Picture this: you just hired a new software developer. You can’t wait to see what they’ll bring to the table, and your boss can’t wait to have them on board. But all of a sudden, they’re packing up their desk, waving goodbye, and taking a position at another company.
While this might come as a surprise, it shouldn’t be unexpected. As it turns out, nearly 10-20% of new employees leave in their first year.
On the other hand, let’s say you lucked out and your new hire stays around for a bit. Great! But it still takes the average employee eight months to become fully productive.
Neither scenario is ideal, but both of them are also avoidable. With the right strategies in place, it’s never been easier to create the perfect onboarding program. Here’s what you need to know.
Your Complete Software Developer Onboarding Checklist: Eight Tips to Level Up Your New Hires
From tech giants to up-and-coming start-ups, software developers play a critical role inside every organization. That’s why providing the infrastructure resources and training to get them up to speed is so important. If you’re looking to ensure a seamless onboarding process, here are eight tips to consider.
1. Set up their development environment.
First, you must make sure your new hire has access to the necessary software, tech, and tools they need to do their job. During the process of developer onboarding, these tools include: integrated development environment (IDE), version control system (such as Git), and issue tracking systems. Additionally, you’ll need to configure the development environment with the appropriate settings and preferences, so grant access to any libraries or dependencies needed for the project. If necessary, provide training on how to use these systems effectively.
2. Provide documentation and resources.
Next, you should provide the documentation, coding standards, and architecture diagrams so your new hire starts off on the right foot. Not only does this help them get up to speed with your process, but it’s also an easy way to introduce company standards. To do this, consider scheduling time for the developer to review the project documentation and ask any questions they may have. Lastly, confirm they have access to any internal wikis, knowledge bases, or other useful resources.
3. Delegate mentorship responsibilities.
While providing the proper technology is an essential aspect of developer onboarding, don’t forget the one of most basic resources: a mentor. Before your new hire steps foot in the door, assign a “buddy” to help them get acclimated to the project and company culture. Essentially, they should provide guidance on how to navigate each project and set your company’s expectations. As a helpful rule of thumb, schedule regular check-ins between the mentor and the new developer to monitor progress and get feedback on the onboarding process.
From finding the right candidate to getting them up to speed with your company’s processes, there are many potential pitfalls that can slow down productivity and impact your bottom line. Avoiding them starts with your candidate pool.
Here’s how to find the right software talent.
4. Grant access to communication channels.
Next, you want to be sure you’re setting up communication channels—like email, chat, and video conferencing—to facilitate collaboration between your new hire and the rest of the team. Also, you’ll need to add them to Teams, Slack, and any other appropriate communication channels for their role and project.
5. Introduce the codebase.
Now that you’ve got the basic stuff out of the way, it’s time to introduce your new hire to the codebase and the project’s architecture. During this stage of developer onboarding, it’s essential to provide a high-level overview of the project’s design, structure, and explain their responsibility for the overall project.
6. Assign initial tasks.
Once you’ve laid down the general groundwork, you should assign small, manageable initial tasks. This should help your new hire get acclimated to the process, project timelines, expectations, and baseline capabilities. During this stage, it’s essential that the tasks are well-defined and achievable so you’re not overwhelming them too early.
7. Set up a code review process.
Once your new developer finishes the first project, set up a code review to ensure the software meets your company’s coding standards and best practices. If applicable, provide feedback on the code reviews to help the new developer improve in their role.
8. Provide ongoing training and education.
When it comes to developer onboarding, it’s all too common for training to stop after a few months. However, without ongoing education, it’s easy for them to fall behind. That’s why it’s essential to provide ongoing training and educational resources to help your employees stay up to date with new technologies and industry best practices.
Let the Experts Handle Your Software Developer Onboarding Process
At TIU Consulting, we believe all phases of software development outsourcing should be a hassle-free experience. That’s why we also take care of the entire onboarding process for you, from sourcing the right candidates to getting them up to speed with your company’s processes. Meaning you can focus on what you do best—running a business. So, if you’re struggling with onboarding, why not let us take care of it for you? Contact TIU Consulting today to learn more about how we can help your business code the perfect staffing program.
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