Why is modern onboarding so critical?
The success of your organization hinges on the strength of your people, leading your team to search far and wide for the best talent. Once found, many organizations believe that after the offer letter is accepted by the candidate, their work is done. But in reality, the work of engaging and retaining quality talent has only just begun! Within the first six months, 90% of hires decide whether to stay or go and 50% of candidates receive a counteroffer when they receive your offer. Competition for talent is fierce and growing – your organization needs to proactively engage your new hires from the moment they accept your offer with intelligent, modern onboarding.
If you’ve been saddled with an old onboarding process or have to rely on the built-in “onboarding” module that comes free with your HRIS, you’re missing a prime opportunity to strengthen the bond with your new employees and make them feel like a valued member of the team.
The top 3 reasons modern onboarding is non-negotiable:
1. Employee certainty
New employees join your organization with optimism and a hint of skepticism – they want to know (with certainty!) they’ve made the right decision when presented with an offer. If you do or say nothing after their offer letter, and then greet them on their first day with a massive stack of onboarding paperwork, they’ll start to question their decision. That’s the absolute last thing you want after finally finding the ideal candidate for the role.
2. Employer brand management
Your organization’s brand perception reflects your employee’s experience of working with you, which begins the moment they accept your offer. Are you providing a localized, custom experience that respects their unique situation? Or are you providing a dated stack of paperwork and a cookie cutter experience? Remember: your employees are used to Amazon and Netflix curating their experience and delivering it seamlessly. They expect (and deserve!) the same when joining a new organization, one of life’s biggest decisions.
Each new hire that joins your organization represents a considerable investment of time, money and internal resources. A structured onboarding program has shown companies to retain 91% of their first-year workers and 69% of their workers for up to three years. Plant the seeds for long term employee engagement and loyalty with a well-structured and executed onboarding program.
