Amid the hype of attracting top talent and filling vacant positions, it’s easy for employers to forget the importance of having a great onboarding program for new starters. If someone has signed up to work at your company, they’ve obviously been impressed thus far by who they’ve met and the reception they’ve been given. Hiring managers are happy to go the extra mile to woo talent and amend their talent shortage. However, having a signed contract and a new start date should NOT be where the candidate courting stops. Why?
Without a solid and thorough introduction to the business, new employees can be overwhelmed by information or confused by a lack of it. Many report feeling neglected in the early days, and a rocky start often leads to shaky employees. A bad onboarding process means employees are not properly integrated into the organisation nor embedded into their role, creating a sense of disengagement that can leave to early resignation.
The folks over at Onboardia have compiled the infographic below showcasing the importance of laying a strong foundation for new hires, quoting fifty-six percent of disengaged employees say that when it came to their onboarding process, they received either ineffective or no training at all. As a result, 31% of people quit their job within six months or less.
Helpless in HR
It’s concerning that 81% of HR administrators feel their company doesn’t do onboarding well at all. Perhaps it’s because of a lack of resources, a lack of time or simply not enough investment from the powers that be above. Only 32% of organizations actually have formal onboarding programs.
On-the-job training
Majority rules: 76% of employees want on-the-job training during their first week. More than half of employees believe that actually, with a bit of extra training, they could do their job far better.
Buddy up
‘Safety in numbers’ is a saying for a reason. It’s reported that 56% of employees would like to have a buddy during the on boarding process.
Get it right!
Getting the onboarding process right has massive positive flow on effects for employees. Three quarters of employees who were satisfied with the on boarding process reported feeling loyal to their current company.
It all starts from day one…
Easing a new employee’s first day anxieties is hugely important to getting things off to the right start. Making sure that employees have someone to personally meet and greet them upon arrival can make or break their morning. Make sure the receptionist is aware that they will be coming in, and introduce the new person to the members of their team – don’t just sit them down and deal with the internal networking piece later. These might seem like little things, but they are instrumental in putting a nervous new starter at ease.
Within their first few days, you want to cover all the basics about the organisation, the business and the products. Talking them through the current marketplace and where the company sits in context with this will also help them to have a complete overview of their own and the company’s position. IT’s also important to provide the individual with contact point, names and numbers of who they can call for help and emergencies.
Simply put, keeping close tabs on new employees and making sure they are comfortable is a huge factor in retaining the top talent you attract!
Top Image: Shutterstock
