has helped multiple companies in the Melbourne and Victoria area get their IT systems sorted and secure – it’s our specialty. We would love to help you do the same! Get in touch with our friendly team for more information and start working through your own onboarding and offboarding procedures today.
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