13 August 2024 · ~ 6 minutes
The average time to hire has now hit a record 44 days - with businesses investing more in screening and interviewing in an effort to identify the best talent. Unfortunately, after securing the right talent, many companies fail to continue nurturing the goodwill built during the recruitment process with a structured, organised onboarding program. This inevitably leads to new hires feeling disengaged, undertrained and lost.
On the other hand, organisations with a strong onboarding process improve retention by 82%, with 51% of employees saying they would go “above and beyond” in their work if they had a good onboarding experience. Onboarding is undoubtedly a critical aspect of ensuring a successful outcome, with organisations running structured onboarding seeing a 60% year over year improvement in revenue.
Employee onboarding refers to the process by which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors to do their jobs competently. It involves integrating new hires into the company culture and empowering them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in their new role.
Preboarding and onboarding are both crucial stages in integrating new employees, but they occur at different times and serve distinct purposes.
Preboarding happens between the job offer acceptance and the official start date. Its focus is on preparing new hires for their first day by handling administrative tasks, providing initial information about the company, and engaging them to reduce first-day anxiety. Preboarding activities might include sending welcome materials, setting up IT accounts, and introducing new hires to the team.
Onboarding begins on the new hire's first day and extends over a period (often several weeks to months). It involves a structured process designed to help new employees acclimate to their role, understand company culture, and become productive. Onboarding includes formal training, orientation sessions, and continuous support from managers and mentors.
In summary, preboarding sets the stage for a smooth start, while onboarding ensures that new hires effectively integrate and thrive in their new roles. However, it is worth noting that some businesses may not distinguish them separately and refer to preboarding as onboarding.
Effective onboarding is crucial as it helps new employees feel welcome, reduces the time it takes for them to reach full productivity, and improves employee retention rates. Almost 30% of employees who are dissatisfied with their onboarding, intend to look for a new job within 3 months.
A structured onboarding program also sets the stage for a positive employment experience and helps align the new employee's goals with those of the organisation.
Employee onboarding is a collaborative effort that usually involves different individuals and departments within an organisation. Key stakeholders who should be involved in the employee onboarding process:
To develop an effective onboarding process, start by defining your objectives. These may include helping new hires integrate into the company culture and become productive quickly. Next, outline the process, including pre-start preparations, first-day activities, initial training, and ongoing support. Other things to consider include, providing your new hires with a welcome package with important company information, assigning a mentor or buddy for guidance, and clearly communicating roles and expectations.
Design role-specific training programs and provide an overview of the company’s mission and values. Ensure that you have a pulse on how your new hires’ are feeling by implementing a feedback loop through surveys and check-ins. This also allows the opportunity to improve the process. Document each step for consistency and future reference. This structured approach ensures that new hires feel welcomed, understand their roles, and transition smoothly into their positions.
Tracking key metrics such as employee retention rates and time to productivity is often a good start to measuring success of an onboarding process. High turnover shortly after onboarding or longer ramp-up times can indicate potential issues. Performance metrics, such as Quality of Hire surveys, and feedback from managers and supervisors, can also indicate how effectively new hires are integrated and prepared for their roles.
Additionally, use feedback surveys to assess new hires’ satisfaction with their onboarding experience and monitor their engagement levels through regular check-ins. High satisfaction and engagement generally reflect a successful onboarding process, suggesting that new hires feel supported and well-prepared. These insights can help businesses identify strengths and areas for improvement in their onboarding program.
Delivering a positive onboarding experience for your new hires doesn't have to be complicated. Learn how you can create exceptional employee experiences, drive speed to competency and set your employees up to succeed.
