Think you know onboarding?
Starting a new job is stressful. Especially when things don’t go the way they were planned. But, with HR teams focusing in on employee engagement and the candidate experience – we’re streamlining the process and making things better… right?
Wrong. While companies are investing more time and resources into cleaning up the hiring process, a good chunk of businesses are still dropping the ball when it comes to onboarding. A survey from OfficeTeam shows that while 98% of HR managers think their onboarding is “effective,” over half of their new hires still run into issues when starting a new job.
Of the 300 workers surveyed:
- 33% claimed that their technology (e.g., computer, phone, security access) wasn’t properly set up on day one.
- 22% said that the necessary supplies were not provided.
- 16% didn’t receive an overview of the company policies.
- 15% weren’t introduced to their coworkers.
- 14% didn’t get a tour of the office.
And these are just the basics. What about more complicated pieces like the Form I-9 and W-4, or culture based activities like introducing employees to the company mission, vision and values? Failure to comply with government standards can result in serious fines and penalties, and the inability to provide the bare necessities for new hires makes them second-guess their decision to work with your company.
When 90% of employees decide whether they’ll stay at an organization, or leave, in the first six months, you can’t afford to overlook your new hire’s needs.
So why isn’t this more of an issue? Easy. There’s a disconnect. New hires see onboarding as an integration into the company and culture, and organizations see it as data and required forms.
“Many companies focus so much on information-sharing during an onboarding process that they may overlook basic practical needs, such as making sure that a workstation is up and running for the employee…” – Robert Hosking, Executive Director of OfficeTeam
Don’t be that organization. Onboarding is so much more than just filling out forms. It’s a chance to connect and engage with your new employee, reduce their anxiety, and prove that coming into your organization was the right decision. It’s a chance to develop a lasting relationship that will – hopefully – push the company and the employee to bigger and better things.
By focusing on the employee experience – businesses can see improvements in customer satisfaction, increased retention rates, stronger employer brands, decreased costs, and growth in company revenue.
