What Does a Human Resources Onboarding Specialist Do?

An onboarding specialist is a professional who helps new employees transition into their roles within a company. They introduce new employees to the company culture, values, and mission. Onboarding specialists also help new hires understand their roles within the company and what is expected of them.

Hiring skilled and productive employees can be a daunting pursuit for any organization. Once an organization has found the right employees, they need to ensure that these employees are properly equipped to succeed in their roles. Many organizations have an onboarding specialist to ensure that new hires become productive as soon as possible and remain with the company for a long time.

Many organizations hire onboarding specialists for successful employee integration and a positive work experience. Read this blog if you are looking forward to pursuing a career as an onboarding specialist or creating a comprehensive onboarding specialist job description. In this blog post, we’ll explore the role of an onboarding specialist, what they do, and what qualifications you need to succeed in this field.

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Onboarding Specialist Role and Responsibilities

The responsibilities of an onboarding specialist can vary depending on the organization. However, some of the key responsibilities of an onboarding specialist include:

• Introducing new employees to the company culture
• Emailing or calling new employees before their first day
• Preparing new hire paperwork
• Helping new hires understand their roles within the company
• Setting expectations for new employees
• Providing resources and support to new employees
• Assisting new employees to acclimate to their new roles
• Monitoring the progress of new employees

Besides the responsibilities mentioned above, some onboarding specialists may also have unique responsibilities based on their organization.

For example, a customer onboarding specialist helps new customers get started with a product or service. It may involve providing training, answering questions, and offering support. After onboarding customers, they transfer them to a customer success manager to establish long-term success plans.

Similarly, software onboarding specialists train new users to work with a software application. It may include providing training, answering questions, and offering support.

HR onboarding specialists work with the human resource department to develop and execute new employee orientation programs. HR onboarding specialist job involves working closely with managers to ensure that all new employees are properly integrated into their teams.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the critical responsibilities of an onboarding specialist.

Creating Policies and Handbooks for Explaining Company Operations

An important responsibility of an onboarding specialist is to develop policies and handbooks that explain the company’s operations. New employees often have a lot of questions about how the company works. Onboarding specialists need to have the answers to their questions. They also need to explain the company’s policies and procedures in a way that is easy for new employees to understand.

To do this, onboarding specialists often develop policy manuals and employee handbooks. These documents explain the company’s policies and procedures in detail. They also provide new employees with a resource they can refer to when they have questions.

Welcoming New Employees

Onboarding specialists play a vital role in making new employees feel welcome. They are often the first point of contact for new employees. As such, they need to be friendly and helpful. They should make an effort to get to know new employees and help them feel comfortable in their new environment.

Onboarding specialists often give new employees tours of the office. They also introduce them to their colleagues. In addition, they help new employees with any questions they may have.

Conducting Training Sessions

Another key responsibility of an onboarding specialist is to conduct training sessions for new employees. Training helps new employees understand their roles and responsibilities. It also helps them learn the skills they need to succeed in their roles.

Employees can better learn about the vision and values of the company by attending these sessions. They can also get to know their colleagues better and learn about the company’s culture. Training enables new employees to hit the ground running and be productive from day one.

Onboarding specialists often conduct group training sessions. However, they may also provide one-on-one training if necessary. Some of the topics covered in onboarding training sessions include the company’s history and values, the company’s products and services, the company’s policies and procedures, and the employee’s role within the company. For example, if you are running a profitable technology company, your onboarding specialist needs to make sure that new customer service representatives are properly trained to use your company’s software for immediate success.

Offering Manuals and Guidelines

In addition to training sessions, onboarding specialists also need to provide new employees with manuals and guidelines. Onboarding specialists help bridge this gap by providing new hires with the guidance and support they need to succeed in their roles. These documents explain the company’s policies and procedures in detail. They also provide new employees with a resource they can refer to when they have questions.

Manuals and guidelines are essential for employees who have a lot of responsibility. For example, a human resources manager may need to refer to the company’s employee handbook daily. Similarly, a sales manager may need to regularly refer to the company’s sales manual.

Onboarding specialists often develop manuals and guidelines themselves. However, they may also work with other departments to create these documents. For example, an onboarding specialist may work with the human resources department to develop an employee handbook.

Offering Technical Assistance

Many companies use a variety of different software programs to run their businesses. Onboarding specialists need to be familiar with these software programs. They also need to be able to provide new employees with technical assistance.

For example, an onboarding specialist may need to help a new employee set up their email account. They may also need to support a new employee in installing the company’s software on their computer. In addition, they may need to help a new employee troubleshoot any technical problems they may have.

Collecting and Processing Paperwork

Collecting and processing the paperwork of newly hired employees is another crucial responsibility of onboarding specialists. This paperwork includes the employee’s contact information, emergency contact information, medical history, and criminal background check.

Onboarding specialists need to ensure that all of this paperwork is completed correctly. They also need to ensure that it is filed in the correct location. In addition, they need to keep track of any deadlines associated with this paperwork.

Arranging Presentations and Demos

Many companies give new employees presentations and demos on their first day. Onboarding specialists need to arrange these presentations and demos. They also need to make sure that new employees are familiar with the topics covered. For example, an onboarding specialist may need to present the company’s products and services. They may also need to give a demo of the company’s software.

Onboarding Specialist Skills

Onboarding specialists need to have a variety of skills depending on their niche. However, a few skills are essential for all onboarding specialists to excel in their roles. Let’s learn about those skills.

Communication Skills

Effective verbal and written communication skills are crucial for onboarding specialists. They need to be able to clearly explain things to new employees. They also need to be able to answer any questions that new employees may have.

In addition, onboarding specialists need to be able to develop manuals and guidelines. They also need to be able to give presentations and demos. All of these activities require effective verbal and written communication skills. Poor communication skills can lead to confusion and frustration for both onboarding specialists and new employees.

For example, if you are a customer onboarding specialist, you need to communicate necessary information to various types of customers, like educationists, small business owners, or government customers.

Effective Team Working Ability

The onboarding process is a team effort. Onboarding specialists need to work effectively with other departments, such as human resources, sales, and IT, to successfully onboard new employees.

In addition, onboarding specialists need to be able to work with various personality types. Some people are very outgoing and easy to work with. Others may be more introverted and require more patience. Onboarding specialists need to build relationships with other departments and new employees. They also need to be able to resolve any conflicts that may arise.

Experience with MS Office and HRIS Systems

Most businesses use Microsoft Office to run their day-to-day operations. Onboarding specialists need to be familiar with Microsoft Office programs, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

In addition, many companies use HRIS systems to store employee data. Human resources information systems (HRIS) is a technology that helps businesses manage their employee data. Onboarding specialists need to be familiar with how to use HRIS systems. They also need to be able to troubleshoot any problems that may arise.

Familiarity with Employment Laws

Familiarity with employment law is a vital skill for recruitment and the onboarding process. They need to be familiar with the labor legislation. Onboarding specialists need to be familiar with regulations like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

They also need to be familiar with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC is a federal agency that enforces employment laws. Onboarding specialists need to be familiar with the EEOC’s guidelines to ensure they follow the law.

Excellent Time Management Skills

Onboarding specialists need to be able to manage their time effectively. They need to be able to perform multiple tasks at once and meet deadlines. Poor time management skills can lead to the onboarding process taking longer than necessary. It can cause frustration for both the onboarding specialist and new employees.

Onboarding Specialist Qualifications

The qualifications of an onboarding specialist also depend on the industry in which they work. However, a few qualifications are essential for all onboarding specialists to excel in their roles.

• A bachelor’s degree in human resources management or a related field is often required.
• Some companies also accept an associate’s degree.
• In addition, you also need to have experience working as an onboarding employee or human resources.
• Experience with human resource software systems is another qualification that companies often look for.

Final Words

Onboarding specialists is a profitable career option with a lot of scope for growth. The right skill set and industry experience can help you excel in this role. So, if you are interested in pursuing an onboarding specialist career, start working towards it today.

FAQs

Do you need a degree to be an onboarding specialist?

Onboarding specialists require a bachelor’s or an associate degree in communication, human resources management, business administration, or a related field. Experience in human resources and customer services is also beneficial. They should also have the technical knowledge to solve technical problems.

What is an onboarding job?

An onboarding job is a position where a professional integrates newly hired employees into an organization. The onboarding process can last several weeks or months and includes activities such as orientations, training, and mentorship. Onboarding specialists typically work in the human resources department of an organization and report to the HR manager.

What is a client onboarding specialist?

A client onboarding specialist is a professional who integrates new clients into an organization. They are responsible for delivering great customer service and ensuring that the client is comfortable using the company’s products or services. Client onboarding specialists typically work in the customer service department of an organization and report to the customer service manager.

If you are new to Human Resources and are looking to break into an HR role, we recommend taking our HR Certification Courses, where you will learn how to build your skillset in human resources, build your human resources network, craft an excellent HR resume, and create a successful job search strategy.