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Contrary to common belief, the onboarding process isn’t just for HR. As an IT admin, you’re tasked with getting new users access to everything they need to be productive. But what’s the best, most effective way to set a new hire up for success? There’s no single “right” way, but these six steps can serve as useful guidelines.
Employee Onboarding Process
1 – Gather User Information
Before a new hire starts, gather information from HR and the hiring manager to create their account. You’ll want:
- Names (first, last, middle or nickname, if applicable)
- Contact information
- Job title
- Department
- Starting date
- IT resources they’ll need access to
- Type of device(s) they’ll need
Getting all the necessary information on a new hire before they start will save you from needing to go back and make changes later on. Always be sure to verify that information with the new hire as well. The “telephone effect” –– where information is passed along a string of people –– can easily lead to miscommunication and errors, so verifying information with its source is advised.
2 – Set Up Their Workspace
Arriving on the first day to a desk setup with all the necessary resources can positively impact a new hire’s onboarding experience and save you stress in the long run. It prevents the new hire from experiencing anxiety over not having the right tools to accomplish work, and you’re spared from scrambling to provide those tools in a timely manner.
Order equipment where appropriate and leave communications open after the new hire starts. As they expand within their role, they may need more or different equipment. They may also need access to additional applications, which they’ll need you to provision them to.
3 – Provision, Provision, Provision
New hires are eager to get to work, so provisioning them to all their IT resources is essential. This includes their machine, email, applications, and access to servers and infrastructure, where relevant. Depending on how you have things set up, this could be a tedious manual process, or it could be nearly automatic.
You could utilize JIT (Just-in-Time) provisioning, for example, to create user accounts automatically when they first launch an application. In addition, a cloud-based directory service can expedite this process through a simplified interface that allows you to assign users to groups and automatically provision them to resources using only a few checkboxes.
4 – Pass Along Credentials
Create their account and give them the credentials to access it on the first day. These credentials should always be temporary until the user sets up their own.
The temporary credentials could be written on a sticky note you place on their new hire folder or sent to their personal email account. Walk them through the process of changing their password, and what to do in case they forget it. Add multi-factor authentication to those base accounts –– their machine, email, and any other high value services –– if possible.
5 – Demonstrate How to Submit Help Tickets
Users should always be able to reach out to their IT admin when they need help. By ensuring that a new hire has a way to get in touch with you, you can address all IT requests systematically and avoid repeatedly getting tapped on the shoulder.
6 – Give a Security Briefing
Now that a new user is part of your organization, it’s important to educate them on cybersecurity best practices. The more they know, the less risk they present. You can continue their education by holding regular cybersecurity training sessions or administering “pop quizzes” throughout their employment. That way, they’ll stay informed throughout their time at your organization.
Learn More
Among these are many more helpful steps for onboarding new users. Have a few questions? Feel free to contact us. We’re always happy to help.
