Onboarding Process

A significant way you can create a great workplace culture and foster employee retention is by providing a quality onboarding process for your new employees. This is an anchor point and will make an impact down the road for each new employee. Follow this process for the greatest success:

1. PRIOR TO START DATE FOR A NEW EMPLOYEE

a. Send a completed New Hire Checklist to hr@spartanmg.net prior to the start date of your new employee if possible. If you do it the morning of the new hire start date, you will have to wait for the regional team to complete the data entry into Paylocity. Once the data is entered, our team will email you to let you know it is complete.

b. Once you know the new hire is entered, let him/her know to check the email provided for a link to complete their onboarding (I-9, W-2, Direct Deposit info, read and e-sign the Handbook and several policies). Encourage him/her to complete this before the start date. The policies to be read and signed are:

i. Employee Handbook Form
ii. Benefit Summary Document
iii. General Harassment
iv. Drug and Alcohol Policy
v. Driving Safe Policy
vi. Company Vehicle Return Policy
vii. Equipment Damage Waiver
viii. Dispute Resolution Form
ix. Probation Period Form
x. Employee Regulation Form

2. DAY 1 FOR ALL NEW HIRES

a. Verify that he/she completed all onboarding via Paylocity. If not, be sure to have a computer available for him/her to get that completed.

b. If completed or once completed, plan on the GM or a competent department manager to spend 1-2 hours with the new hire in the office to cover some basics prior to going into the field (if a tech) or into their workspace (if an office hire). Make this a priority as this is a new “internal” customer.

3. BASICS TO COVER ON DAY ONE

a. Introduce him/her to the office staff and any techs who may be there. Facilitate some health interactions. Do not refer to the person as “The new guy.” Instead, introduce him/her by name and share a little bit about them. “Hey guys this is Mark. He’s got 4 years of HVAC experience and is joining our team today!”

b. Have a copy of the handbook and policies the new hire read and signed when onboarding with Paylocity. Do a high-level overview and find out if there are any questions or concerns with what he/she read and signed. Some key things to highlight from the Handbook to review with the new hires before they have a chance to be in the day long New Hire Orientation Class:

i. Time tracking expectations
ii. Meal and rest breaks
iii. Paydays
iv. Handling of cash
v. Benefits
vi. Dress and grooming standards
vii. Employee conduct
viii. How you handle disciplinary actions
ix. Absenteeism and tardiness
x. No gossip policy
xi. Taking care of company property
xii. Additionally cover things like:
1. Team meetings and attendance expectations
2. Unique things about your culture
3. Basic expectations (revenue, zero tickets, close rate, etc.)

c. Give a summary of safety expectations. Some examples:

i. Everyone has the authority to stop a job over safety.
ii. No plumbers are to enter a manhole or confined space without following our protocol.
iii. No excavator is to enter an un-shored hole over 4’ deep and in some situations, less than 4’
iv. HVAC techs are to take gas line work and carbon dioxide very seriously.
v. When reenergizing a panel, electricians are required to follow our written policy and use our checklist

d. Review the planned training process. Some examples:

i. For skilled workers: Walk through expected timeline of training to learn our system, working with the call center, customer care etc. Also walk through timeline of getting into a van and having company provided equipment.
ii. For entry level/apprentices: Walk through the expectations of progress in working toward the next level (helper to apprentice, apprentice to in a van, etc.).
iii. For office staff: Spend time at assigned work-station. Make sure he/she has what is needed. Give him/her time to get settled in. Review primary job responsibilities.

e. Further introductions – for every new hire, be sure you formally introduce him/her to the person(s) responsible for overseeing the training. At this point do the handoff.

4. CHECK IN – The amount of check-in’s you need to do is different for each new hire. At minimum, check in with each new hire once a day for the first week, every other day for week two, then once a week thereafter until a 90-day review.

01/20/2023