Onboarding properly is crucial for integrating new hires into a medical practice or any business for that matter, ensuring they are ready for both the technical and cultural aspects of their roles. A strong onboarding process improves new hire productivity and retention, with 90% of employees deciding whether to stay within the first three months. Key practices for effective onboarding include having a clear plan, offering comprehensive procedural training, focusing on cultural integration, and engaging new hires with activities that build team connection. Ongoing feedback and adapting the process for team transitions, or “cross-boarding,” also contribute to a smoother integration, ultimately leading to better job satisfaction, improved patient care, and a stronger, more cohesive team.

Before the candidates first day:  “Before day one” is a common phrase in HR, but it might leave you wondering what it really means. Essentially, it refers to the period between when a candidate accepts a job offer and their actual first day at work. During this time, new hires are eager to know what’s expected of them—whether that’s tasks, dress code, or simply where to go on day one. While some candidates want to be the perfect employee, most are just trying to avoid any awkward first-day situations, like showing up at the wrong office or over-dressing for a casual Friday. Clear communication and engagement during this period can help set them up for success.

Prepare for your new employee, before they arrive

Delays in the onboarding process can send the wrong message that your new hire isn’t expected to be productive right away, or even worse, that you’re not invested in their success. After all the effort of hiring and working closely with a specialised medical recruitment agency, you want to ensure they’re set up for success from day one. Here are some common (and not-so-common) tasks to tackle before your new hire arrives:

• Security logins & access keys
• Desk setup – this is surprisingly easy to overlook!
• Equipment (computer, laptop, or phone)
• Monitors, cables, and necessary adaptors
• Logins for hardware, password management tools, and role-specific software & apps (passwords to Genie, Gentu, Clinic to Cloud, Xestro and alike)
• Profile setup and login details for time and attendance systems (Xero, MYOB)
• Any specialist tools or equipment needed
• Uniforms and personalised name tags

Taking care of these details beforehand shows that you’re organised and prepared, making your new hire feel welcomed and ready to get to work.

Get your paperwork sorted and out the way at the beginning

Paperwork is often the most tedious and frustrating part of the onboarding process. Missing signatures or unclear information can cause delays and frustration. To avoid this, get key paperwork completed before day one:

• Employment contract
• Policies requiring acknowledgment
• Payroll forms (banking, tax and Superannuation documents)
• VISA and work requirements
• Police and Working with Children checks

Finishing paperwork ahead of time means you can shift your focus to engaging your new hire. The team at Litton Andrews can again assist in ensuring this documentation is prepared, executed and signed prior to your candidate commencing employment.  Ask the team at Litton Andrews around our comprehensive suite of employment onboarding documents we provide to assist practices just like you!  Not only does this streamline the hiring process, but it also leaves a positive first impression with your new employees.

Get your team involved and keep them updated

Onboarding shouldn’t be limited to HR or the Practice Manager of a medical practice —it’s crucial to involve other employees, teams, and departments, as they directly influence a new hire’s engagement and success. For instance, while the practice manager or Doctor is typically the main point of contact, HR, Business Manager, Surgeon/Specialist and IT also play key roles by addressing policy questions, payroll, and ensuring access to necessary tools.

To keep the process smooth, make sure all internal stakeholders have clarity on their tasks and responsibilities. Consider automating task assignments to ease the workload on already-busy HR teams. It’s also important for the Practice Manager and supporting Medical Support Staff to engage with the new hire before day one, fostering rapport early on.

Here are two simple ways to keep team leaders engaged:

• Assign key tasks and deadlines to ensure they’re involved.
• Encourage practice managers to send a ‘welcome message’ to the new hire.

Research shows that 61% of top-performing practices give practice managers visibility into the status of new hires, and you should too. When practice managers understand the importance of onboarding, its impact on engagement, and its role in retention, they’ll be more invested in the process.

Moreover, facilitate two-way feedback: HR or your Practice Manager should communicate which employees may need extra support, and managers should share insights on performance and engagement to help improve future onboarding efforts.

Share Information, information that will provide great impact to new starters during their first week

New hires are more likely to thrive in a practice that aligns with their values and beliefs, so it’s important to reinforce your culture, brand, and unique style even before they arrive. However, don’t overwhelm them with too much information. Here’s a list of key onboarding activities to help them feel prepared and welcomed for their first day:

• Dr/Surgeon/Specialist welcome: A personal message from leadership sets a positive tone.
• Company Vision, Values & History: Help them understand your organisation’s purpose and principles.
• Team Introduction: Share who’s who in the team so they can start recognising colleagues.  Practice organisational charts can prove helpful
• Team Lingo & Terminology: Provide a glossary to help them acclimate to the team’s language.
• Invite to Group Chats & Socials: Let new hires absorb information and begin connecting with the team.
• Team Rituals & Ceremonies: Let them know what traditions or ceremonies to expect.
• First Day Schedule: Provide a clear agenda so they know what to expect on day one.

This early information ensures that new hires feel connected to the culture and ready to integrate smoothly into the team.

The Employee’s First Day: Walking into a new role or office can be intimidating, even for the most capable new hires. The fear of the unknown, combined with an overload of new information and faces, can be overwhelming. To ease this transition, it’s important to give new starters a clear idea of what their first day will look like before they arrive. Information should be shared gradually and when it’s most relevant, ensuring that it’s retained in a meaningful way.

Day one should focus on setting the stage: provide a clear agenda and explain the orientation process.

Assign a Buddy

Assigning a peer buddy is an effective way to help a new hire navigate the office culture and get comfortable in their new role. Choose a teammate, rather than a direct manager, so the new employee feels more at ease asking questions about everyday office life, team dynamics, and culture. The buddy can also give a tour of the office, introduce them to colleagues, and help establish early rapport and relationships.

Live and Breathe your Employer Brand

To give new employees a deeper understanding of your workplace culture, it’s important to walk the talk. Before day one, you’ll have laid the foundation; now it’s time to make it real by giving new hires meaningful time with key leaders and influencers across the organisation. Have leaders reflect on the practice’s values as they discuss their respective areas.

If your practice already has a strong workplace culture, make sure to share these values during onboarding to ensure that new hires are a good fit. Doing so not only helps align them with the organisation but also positions your company as an employer of choice, helping attract top talent. In fact, only 32% of organisations communicate their core values to new hires, which can contribute to higher turnover, especially in the first three months.

Create an Epic Welcome & Workspace Orientation Experience

Make your new hire’s first day memorable by highlighting what makes your team or role unique. Personalise the orientation to reflect your culture and ensure it stands out.

Designate a clear owner for the orientation experience—whether it’s the practice manager or an HR rep—who will walk the new hire through the office, pointing out key areas like the kitchen, the best coffee machine, and even the bathrooms – believe it or not, these are important to a new hire to feel comfortable.

If the new hire has a dedicated workstation, make it feel special by allowing their team to decorate the space. For teams that use hot desking or work remotely, consider creating a fun, travel-sized welcome pack or a caddy filled with treats. For many, hot desking can be unfamiliar, so adding a personal touch can help normalise the experience and make them feel at home right away.

Provide Training on Cultural Aspects of the Organisation

To truly help new hires succeed, it’s essential to focus on the core values and skills that define your organisation. Spend time during onboarding emphasising what makes your workplace unique and what’s necessary for success. Those who align with your culture and values will grow into strong, long-term employees, regardless of their role.

HOT TIP: Regardless of your practice speciality, practice size, or employee type, there are key elements that make up an effective onboarding journey. At Litton Andrews, we refer to these critical components as COAT:

• Culture: How do you communicate your values, vision, and culture to help new hires integrate into their team?
• Objectives: Ensure new hires understand the expectations of their role and what success looks like.
• Administration: This includes the traditional onboarding tasks (paperwork and provisioning) but also extends to any non-HR functions that support onboarding.
• Team: Focus on how you integrate new hires into the team and introduce them to the people they’ll be working with.

By focusing on these core elements, you ensure a well-rounded and meaningful onboarding experience.

After their first day:  Onboarding shouldn’t end after the first week; it’s essential to continue connecting with employees over time to ensure their long-term success. Setting clear goals, objectives, and succession planning from the start is critical, and this is where probation management plays a vital role. Hiring top talent is just the beginning—those employees need ongoing support, coaching, and networking to thrive.

Incorporating a probation management system that automates reminders for both practice managers and employees can help ensure this process isn’t overlooked. By actively managing probation periods, you ensure that new hires are continuously supported and receive the feedback they need to succeed and grow within the organisation.

Plan the Ramp into Meaningful Work

Collaborate with practice managers to define clear, manageable steps for a new hire to transition into a productive team member. Avoid overwhelming them with complex product or solution workshops during the first week. Instead, gradually immerse them into their role with a structured approach, ensuring they are introduced to key tasks over time. Periodic check-ins and feedback sessions will help monitor progress, provide support, and ensure they feel confident as they take on more responsibilities. This approach allows employees to build their skills steadily while contributing meaningfully to the team.

Share Cascading Goals & Set Clear OKRs

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a powerful goal-setting system used by organisations of all sizes to create alignment and drive engagement around measurable goals. By implementing OKRs, you can clearly communicate how the new hire’s objectives are aligned with the business strategy. This helps new employees understand their impact from the start and enables them to make more informed decisions during their critical first months. Setting clear OKRs ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals, fostering a sense of purpose and ownership in their role.

Plan Probation Management

A common mistake in managing probation periods is leaving the responsibility entirely to practice managers or owners of the practice. With busy schedules and increasing workloads, it’s crucial for HR teams to support leaders in becoming more effective managers.

One key strategy is to schedule regular probation check-ins between the practice manager and the new employee. We recommend weekly check-ins for the first month, followed by fortnightly meetings up to three months (or six months, depending on your unique employment terms or workspace dynamics). This structured approach ensures that all employees experience consistent and thorough support during their induction and probation periods, helping them integrate smoothly and meet expectations.

Celebrate First Year Anniversary & Early Wins!

The best onboarding processes extend beyond the first few weeks, continuing through the employee’s first year. Studies show that up to 23% of new hires who experience poor onboarding leave within their first year. Celebrating the first anniversary is a great opportunity to reflect on achievements, recognise early wins, and plan for future growth and development.

Teams that focus on ensuring employees feel happy, challenged, heard, and have clear development opportunities create a positive experience, which increases the likelihood that employees will stay long-term. Keep track of employee anniversaries in a shared team calendar, and alert managers a few days in advance to give them time to plan a thoughtful celebration, showing appreciation for the employee’s contributions.

Continually Optimise Your Employee Onboarding

Ongoing improvement of your onboarding process is essential. Actively seek feedback from new hires to assess their experience and identify areas for enhancement. Surveys are an excellent tool to gauge employee satisfaction and uncover potential improvements throughout their onboarding journey.

The candidate onboarding process is crucial for setting new hires up for success from the moment they accept an offer. It includes steps like pre-arrival preparations, introducing company culture, providing necessary tools, training, and clear goals, as well as integrating the new hire into their team. This process continues with regular check-ins, feedback, and celebrations of milestones like the first year anniversary.

Getting staff onboarding right from the start is essential because a positive experience helps new hires feel engaged, valued, and confident in their role, leading to higher retention rates. Studies show that poor onboarding can lead to up to 23% of new hires leaving within their first year.

For medical practices, Litton Andrews can assist with HR and candidate onboarding structures, ensuring your new hires are well-prepared and integrated into your practice with ease. With expert support, you can enhance your onboarding process, drive employee satisfaction, and improve staff retention.  Call the team at Litton Andrews today (07) 3184 6648 or 0422 888 040 a/hours.