Best Onboarding Software for Small Business

Employee onboarding is a pivotal process that establishes the foundation for a new hire’s career within a company. For small businesses, where resources are often limited, ensuring a seamless and impactful employee onboarding experience is essential to secure long-term engagement and prevent costly staff turnover. This is where onboarding software comes into play: it is a specialized tool engineered to streamline and enhance the employee onboarding process. In this article, we delve into the diverse landscape of onboarding software, exploring its definition, functionalities, and the economic benefits it offers to small businesses.

This introduction prepares you for a thorough discussion on the top employee onboarding software solutions tailored for small business needs, aligning with the beSlick ethos of simplifying complex processes for maximum efficiency. Whether you’re considering implementing an employee onboarding platform for the first time or aiming to improve an existing system, this guide will provide valuable insights and practical tools to help you enhance your team’s integration and customer service quality.

What is an onboarding platform

An onboarding platform is fundamentally a sophisticated digital toolkit designed to optimize the employee onboarding process. The meaning of an onboarding platform extends to automating and streamlining tasks such as paperwork management, training schedules, and task assignments, significantly reducing the manual workload for HR teams. This ensures that new hires are smoothly and efficiently integrated into their roles from their first day.

For small businesses, the use of an onboarding platform like beSlick can revolutionize the new employee experience. These systems enable small teams to conduct professional and thorough onboarding processes that are competitive with those of larger corporations but with greater adaptability to unique business needs. beSlick, as an onboarding platform, exemplifies the ethos of making complex processes simple. It offers customizable workflows that adapt seamlessly to the specific needs of any small business, ensuring a robust onboarding experience without the overhead of large HR departments.

Moreover, beSlick enhances its onboarding platform meaning businesses can not only document but also execute processes as workflows. This functionality captures deviations from standard procedures, offering insights into potential improvements and ensuring that the onboarding process is continuously optimized to meet evolving business goals.

What is onboarding process in software

The employee onboarding process in software involves a series of steps tailored to seamlessly integrate new employees into an organization. This type of software streamlines the initial administrative tasks, such as setting up employee profiles, submitting digital forms, distributing company policies, and scheduling training sessions—all facilitated through an easy-to-navigate interface.

Employee and new user onboarding software like beSlick is designed to systemize these essential steps while providing a platform for executing these activities as dynamic workflows. This capability allows each task to be customized and adjusted according to the specific needs of the business and the roles of new hires, ensuring a personalized and efficient onboarding experience. Additionally, the software supports real-time updates and notifications, keeping both HR teams and new employees well-informed throughout the onboarding journey.

Moreover, beSlick’s feature of documenting deviations from the standard onboarding procedure offers invaluable insights into how the onboarding process can be optimized. By capturing and analyzing these deviations, businesses can identify improvement opportunities and refine their onboarding strategies, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of employee integration and contributing to overall business success.

Why is onboarding so expensive

Onboarding new employees is a significant investment for many businesses, primarily due to the extensive resources required for traditional onboarding methods. These costs include:

• Manpower: Resources needed for administering training sessions.
• Time: Hours spent on completing and processing paperwork.
• Integration: Resources dedicated to integrating the new hire into the company’s culture and workflow.

Inefficiencies and errors during the onboarding process can lead to delays and potential compliance issues, which further inflate expenses.

Onboarding software solutions, such as beSlick, offer a cost-effective alternative to these traditional methods. By systemizing much of the manual labor involved in onboarding, such software significantly reduces the labor and time costs. Key benefits of onboarding software solutions include:

• Digital Paperwork Management: Streamlines the management of paperwork digitally, reducing the need for manual processing.
• Automated Training Scheduling: Ensures training sessions are scheduled automatically, optimizing resource use.
• Standardized Compliance: Helps maintain compliance through standardized procedures, minimizing the risk of errors.

This systemization not only accelerates the process but also minimizes errors and the associated corrective costs.

Moreover, the initial investment in onboarding software solutions often leads to substantial long-term savings. Benefits include:

• Enhanced Employee Retention: Efficient onboarding improves retention rates, reducing rehiring costs.
• Increased Productivity: Well onboarded employees achieve productivity sooner, positively impacting financial performance.

What is an onboarding software

Onboarding software is a type of technology specifically designed to facilitate the employee onboarding process. This software aims to streamline various administrative and training-related tasks through systemization, making the process simpler and more efficient for both HR personnel and new hires. 

Here are the primary functions typically supported by onboarding software:

• Employee Information Management: Centralizes the storage and management of new hire documents and personal information.
• Task Automation: Automates the assignment of tasks such as filling out forms, reading policy documents, and completing training modules.
• Training and Development: Schedules and tracks the completion of training sessions and development programs for new employees.
• Compliance Tracking: Ensures all regulatory and company-specific compliance requirements are met during the onboarding process.
• Digital Forms: Streamlines the submission and management of forms, digitally, reducing paperwork and expediting the information collection process.

Onboarding software can come in various forms, including paid feature rich software or basic free and open-source options that can be particularly appealing to small businesses. Free onboarding software typically offers more basic functionalities compared to paid offerings but is a good place to start to improve the onboarding experience without incurring additional costs. The more feature rich onboarding software, on the other hand, provides the flexibility to customize features according to specific business needs, which aligns well with the beSlick ethos of adaptable and user-friendly process solutions.

What is the new employee onboarding program

A new employee onboarding program is a comprehensive framework designed to welcome and integrate new hires into an organization effectively. This program includes a series of structured activities and processes that aim to equip new employees with the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors to become productive and engaged members of the team. 

Key components of a typical new employee onboarding program include:

• Orientation Sessions: Introduce the company culture, mission, and values to new hires, providing them with a sense of belonging and understanding of their role within the broader organizational context.
• Training Modules: Tailored training sessions that cover job-specific skills as well as general company procedures, ensuring that new employees are well-prepared for their roles.
• Mentorship Programs: Pairing new hires with experienced employees to provide guidance, support, and insight into the company’s operations and culture.
• Goal Setting and Performance Metrics: Establishing clear performance objectives and metrics to guide new employees’ contributions and growth within the company.

The effectiveness of a new employee onboarding program is significantly enhanced by utilizing software like beSlick, which systemizes many of the logistical aspects of these components. It schedules training tasks, tracks progress on goals, and monitors training completion, thereby streamlining the process and ensuring consistency and thoroughness in the execution of the onboarding program, making it the best onboarding software for small business. 

What is employee onboarding system

An employee onboarding system is a technological framework that supports the comprehensive integration of new hires into an organization. It combines various tools and processes that streamline and facilitate the essential steps of the onboarding process, from initial paperwork to full integration into the company’s culture and workflows.

Here are the main features of an effective employee onboarding system:

• Streamlined Workflows: These systems handle the distribution of onboarding materials, scheduling of training sessions, and tracking of task completion, which helps to eliminate manual errors and save time.
• Document Management: Centralized storage for all onboarding documentation ensures easy access and management of forms, policies, and legal compliance records.
• Employee Engagement Tools: Features like interactive checklists, feedback forms, and social integration tools help new hires feel connected and engaged from their first day.
• Reporting and Analytics: Advanced analytics provide HR teams with insights into the effectiveness of the onboarding process, helping to identify areas for improvement.

While open source employee onboarding software can be particularly cost-effective for small businesses, it often requires some technical know-how to customize and maintain. These systems offer great flexibility but may demand more involvement from your IT team to tailor the software to your specific needs.

In contrast, beSlick is designed to be user-friendly and easy to implement, making it ideal for small businesses that may not have extensive technical resources. beSlick streamlines the onboarding process with its intuitive interface and powerful features, such as task management and real-time progress tracking. The ease of use and efficiency provided by beSlick not only saves time and costs but also enhances the overall onboarding experience, ensuring new hires can become productive members of the team quickly and smoothly.

What is the onboarding website for employees

An onboarding website for employees acts as a centralized digital hub that streamlines the onboarding process. This specialized website provides new hires with essential resources, information, and tools needed to smoothly transition into their new roles. The following are key features of an effective onboarding website:

• Resource Library: Offers a comprehensive collection of documents, videos, and guides that detail company policies, job responsibilities, and the corporate culture.
• Interactive Checklists: Features customizable, interactive checklists that guide new employees through each step of their onboarding process, ensuring comprehensive coverage and accountability.
• Training Schedules: Displays clear timelines and schedules for training sessions, allowing employees to easily access and plan their onboarding activities.
• Feedback Systems: Includes mechanisms for new hires to provide feedback on their onboarding experience, enabling HR teams to continually refine the process.

For small businesses, an effective onboarding website often should ensure all necessary onboarding tasks are completed systematically. Using checklists are particularly beneficial as it helps small businesses manage the onboarding process with the same rigor and attention to detail as larger organizations, but with fewer resources.

Using a platform like beSlick, which is known for its simplicity and user-friendly interface, small businesses can easily set up and maintain an engaging onboarding website. beSlick supports features like dynamic due dates, guest access, and group/team collaboration, making it an ideal choice for small businesses that need a versatile tool to accommodate their unique needs.

Find your small business onboarding checklist on beSlick free template library!

How to do virtual onboarding

Virtual onboarding is a crucial process for integrating new hires into a company remotely, ensuring they feel connected and supported from afar. Effective virtual onboarding requires meticulous planning and the right tools, notably employee onboarding software, which offers flexibility and comprehensive features for managing this process. Here’s how small businesses can execute a successful virtual employee onboarding process using SaaS onboarding software like beSlick:

• Pre-Onboarding Preparation: Before the new hire starts, ensure they have access to all necessary technology and software. This includes laptops, access credentials, and any required apps or tools, facilitated through the SaaS platform.
• Digital Welcome Kit: Send a digital welcome package through the SaaS onboarding software that includes company swag, detailed information about the company culture, and an introductory video from the team or CEO to make them feel welcomed.
• Structured Virtual Meetings: Utilize the video conferencing tools integrated within the SaaS onboarding software to schedule regular virtual meetings, introducing the new hire to their team and key employees, while covering essential roles, company policies, and department goals.
• Interactive Training Sessions: Leverage interactive training modules provided by the SaaS onboarding software, which are engaging and can be completed at the new hire’s own pace. Ensure these sessions are well-structured and informative.
• Regular Check-Ins and Feedback: Establish a routine of regular check-ins using the SaaS platform to discuss the new hire’s progress and address any questions or concerns. Incorporate feedback mechanisms within the software to assess the effectiveness of the virtual onboarding process and make necessary adjustments.

beSlick is particularly designed for ease of use and flexibility, making it an ideal choice for small businesses. It supports seamless integration of training modules, scheduling of virtual meetings, and tracking of new hire progress within a user-friendly interface. Its comprehensive features support digital forms, dynamic due dates, guest access, and team collaboration, all of which are essential for a smooth virtual onboarding experience.

Embracing Modern Onboarding Solutions

As we’ve explored throughout this article, effective onboarding is critical to the success of any small business. Implementing a streamlined and engaging onboarding process not only enhances the experience for new hires but also significantly contributes to the overall productivity and cohesion of your team. The use of SaaS onboarding software, particularly solutions like beSlick, offers a practical and efficient approach to achieving these goals.

beSlick, as a leading SaaS onboarding software for small businesses, embodies the essence of simplicity and effectiveness. It allows small businesses to tailor the onboarding experience to their specific needs while ensuring that every new hire feels welcomed and well-prepared from day one. The features of beSlick, such as customizable workflows, interactive training modules, and comprehensive progress tracking, make it an invaluable tool for any small business looking to improve their onboarding process.

Don’t let your business fall behind by sticking to outdated onboarding methods. Embrace the power of SaaS onboarding software with beSlick and transform the way you integrate new employees. Visit our website to learn more about how beSlick can streamline your onboarding process and help you build a stronger, more efficient team.