7 Tips To Choose The Right Employee Onboarding Software For Your Organization

7 Tips To Choose The Right Employee Onboarding Software For Your Organization
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Summary: With so many LMSs out there, it's understandable finding the right one for your company can seem like a daunting task. Follow our handy tips of what all organizations should consider when choosing their employee onboarding software.

How to Choose The Right Employee Onboarding Software For Your Organization

Your employee onboarding process is essential to getting your workers productive and inspired to work at the company. A bad onboarding experience is extremely costly to organizations, as high turnovers are unfortunately a common experience for companies that have failed to deliver a solid employee onboarding process. Therefore it’s extremely important to choose the right employee onboarding software that matches the expectations of both the business and the new starters.

eBook Release: Onboarding Optimisation: Your Guide To Employee Induction Using A NextGen LMS
eBook Release
Onboarding Optimisation: Your Guide To Employee Induction Using A NextGen LMS
Discover why employee onboarding exists, what your onboarding programme should include, and how a NextGen LMS can support the organisation..

Your employee onboarding software is a central resource point for the information your new starters require. As well as increasing productivity, lowering training costs, engaging your workers, and getting them trained quicker, your employee onboarding software frees up valuable time for your L&D teams to focus on what really matters; supporting new starters and ensuring they have the best possible experience.

There are so many Learning Management Systems (LMSs) on the market, so it’s understandable finding the right one for your company can seem like a daunting task. Every organization’s requirements are different, and the impact your LMS will have on your new starters is invaluable. That’s why we’ve put together this handy article to share what all organizations should consider when choosing their employee onboarding software:

1. Clarify Your Requirements

You need to have a plan in place before even considering the best LMS. What type of information do you need to have available to your new starters? What are the non-negotiable functions the LMS must have, such as specific device requirements or in-app reporting?

Understand the must-have functions your onboarding program requires, rather than focusing on the endless lists of features LMSs already have. 

2. Try Before You Buy

It’s important to see the LMS in action before putting any money into it. It’s a good idea to ask the vendor for a free trial or demo to check it meets your onboarding programs needs and matches your expectations. It also gives you the chance to check for any problems that could arise further down the line.

3. Set A Budget

Your budget plays a big part when selecting employee onboarding software. It’s difficult to compare software on pricing, as pricing models will differ across different models. It’s worth being aware of the best pricing options for your organization, be that a one-off subscription, pay-per-user, a monthly or annual subscription, or other relevant payment plans.

It will make it easier to find an LMS that fits within your budget if you pinpoint your ideal spend, as well as your maximum budget. Bear in mind the cost of high turnovers are extremely costly to organizations, so it’s definitely worth investing in a decent LMS.

4. Review The User Experience

The learning experience for your new starters is crucial when looking for new software. You won’t see any positive results or value for money if nobody engages or enjoys using the system. If you want to continue attracting and engaging workers, it’s extremely important that you provide them with a system that helps them to successfully achieve their goals, and ultimately do their jobs better and faster.

Remember, many onboarding programs begin before new starters have even stepped into the building, therefore your LMS is their first experience of 'what it’s like to work here’ and ‘how things are done here’.

5. Evaluate Device Compatibility

We’re living in a digital world and no longer expect to wait for the information we require. With knowledge at our fingertips, it’s vital that the information you provide your workers can be accessed on a range of devices, as and when your workers require it.

Think of the time that can be saved by having your new starters up-to-speed before they’ve even started their first day. By choosing an LMS that is available outside of the workplace, new starters can access their learning materials at a time and place that is convenient for them.

6. Get To Know The Reporting And Analytics

Most LMSs will tell you they offer great reporting functionalities, but do they offer the reports you require? The reporting features should align with your objectives and provide you with key insights to measure the success of your training and figure out what is or is not working. You should always be focusing on ways to improve your onboarding program and how to give your new starters the best possible experience.  

7. Find Out What Support Is Offered

Getting used to a new LMS is bound to take time, therefore it’s worth finding out the range of support the vendor provides. Sure, you may not need 24/7 phone support, however it’s good to know what features are in place, and who and when you can contact the vendor.

As you can see, choosing the best employee onboarding software takes time and planning. Pinpoint what your new starters really need to succeed in the company and align these goals with that of the organization. The benefits to be gained from a solid onboarding program are endless, so take the time to really go through each of our pointers and ensure that giving new starters a fantastic first impression of your organization is constantly at the forefront of your decision-making.