In this tight labor market making a successful hire can be an achievement in itself. Many companies spend lots of time and resources on talent acquisition and expect new hires to hit the ground running.
A successful and comprehensive onboarding program is key to helping new employees assimilate to your organization and is critical to support business success. Yet many employers report that their programs are only a week or less which is much shorter than the 3-12 months recommended. Without a solid retention and engagement plan in place companies face the prospect of hiring over and over at considerable expense.
According to a Gallup survey organizations lose as many as half of new hires within the first twelve months on the job. Onboarding goals have shifted from processing new hire paperwork (much of which can be done online before the first day) to new hire engagement and retention. Yet many managers still rush through onboarding insisting that new hires ramp up within a few weeks to be productive.
For knowledge-based jobs a few weeks is not enough time to develop connections that help get the job done effectively. Involving managers and holding them accountable for creating a more personal experience is crucial to a successful onboarding program.
There is no one size fits all when it comes to onboarding so take some time to map out what a meaningful onboarding experience could look like.
Day 1– Align your new hires with the organization’s mission, culture and product.
First 30 Days– The first 30 days are all about connecting and learning. Who should the new hire build relationships with? What should they accomplish in the first month? Give the new hire an achievable first project to help them gain an understanding of the scope of their responsibilities.
Create a Buddy Program– a Buddy is a person who acts as an informal guide to company culture and accessing information. Buddies are a great go-to resource for day-to-day things a new hire needs. Something as simple as knowing where to get office supplies can make a big difference to a new hire.
First 60 Days– managers should begin establishing short term goals aligned with business objectives to help new hires begin to make active contributions to get them engaged. This is also a good time to identify where the person might need more training and development to be successful in the role.
First 90 Days– managers should start holding new hires accountable for their own work through regular touch points or progress updates. New hires should be working towards developing long-term goals and handling more responsibility.
91 Days and Beyond– onboarding is a journey that goes beyond the first 90 days. Managers and new hires should create
a development plan that actively seeks out growth opportunities and encourages engagement.
Recognition is important – managers should continue to have regular touch points to recognize successes and give feedback about areas of development needed.
Talent acquisition is a major investment. A structured onboarding plan will help you make the shift from focusing on acquiring talent to developing and retaining talent.
Aisling Byrne, SHRM-SCP, CEBS, CMS is the CHRO at Artemiste Consulting where creating great places to work is our passion. Ms. Byrne is a frequent contributor to the Artemiste blog on many topics including onboarding, talent development, performance management, compensation planning, employee engagement, total rewards and learning and development.
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