Businesses that do a good job of onboarding have higher
engagement and retention rates than those that don’t,
and it doesn’t take long for new hires to decide whether
or not they’re going to stick around.
The first few months are critical, so you really need to
make sure your onboarding programs are pulling their
weight.
2. Businesses that do a good job of onboarding have higher
engagement and retention rates than those that don’t,
and it doesn’t take long for new hires to decide whether
or not they’re going to stick around.
The first few months are critical, so you really need to
make sure your onboarding programs are pulling their
weight.
3. Onboarding goes beyond simply introducing your
company to new hires (and vice versa). It’s not all about
paperwork, and it’s not over in a day. Along with basic
compliance and safety information, new employees need
to know about your people, your culture: what makes
your company tick.
Onboarding isn’t
orientation
4. Start at before the very beginning:
the employee handbook
Use your handbook* to tell the story of your company
and its values, define your particular brand of success,
and describe your ideal employees. Then:
• Recruit for these ideal characteristics
• Design your onboarding to communicate & reinforce
your values and expectations
• Use your performance management system to
see how people are measuring up
* It doesn’t have to be an actual book. Get creative.
5. Start onboarding from the time the job offer is accepted.
Send out information packs and orientation material so
new hires are ready to hit the ground running on day one.
Onboarding doesn’t stop after the first day, or even
the first week. Touch base regularly during the first 6-12
months to show you’re still invested in your new hires,
and to check you’re still aligned. And make sure all of
your onboarding information is available all the time –
uploading to your intranet is a great way to make sure
everyone can get to it when they need it.
...and often
Reach out early...
6. Get as much admin done behind the scenes as you can
– and ideally before the start date. Do the obvious things
like getting desks and
computers sorted
before the first day,
and automate what
you can: standardized
training can easily be
delivered online instead
of in a classroom.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
7. Make sure your hires know
what’s expected of them in their
roles from day one; if goals are
unclear and resources hard to
find, employees will struggle to
engage. And find out what they
hope to achieve during their time
with you – investing in employee
development boosts engagement
and productivity.
Set clear expectations on all sides
8. Have cake when people start, not when they leave – after
all, what are you really more excited about? Provide social
opportunities and make introductions early; scheduled
lunches with various departments helps build networks
and makes the first weeks a little less lonely.
Celebrate beginnings, not endings
9. Cornerstone OnDemand is a leader in cloud-based applications
for talent management. Our solutions help organizations recruit,
train, manage and connect their employees, empowering their
people and increasing workforce productivity. To learn more visit
csod.com.
With well-designed, effective onboarding
programs it’s easy to build solid foundations for
future success. You know it makes sense!