Onboarding an employee is a bit like a first date — that first point of communication and conversation can set the tone for the rest of the experience.  You know the drill: ask questions, show interest, and maybe pop a breath mint, yeah?

In much the same way, a positive onboarding experience can influence an employee’s level of motivation, productivity, and even their retention for the long haul.

With 83% of all employers using some form of modern employee onboarding solution, you’ll want the right tools for the job. 

While there are a range of them available, one of the most effective ways to create a seamless onboarding experience is through the creation and use of an onboarding flow chart. 

But what exactly is an onboarding flow chart and how do you build one? Let’s take a closer look at how you can set your team up for success with  a clear and comprehensive chart that’s tailored to the needs of your new hires. 

What is an employee onboarding process flow chart?

An employee onboarding process is a series of steps taken to introduce a new employee to their role and the company as a whole. It helps to get new hires accustomed to their tasks and responsibilities while getting an understanding of the various systems and workflows in the company.

An employee onboardng process flowchart, therefore, is a diagram that visualizes the process of onboarding new employees. Here's what our own new hire onboarding process flowchart looks like:

The goal behind the new hire process flow chart  is to create a clear graphic display that presents the onboarding process steps your new hire must accomplish in sequential order and/or by a specific due date.

What is the value of an onboarding process?

Besides improving your employment onboarding process, an onboarding flow chart provides a clear step-by-step visual representation of the onboarding experience. 

This gives your new hire an action plan for what’s expected of them — complete with when they need to accomplish each task, and what they need to do before successfully checking them off. Other benefits of onboarding new employees the right way are:

• improved productivity due to higher employee engagement
• better employee retention since employees are more likely to excel in their jobs because they understand their roles clearly
• Talent attraction since new employees with positive onboarding experiences are more likely to recommend your company
• A stronger, intentional company culture since new hires know the history and values of the company from the get-go.

Everything you need to build a process flow chart for onboarding your new hires

Remember, there isn’t a “best” way to create an employee onboarding experience, much less an onboarding flow chart. 

Onboarding programs that work for your company and your new hire may not work for another. 

Before you start building, here’s a list of the information you’ll need to build a flow chart that’ll set your new hire (and team) up for success:

• An approximate timeline for the onboarding process. 
• A complete list of the tasks, training modules, meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and responsibilities your new hire needs to complete. 
• Input from your fellow teammates and related departments.
• Your onboarding history, including metrics of what’s worked and what hasn’t. 
• An idea of how frequently you want to check in with your new hire. 
• Logistical details such as onboarding training locations and relevant points of contact. 

How do you create an onboarding process for your new employees

Before you build your new employee onboarding process flow, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Avoid being too ambitious

The onboarding process takes time — typically about 90 days.

With that said, it can help to spread out the to-do tasks in a way that doesn’t front-load your new hire’s onboarding requirements. 

Creating a balance of tasks can give your new hire sufficient time to complete each one, reflect on it, and retain the appropriate knowledge. 

Be aware of information (and task) overload

A new employee is probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by the onslaught of company information (SOPs, policies, organizational hierarchy, where to find the coffee machine) — especially during their first few months

With that said, here's how you build an employee onboarding process:

Step 1: Visualize what you want your new hire to take away from the HR onboarding process.

Close your eyes and put yourself inside the shaking boots of your new hire. What’re they feeling? Anxious? Excited? A mix of everything?

Well, yeah. That’s why it’s so important to asses what they need to develop a sense of belonging and inclusion in the workplace as quickly as possible. 

It can help to keep your core values front of mind, since onboarding is likely your new hire’s first introduction to what your company stands for. 

To get you started, focus on the following:

• Look at ways to help the employee feel welcomed and engaged from day one. 
• Ensure the employee has access to all of the technology, tools, and materials they need to train efficiently.
• Determine what the employee needs to get trained up and fully productive ASAP.

Step 2: Create onboarding plans and task checklists, tailored to your flow chart.

The start of the onboarding process, or a company orientation, can be a bit of a whirlwind. 

But as the onboarding process unfolds, your new hire will need a clear breakdown of what’s expected of them, how long it will take, and when their tasks are due.

Before diving into the flow chart itself, create an onboarding checklist of the mandatory and optional tasks, meetings that your new hire will need to complete. Knowing exactly what is expected of them (and when) is a great way to not only set your new hire at ease, but helps prepare them to actually meet those new deadlines!

Step 3: Schedule a high-level meeting with relevant departments to create a draft of your flow.

Meeting with your key team members and soliciting their input on the primary and secondary tasks that the new hire should complete will lessen the likelihood of leaving any onboarding stone unturned. 

Together, you can create an accurate and comprehensive list of every requirement, and ensure that your new hire has access to the interdepartmental info and resources that they might need. 

Step 4: Choose an onboarding process flow chart template that works for you.

There are hundreds (if not more) free flow chart templates out there for you to choose from and adopt to your onboarding process. 

You might want to adopt a classic flow chart that includes the bare bones of the onboarding process (supplemented with necessary details from you)

Or, better yet, a cross-functional flow chart (CFF) or “process map,” may be a better choice for your company. This type of chart allows you to showcase how different processes cross over and flow into other departments within your company. 

Within a standard CFF, you’ll find the organizational tools and capabilities that accurately represent what’s expected of your new hire. 

This will give them a deeper understanding of the organizational hierarchy and the intimate dynamics of how each cog functions and interconnects in your company’s machine.

Step 5: Populate your flow chart with specific tasks, responsibilities, and due dates.

One of the many benefits of a flow chart is its visual appeal. 

Like a blank canvas, you have the power to transform a basic flow chart template into a work of onboarding art.

Your onboarding flow chart should aim to be as clear and informative as possible without being intimidating or overwhelming for your new hire. 

Remember, like any other element of the onboarding process, your onboarding flow chart may require several drafts and ongoing tweaking, so buckle up and settle in for the ride.

Step 6: Organize the onboarding tasks into a timeline (30-60-90 day structure).

Some onboarding processes are shorter or longer than others. 

Since the average process is about 90 days, you may discover that segmenting your onboarding tasks into a specific timeframe will provide your new hire with a clear and actionable onboarding plan. 

Using a 30-60-90 day structure — where you outline key tasks and training outcomes for these milestones — is one way to do this. 

Step 7: Assign an onboarding partner or buddy for your new hire.

When a new hire has a question (or ten), they may not always want to approach their supervisor for an answer — especially at the beginning of the onboarding process. 

That’s where the onboarding buddy system comes into play.

Peer-to-peer interaction is essential when it comes to maintaining a positive work culture. Think about it this way — your existing employees are conduits of context and tribal knowledge. They’re experience is a veritable goldmine when it comes to integrating your new employee to the team.

Here are a few best practices to remember as you play onboarding matchmaker and foster that pairing for several months:

• Be mindful of the mentor’s current workload to avoid overload or burnout, and reallocate duties as necessary.
• Emphasize to the onboarding mentor that they’re assuming a leadership role and have the opportunity to show they know their stuff. 
• Let the mentor and new hire know how much time they'll be spending together (approximately, and subject to reasonable change, of course).

Ready to streamline your new hire onboarding process flowchart and retain top talent?

The more positive the onboarding experience, the better prepared and motivated your new hire will be in their role. And when your team is motivated, they’re more productive, positive, and likely to stay with your company for the long haul..

And that can only mean good news for your bottom line.

Remember: the early stages of onboarding are especially important. You want your employee to have what they need right out of the gate so they can hit the ground running with all of the knowledge and tools they’ll need to succeed and ultimately thrive.

In addition to building an onboarding flow chart, you’ll also want to make sure your new hire has easy access to all of your policies, SOPs, processes, organizational charts all in one place — ideally, in your business playbook.

That’ll ensure your new employee has everything they need to own their role while making sure your whole team is on the same page.