Getting on Board with Onboarding
I was so excited. I was starting a new job with a well-known company. My career had taken a detour and I was returning to a role I’d held in the past. The interview process went so smoothly, it felt meant to be.
On my first day, my manager gave me a computer, sat me in my cube, and told me to read through the company intranet and go talk to my employees. That was the entirety of my “onboarding.” I spent the first week wondering what I’d gotten myself into, and intended to leave at one year until major management changes took place.
That experience lit a fire in me to create a very different and welcoming experience for everyone I hired.
I’m sure most managers want to set their new hires up for success, but it’s truthfully a time-consuming endeavor that can easily get short-changed. If you struggle to get onboarding to the top of your priority list, here are some things to consider (listed on truelist.co):
Employee retention is improved by 82% with a solid onboarding process. (B2B Assets)
Employees who had successful onboarding are 18 times more likely to feel committed to their jobs. (Bamboo HR)
58% of employees are likely to stay more than three years with a structured onboarding program. (Sampling HR)
Seven out of 10 employees who are satisfied with the onboarding are also satisfied with their jobs. (Gallop)
45% of new hires who experience structured onboarding trust the company more. (Toolbox.com)
Effective onboarding improves employee engagement. (Sprout Social)
Nearly 30% of employees quit their job within the first three months (Forbes.com). While this may not be exclusively due to inadequate onboarding, it demonstrates that an opportunity exists. Keeping those employees engaged and excited about their new roles, helping them build connections, and showing them the importance of their work can convert them to engaged and committed team members who can bring value to your team for years.
You’ll benefit from your employees feeling confident in their decision to work for you and your company. Taking the uncertainty out of that decision frees their minds to focus on getting acclimated to their role, teammates, and the culture. It’s a win for them, for your entire team, and for you as their leader.