How does your company welcome and train a new employee? Many companies don’t have a formal onboarding process. They don’t realise that onboarding for new employees is so important.
In this article we discuss exactly what on boarding is and why it’s essential to have a programme in place for any new hire.
What is On boarding?
Onboarding is a process of training, development and mentorship for new employees. It gives a new hire all the information they need to do their job.
But it’s not just handing over login details and pointing out the coffee machine. Onboarding done properly goes way beyond a new employee’s first day.
What does a Good On boarding Programme Look Like?
We’ve all experienced nerves before starting a new job. A good onboarding programme will last for months. And it will kick into action before a new hire has even turned up to the office.
A good programme will introduce a new hire to their role, their team and company culture. And once a new hire is up and running (after, say, six months), the focus will shift to professional development opportunities.
But just why is on boarding for new employees so important?
Onboarding Helps New Employees Feel Part of the Team
In our digital age, communication over email (sometimes even within the same office) is commonplace. And employees are increasingly encouraged to spend time working from home. So getting to know your co-workers can take longer than it used to.
But we know that having a good relationship with co-workers is essential for effective teamwork and employee motivation. 70% of employees say that having friends at work is crucial to having a happy working life.
So an onboarding programme that helps build relationships between team members is essential. Regular check-ins to discuss progress should be a given. And a new hire should always know who to turn to with questions and concerns.
On boarding Helps New Employees Become Productive More Quickly
There’s always going to be a learning curve when someone new takes up a role. It will take time for them to get to grips with their new job and become truly productive. But effective onboarding can speed up the process.
Companies with a formalised onboarding process experience 54% greater new hire productivity. That’s because onboarding improves employee knowledge, motivation and integration, all of which impact productivity.
On boarding Helps New Employees to Understand your Company
Understanding the bigger picture has been shown to boost employee motivation and productivity. That means you should be introducing new hires to company culture, letting them know what is expected of them and explaining any big goals the company is shooting for.
Onboarding is a great opportunity to communicate what makes your company tick. And let employees know how their work fits into the overarching strategy.
On boarding Improves Employee Retention Rates
It costs 20% of an employee’s salary to replace them. And 33% of new employees start looking for a new job within six months of being hired.
These stats are clear. When a new employee starts work at your company, you want to hang onto them as best you can.
Onboarding helps a new employee to feel more productive, to get more out of their job and to feel like a valued part of the company. All of which makes them more likely to stick around, saving you a heap of money in the process.
Putting a standardised onboarding process in place for your company is a no brainer. It’s good for new employees and it’s good for business.
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