How do your numbers add up?
Retaining new hires is tougher than you think. You probably didn’t know nearly 90% of new hires make the decision to stay at a company within the first months, according to Aberdeen Group research. This puts the spotlight on every company’s new hire onboarding process. With different company sizes, cultures and values, the ins and outs of the new hire onboarding process tend to vary from company to company. However, there are a few things companies should know so their own onboarding process is set for success. Let’s see what your onboarding score is!
1. How long does it take for a new hire to reach full proficiency in their role?
a. Less than 3 days
b. Between 3 and 8 months
c. Between 8 and 12 months
d. Over a year
Answer: C. It takes employees 8 to 12 months to reach a level of proficiency comparable to their veteran coworkers.
Here’s a suggestion: Improve the onboarding process by mapping out each new hire’s onboarding schedule from day one until the point at which your company decides they are no longer a “new” employee (preferably within the 8 to 12-month window). Give the new hire a visual representation to refer to, like a timeline or a flowchart, so they can keep themselves accountable and understand where they should be at in the onboarding process.
2. True or False: The shorter the onboarding program is, the faster a new hire becomes productive.
Answer: False. Employees who experience the longest onboarding programs gain full proficiency 4 months faster than those who experience shorter programs.
Here’s a suggestion: If you haven’t already, consider extending your company’s onboarding program. A small startup may not have the luxury of a year-long onboarding program, but if it’s possible to make the process last longer, by all means, do so! On the other hand, if a large company’s onboarding process lasts 30 days (or worse, less than 30 days), they should seriously consider extending their program.
3. True or False: Once the onboarding process is established, it shouldn’t be changed or updated for at least 5 years.
Answer: False. 30% of companies that continuously update their new hire onboarding program are in a favorable position to take advantage of opportunities that arise from industry changes and employee trends.
Here’s a suggestion: Make it a point to refresh your company’s onboarding process every year or so to reflect the changing needs of the workforce. This is a great time to update any onboarding software you may be using. Better yet, shop for one that updates all on its own, like ours.
4. Which of these choices is the best way to administer employment documents to new hires?
a. Send it to them in the mail after they’ve settled into their role
b. Online with paperless onboarding software prior to their first day of work
c. Hand them the paper documents on their first day of work
d. None of the above
Answer: B. Of course paperless employee documents are the best way to go! Not only are managers able to get these documents out of the way before they start, but onboarding software like ours keep new hire onboarding secure and fully compliant with experts continuously updating changes in compliance. The cherry on top: an automated onboarding process results in 16% higher retention rates for new hires.
Here’s a suggestion: Go paperless already.
5. Does the new hire onboarding process influence new hire performance?
a. Yes
b. No
Answer: YES. Organizations with standard onboarding programs experience 54% greater new hire productivity and nearly double the level of new hire engagement.
Here’s a suggestion: Don’t skimp on your new hire onboarding process. Make it a priority to carry out onboarding best practices in your company’s onboarding program. Utilize the plethora of HR tools, software and insights at your disposal. There is no reason your company can’t reap the many benefits of successful new hire onboarding.
How did you do?
If you got 5 correct: You’re an onboarding Superstar! You knowledge of successful onboarding programs is on par.
If you got 3 or 4 correct: You’re an onboarding All-Star! Your onboarding knowledge is above average, with a nearly perfect score.
If you got 2 correct: You’re a rising onboarding star! You did your best, but you could use some of our many onboarding resources to help your knowledge get up to snuff.
If you got 0 or 1 correct: You’re an onboarding amateur, but don’t fret! We have countless resources for you to start learning about successful onboarding processes.
Looking to update the onboarding process? Make their first day the best with Click Boarding’s employee onboarding software.
