Integrating new employees into the organization is pivotal for a seamless transition of “newbies”, enabling them to be productive and successful team members. Yet, many employers overlook the importance of onboarding and fail to provide a positive and engaging experience for their new team members. This has, unfortunately, proved to lower retention, job satisfaction, employee engagement, productivity, and performance levels as well as high absenteeism and turnover.
Forbes Advisor defines onboarding as a process that encompasses everything required when new employees start work, such as completing paperwork, setting up workstations, communicating role expectations and making social introductions. Indeed, onboarding involves orientation, job-specific training, setting up performance metrics, and socialization.
An effective onboarding process is both comprehensive and efficient and should not only handle the necessary legal paperwork but also help to painlessly acclimatise a new team member to a workplace community. This promotes a stronger organisational culture, as the employee will be introduced to the organisation’s mission, vision, values and beliefs.
Equally, both employers and employees can determine one’s person-organisation fit. Onboarding can also have a significant impact on the bottom line of an organisation. A study by BambooHR, a human resources software company, found that 31 percent of people quit a job within the first six months, and 16 percent of them mentioned that a lack of effective onboarding contributed to their decision.
Moreover, the same study revealed that organiaations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70 percent. In conversations that I have had with professionals from different industries, one professional mentioned that they were never told about policies and procedures in the organisation and that they fear that one day they will be in trouble or face a disciplinary hearing for a rule they didn't even contravene.
On the other hand, a manager mentioned that her subordinate took unapproved leave and when she spoke to the Human Resources (HR) manager for intervention, the HR manager felt there was nothing wrong with the subordinate’s delinquency. As a result, the manager felt that HR fails employers and managers.
So, how can employers create a best-in-class onboarding programme that ensures their new employees get the positive start they deserve? Here are some tips from experts and best practices from successful companies: Start communicating before your new hire’s first day: The best way to ensure a smooth first day is to prepare well in advance.
Send them some company swag, such as a water bottle or notepad with your logo, and encourage them to ask any questions they might have. Also, send them the onboarding schedule via email so they know what to expect on day one. Get the paperwork done ASAP: It's a good idea to give your new hires a head start on administrative tasks, such as creating a company email address or completing HR paperwork so that their first day doesn’t revolve around filling out documents.
If possible, let your new employees complete these forms electronically so they don’t have to deal with the hassle of printing them and filling them out manually. Give out a welcome package: While welcome packages aren’t required, they can leave a positive first impression and convey that you appreciate your new hires.
You can keep them basic with a company mug or mouse pad, for example, or get creative and send out cookies or other sweet treats with your logo. Whatever you do, make sure your welcome packages reflect your unique culture. Involve team members in the process: Successful onboarding is a collaborative effort, meaning it involves a variety of team members, not just hiring managers and the HR department.
Be sure that other employees, managers, supervisors and even senior leaders understand the onboarding process and how they’ll fit into it. New hires will feel more comfortable and connected to your company as a whole. Assign a buddy: When new hires are paired with a buddy whom they regularly meet on a weekly or monthly basis, they'll have someone to turn to for questions and concerns.
A buddy can also help them navigate the organisational culture, introduce them to other colleagues and provide feedback and support. Prepare a collection of new hire resources: A good way to help your new employees learn more about your company and their role is to provide them with a collection of useful resources, such as an employee handbook, an organisational chart, a glossary of terms and acronyms, a list of goals and expectations, a training plan and any relevant policies or procedures.
Educate managers on onboarding expectations: Managers play a crucial role in onboarding new employees, as they are responsible for setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, assigning meaningful tasks and fostering a sense of belonging. Therefore, managers must be well-informed about the onboarding process and their responsibilities in it.
They should also be trained on how to communicate effectively, motivate positively and coach constructively. Make follow-ups and ask new hires for feedback: One of the best ways to improve your onboarding process is to ask your new hires for their honest feedback. You can use surveys, interviews or focus groups to gather their opinions and suggestions on what worked well and what could be improved.
This will help you identify any gaps or issues in your current process and make adjustments accordingly. By following these tips and best practices, organisations can create an onboarding process that benefits both the organisation and its new employees. This will result in high retention, satisfaction, productivity and performance, whilst reducing turnover costs and wasted investments.
Organisations can build trust, loyalty and engagement among their employers while creating a positive employer brand. HR Professionals should play their advisory role and support employers with the onboarding process.
