Onboarding Pitfalls: How to Turn First Impressions into Lasting Success!
Starting a new job can be exciting but also intimidating. Picture a new employee starting their first day at a company, they are met with a flood of emails and a lukewarm introduction. After hours at their desk with no guidance, a former colleague sends a text asking how things are going. What do you think their response will be?
This situation is all too common. Many employees cite a poor initial experience as a key reason for leaving a job early. About one-third of new hires quit before reaching 90 days in their role. Onboarding is a crucial phase for new employees. They are learning the processes and also forming views about the company they are joining. Will they have access to training and opportunities for advancement? Will they connect with the company's mission? If they feel lost and unsupported from day one, they are likely to leave quickly. Leaders will then have to restart the hiring process.
The Hidden Issue:
Onboarding for New Employees Lacking Evaluation and Acknowledgment
Poor onboarding is costing businesses significantly, with turnover nearly doubling in the last ten years. In 2023, voluntary turnover has cost U.S. businesses around $800 billion.
Employees tend to view their onboarding experience negatively if it is incomplete, out-of-date, or mainly focused on procedures. An isolating onboarding process can lead them to think about leaving sooner than anticipated. Feeling a sense of belonging is vital for retention, and onboarding is the best opportunity to connect new hires with the company's goals. Another mistake is limiting onboarding to just a few days or weeks; it can take up to a year for a new employee to feel fully integrated and well-trained.
The Solution:
Inform, Guide, Measure, and Recognize New Hires. From the very first day, new employees should feel valued and supported as they adjust to their new roles. This goes beyond a friendly welcome; new hires are eager to learn, fit in, and succeed. Here's what effective onboarding looks like:
Highlight Perks and Benefits: One of the key aspects of onboarding is clearly communicating the perks and benefits of being part of the organization. For employees, this includes retirement plans, bonuses, health benefits, and other incentives that enhance job satisfaction.
Create a Structured Program: Clearly outline what new employees will experience in the first 30, 60, or 90 days. Include expectations and key performance indicators (KPIs) they will be assessed on, how they can track their progress, and where to find additional help for difficult topics. Make it evident that onboarding is important and tied to job performance. New hires should know their milestones and feel productive from the very start.
Involve Leaders: One-on-one meetings with managers, mentors, and executives can help identify goals, challenges, and other important areas for each team. This promotes better teamwork with colleagues and clients as they move through each stage of onboarding.
Embed it in Company Culture: Make sure the company culture is actively shown and supported by regularly sharing performance and growth goals. Create opportunities to build community, like team lunches or virtual happy hours for remote staff, or send small gifts to employees in different locations.
Focus on Long-Term Development: Remember that onboarding does not stop after the first week. Keep focusing on skill development and growth chances to help new hires feel like they belong, which can improve retention.
In conclusion:
A strong onboarding program can increase job performance by 56%, lower turnover risk by 50%, and cut down on sick days by 75%. Companies that focus on good onboarding see an 82% boost in retention rates. This is beneficial not only for the company but also helps build a better culture, encourages mentoring, and leads to more employee referrals.