HR Recruiters and Onboarding Specialists

Human Resource (HR) Recruiters for any organization are hired to contact qualified and suitable personnel to fill intern positions throughout the company, and subsidiaries. In an organization, there the onboarding process requires an employee manual to help interns understand their role and responsibilities as an HR Recruiter. The organization also has an employee handbook with policies and procedures which needs an overhaul to be sure the appropriate information is being given. Through this report recommendations will be made to the organization to look at hiring an onboarding and training manager, writing a HR Recruiter manual, and recommendations to overhaul the company handbook policies and procedures.

Presently at an organization there is no onboarding/training manager to assist HR when new interns start with the company. This can lead to stress and other communication troubles when getting interns trained; if no one is in charge of the process and HR is relying upon managers to handle this. New interns are brought into the company approximately every four weeks, which shows how quickly the turnaround process is. By creating an onboarding /training manager position this could help eliminate some of HR’s responsibilities so they can focus on paperwork and other items of a new hire, and it could help the recruiting manager focus on tasks at hand rather than constantly having to focus on new interns entering the systems.

Engaging new intern’s before their hire date is important for an onboarding/training manager to own. The onboarding/training manager should have the tools and resources to engage their new staffers; communicate the company’s core values and missions; integrate onboarding with learning and development; connect new staffers with colleagues to help create a network of relationships; and evaluate the effectiveness of the program with tools such as new hire engagement surveys. Gauangrong Dai,& Kenneth De Meuse (2007) state “the ultimate goal of onboarding is to prepare managers to succeed in their job as quickly as possible” (p.2). Onboarding is important as it helps to increase employee engagement, reduce turnover, and shorten the productivity curve, (Dai, G. & De Meuse K., 2007).  

 Along with hiring an onboarding/training manager for an organization, leadership needs to also look at developing a HR recruiting training manual. The primary purpose of the training manual is to train employees to perform their job effectively. Training manuals also offer additional benefits even after the training is complete. For instance, a training manual not only equips an employee with skills, but is also serves as a reference tool and guide for other employees. The training manual also serves as a quality management tool and record as times change. As policies and business environments change, additional information can be added to the training manual easily without lots of expense or effort.

A training manual provides essential knowledge and understanding of the position and how the position fits within the organizational structure. Helping a new intern understand their position will impact the organization so they gain knowledge of how their position and groups interact with one another. Many times on-the-job training, if not perfected, can be harmful to an organization and individuals, (Jacobs, 2003). A good training manual will act as a building block of practical and technical skills needed to prepare them for their position. Another benefit for the training manual is the quality and consistency it will bring. Since all HR recruiters are performing and following a particular process the same steps will help show consistencies throughout engagement. Also, should an individual be absent someone else could come in and follow what the manual without any trouble understanding it. “Eighty to 90 percent of an employee’s job and knowledge will probably be learned through on-the-job training,” (Jacobs, 2003, preface xi).

Although it is a good idea to have a training manual for new interns and recruits, it is also important that the handbook policies and procedures project the organizations purpose. A handbook can serve as the legal rights the employer and employee have, and set expectations of the organization. This can also encourage employees to behave in certain ways, and also help to ensure employees are treated consistently, publicize employee benefits, and help win unemployment claims or lawsuits. “An employee handbook is an indispensable workplace tool that helps your company communicate with employees, manage its workers (and managers), streamline its organization,, and protect itself from lawsuits,” (Guerin, L. & DelPl, A. 2015, p. 2).

In an organization, the handbook should do a good job of explaining the mission and vision of the organization, and discussing the policies and procedures. The downside to the handbook is the page numbers don’t align with the table of contents, there are spelling and wording issues and the organizational charts don’t match up with the information being told. Practical reasons to ensure the employee handbooks are correct and thorough can: answer employee questions; document employer’s expectations; avoid legal disputes; focus on your mission; reduce the possibility of harassment lawsuits; and communicate information you are legally obligated to provide. 

In conclusion it is important that the organization take into consideration obtaining more help by hiring an onboarding/training manager, writing an HR training manual, and overhauling the employee handbook policies and procedures. Incorporating all three of these items will help with overall communication, planning, management, efficiency, effectiveness, and legal protection. As I have entered this internship the struggles and inefficiencies have lead me to do the required work of the intern, and begin making recommendations to upper management on hiring an onboarding/training manager, writing a recruiting manual, and overhauling the employee handbook. All of these items will help benefit those interns who will come after me, so they will not have to incur the frustrations and inefficiencies that exist now.