Are your new hires contributing? Are your new hires expectations being met? Research, Insights and Practical actions that can improve your new hire performance and engagement.

1. Optimising New Hire
Engagement and
Performance
Nick Murphy – Director & Principal Consultant NJM Consulting
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Organisations invest significant time and resource attracting
talent – between 15%-20% of annual salary is standard
Turnover rates of 25% in the first year of employment are
common.
First impressions count – how you induct, orientate and
engage new team members is a critical factor in retention
and engagement.
We invest significantly in talent acquisition, but do we invest effectively
in the new hire experience?

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152 Respondents
from senior HR &
Business
professionals
across the globe
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Advertising Cloud Download Worldwide
Data was gathered via survey with respondents asked the following
questions…..
Organisational Performance Importance and effectiveness Positive engagement levers
1. In my organisation I would describe our
process for new hires as?
• Highly Effective
• Effective
• Requiring improvement
• Poor
2. In my organisation, administration and
information gathering before a new hire
commences is?
• Highly Effective
• Effective
• Room for improvement
• Poor
3. In my organisation, new starters have a clear
and documented start up plan?
• All of the time
• Most of the time
• Sometimes
• Rarely
4. Managers in my organisation are effective at
setting up plans for new hires?
• Highly effective
• Effective
• Somewhat effective
• Poor
5. How important do you believe these factors are
on new hire performance and engagement?
• Having clear expectations and goals
• Regular and effective engagement with direct manager
• Training in core policies, processes and systems
• Having an effective mentor or buddy
• Establishing effective co-worker relationships
• Understanding organisational culture and values
• Achieving some quick wins
• IT & Administration being set up effectively
6. How effective is your organisation with respect
to these factors?
• Establishing expectations and goals for new hires
• Regular and effective engagement from the direct manager
• Training in core policies, processes and systems
• Providing an effective mentoring or buddy system
• Helping new hires understand culture and values
• Helping new hires achieve quick wins
• Ensuring new hires are set up with IT from day 1
7. In your opinion what three (3) things will
most positively impact new hire
performance and engagement?
Negative engagement levers
8. In your opinion, what three (3) things will
most negatively impact new hire
performance and engagement?

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• 152 Respondents
• Diversity of industries
• HR & Business
professionals
• Respondents from across
the globe
Advertising Cloud Download Worldwide
Survey feedback was strong, and opinions were openly provided….
Online survey capturing quantitative data
Free text questions capturing opinions

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01Leaders hold the key
02Alignment
Poor role clarity and misalignment of candidates
to culture and values are seen as a primary reason
for new hires failing.
03Have a plan
Only 12% of respondents felt their organisation
planned effectively for new hires
04Co Worker Power
95% of respondents felt that establishing effective
co-worker relationships was important or critical.
05Check in, regularly
Regular and effective engagement and feedback
was seen as the single most important factor for
new hires.
06Get connected
Connecting your new hires to systems, culture
and learning before and from Day 1 is a critical
enabler and a primary determinant of first
impressions!
Six key findings reinforce the opportunities that exist to improve the
experience of new hires
The role the direct Manager plays is the most
important factor and also the area requiring the
most improvement within organisations.

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Overall, respondents saw significant opportunity to improve processes for
new hires…

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Planning for new hires was inconsistent, and the role Managers play in
this was seen as less than effective…….

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1 2 3 4
Weighted
Average
Not Important Somewhat
Important
Important Critical
Having clear expectations and goals 30.95% 69.05% 3.69
Regular and effective engagement with manager 2.38% 23.81% 73.81% 3.71
Training in core policies and processes 14.29% 52.38% 33.3% 3.19
Having an effective mentor or buddy 4.76% 33.33% 42.86% 19.05% 2.76
Establishing effective co worker relationships 4.76% 49.74% 42.86% 3.38
Understanding organisational culture and values 13.96% 52.38% 35.71% 3.34
Achieving some quick wins 2.38% 26.19% 61.9% 9.52% 2.79
IT and Administration being set up 2.38% 11.9% 33.33% 52.38% 3.36
Establishing expectations and goals, regular and effective feedback, IT set
up and co worker relationships were key drivers for engagement….
The new hire experience is impacted by a number of
factors. Business process maturity intersects with
leadership effectiveness to make the experience
good, bad or indifferent!

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1 2 3 4
Weighted
Average
Poor Room for
Improvement
Effective Highly Effective
Establishing expectations and goals for new hires 9.52% 45.24% 35.71% 9.52% 2.45
Regular and effective engagement from the manager 9.52% 42.86% 40.48% 7.14% 2.45
Training in core policies and processes 9.52% 47.62% 38.10% 4.76% 2.38
Providing an effective mentor or buddy program 35.71% 33.33% 26.19% 4.76% 2
Facilitating effective co-worker relationships 9.52% 38.10% 47.62% 4.76% 2.48
Helping new hires understand culture and values 16.67% 30.95% 38.10% 14.29% 2.5
Helping new hires achieve some quick wins 14.29% 54.76% 30.95% - 2.17
Ensuring new hires are set up with IT from day 1 19.05% 26.19% 35.71% 19.05% 2.55
Effectiveness levels varied greatly between respondents and
demonstrated room for improvement in many factors impacting new hire
engagement…..
There is a lot of opportunity for organisations to improve the
way they engage with and manage new hires. On the flip side,
there are pockets of excellence and a relatively stronger focus
on IT set up and enabling effective co worker relationships.

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What three factors will most positively impact new hire engagement and
performance?
Category Analysis
1. Establishing clear expectations and goals
2. Induction and orientation planning
3. Regular and effective feedback
4. Values alignment
5. Training plan
6. Tools of the trade ready and working
7. Support through peers, buddies and mentors
Some standout opinions
“Making sure the job and culture fit is right for a start”
“People Managers must own this”
“Access to the tools I need from day 1”
“Help people understand the values and culture”
“Check in, check in, check in”

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What three factors will most negatively impact new hire engagement and
performance?
Category Analysis
1. Poor role clarity and performance expectations
2. Lack of effort and presence from the Manager
3. Poor planning and coordination
4. Not connecting with colleagues
5. Not being engaged in values and culture
6. No process or cycle of feedback
7. Tools of trade and systems not being set up
Some standout opinions
“Absence does not make the heart grow fonder”
“Lack of clarity and poor feedback loop”
“Left to find their own way”
“Not being actively connected”
“Reality misaligned to expectations set during the
recruitment process”

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Recruitment and Selection
• Do you accurately and consistently communicate culture and role
expectations during the selection process?
• Do you assess and test for cultural fit and values alignment?
• Are you effective at defining roles and the capabilities / skills we are
looking for with our new hires?
Ask yourself these questions as you consider how your organization is placed to meet
new hire expectations!
Pre start and administration
• Are you efficiently and accurately capturing new hire information?
• Do you have clear accountabilities and processes for IT and systems
set up?
• Do you engage with our new hires before day 1, send out welcome
packs, company policies, team profiles, etc.?
Planning and preparation
• Do you have a consistent process for induction and orientation?
• Is it clear in your organisation who is responsible for induction and
orientation planning?
• Does your new hire have a week 1 plan, schedule of meetings, meet &
greet opportunities etc.?
Capturing and acting on feedback
• Do you measure the experience of your new hires?
• Do you seek formal or informal feedback from new hires about their
experience?
• Do you measure turnover of new hires?
Colleagues, culture and training
• Are colleagues actively involved in the new hire experience?
• Do you actively engage your new hires in training on company values,
culture and expectations?
• Do you have a standard program of training on core policies,
procedures and systems?
The role of the leader
• Do your people leaders actively manage and take ownership of the new
hire experience?
• Are your leaders effective at giving regular feedback, paving the way
with relationships and setting expectations over the first 2 months of a
new team member joining your organisation?
• Do you have a mentoring program?

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Six practical things any organisation can do to improve the new hire
experience
Survey everyone who has joined your organisation in the last year, ask them what worked well and
what needs to improve. Use this as a basis for prioritising improvements.
At least one week before a new team member commences, hold a pre start meeting with HR, IT &
the manager. Work off a standard checklist to make sure you are prepared.
Develop and utilise a pre-start questionnaire for new starters. Understand a bit more about your
new team member, what they are looking forward to, need help with, unsure about etc.
Appoint a member of the team to act as a buddy and support person for the first month. Develop a
simple role description outlining the responsibilities of the buddy.
Develop a short presentation that provides an overview of the organisation, strategy, priorities, values
and key policies. Make it the responsibility of the Manager to take new hires through this in week 1
06 Establish and track two KPI’s. % turnover after 12 months service and new hire engagement after 6
months service. Start improving the second KPI and the first KPI will improve with it!

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There are some great technology solutions that can help with recruitment,
onboarding and engagement. Here are a few to consider*….
* The Author has no relationship, commercial or otherwise with these providers and they represent a sample of what is a great range of HR software solutions in the marketplace

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Get in Touch
www.linkedin.com/in/nick-murphy-5a966819
NJM Consulting
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o Insights
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