I'm looking for some advice on how to streamline the onboarding process for new users in our small IT department (around 150 people). Our list of IT needs is constantly growing, and it becomes a hassle when everyone keeps saying, 'Oh, we need this too!' after the new hires start. I'm considering creating a simple checklist in Microsoft Forms to capture all the required needs upfront. However, I'm worried that people might just check everything to be safe, which could lead to extra work and unnecessary costs. How does your team manage this? Any tools or processes that work well for you?
5 Answers
We have an automated portal that collects all necessary information from HR, and it handles the rest automatically—like provisioning accounts and setting up applications. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, in reality, we still do it differently each time because everyone has their own methods!
Same here, I was all about that automation dream!
We utilize a checklist form that includes common applications and devices, allowing managers to request items from a list. This way, they know what the defaults are, and we also mention any potential extra costs next to high-ticket items. It helps minimize unnecessary selections!
I revamped our onboarding process with specific questions asking if the new hire should replicate permissions or applications from current employees. This avoids a lot of early confusion and helps keep the requests on track.
Since we're a tech firm, we keep a standard setup for each department. New hires get the basics automatically; anything else gets addressed later. It's all about managing expectations with documentation and clear communication, so people know what's needed from them up front.
I created an MS Form used by department heads during onboarding. It's simple: ask for the new hire's name, start date, and let the department check off what they need—like drives, software, etc. It helps a lot, and I even added a note to email the helpdesk for any changes within 24-48 hours. It doesn’t solve everything, but it’s definitely improved our process!
We do something similar by integrating Power Automate, which creates an approval workflow connected to our ticketing system. Very handy for tracking!
We also worked with department heads to establish common needs, so now they mostly just indicate exceptions, which streamlines the process!
Haha, you had me going there for a second!