Christopher Pappas is the CEO and Founder of eLearning Industry, a leading publishing platform that delivers inspiring content.
In today’s dynamic and competitive business landscape, attracting and retaining top talent remains a challenge in many industries. While companies often invest significant resources into the recruitment process, the importance of a well-executed onboarding program is frequently overlooked.
When new hires join an organization, they enter an entirely new ecosystem. Beyond simply learning their job-specific skills and responsibilities, they also must understand the company’s culture, values and operational dynamics. Helping newbies navigate the cultural aspects of an organization is just as—if not more—instructive than teaching them how to get the job done. My company recently conducted an employee experience survey and found that 1 in 4 recently hired employees expressed an eagerness to learn about their new company’s culture, benefits and overall operations from their very first day.
Taking a holistic approach to onboarding can help keep first-day enthusiasm alive and prevent a disconnect between new employees and the organization. Here’s how:
Evaluate current onboarding programs.
Rather than welcoming employees to the organization, our survey found that current onboarding practices alienate up to a third of new hires. For many (46%), the entire process was described as “overwhelming,” while nearly as many (42%) admitted they were unable to retain everything relayed during orientation and had to eventually repeat some training.
One reason new employees graduate from onboarding programs feeling disengaged is their format and content: one-way dissemination of information and a focus on administrative tasks like how to access corporate networks, software tutorials and completing paperwork. To revamp this process, organizations should redefine the objectives of these initial days of employment. It should go beyond paperwork to include cultural immersion, relationship building and early skill development. For example, employers can prioritize hiring from a diverse talent pool or set up a buddy program that pairs colleagues from different backgrounds to discuss and learn about the culture together. Shifting the focus to these aspects can create a more holistic onboarding approach from day one.
Adopt a personalized approach.
Every employee brings their own set of skills and aspirations to a new role. To recognize this, organizations should adopt a personalized approach to onboarding. Indeed, nearly half (47%) of respondents characterized their employer’s training as “a waste of time,” stating the content was not helpful in their day-to-day work.
By understanding the individual expectations of new hires, organizations can tailor the onboarding journey to address their specific requirements. This can be achieved through pre-onboarding assessments and surveys, allowing organizations to create customized onboarding plans that align with each employee’s learning preferences, as well as the role they will play within the organization.
For example, a new hire joining the finance department as an entry-level accounts receivable clerk completes a short survey that indicates to HR and training teams that they are a visual learner. The teams can create visual process flowcharts that outline the AR workflow, from generating invoices to recording payments and handling collections. This can be supplemented by videos or simulations of the organization’s accounting systems and software interfaces that allow the learner to explore the systems and practice entering transactions.
Enlist the whole organization.
The onboarding process should not be the sole responsibility of human resources or the new hire’s immediate supervisor; it needs to be a collective effort that involves the entire organization.
To create a supportive onboarding culture, companies should foster collaboration and engagement across departments. Encourage existing employees to participate in the onboarding process as mentors, and share their insights based on their experiences. This can help create a sense of belonging and promote a positive culture within the organization.
Outside of formal learning programs, peer-to-peer groups based on employees’ roles, departments or length of service help connect employees with others who can serve as resources when faced with a challenge. While many employers have rolled out messaging or chat apps such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, one-third (34%) of employees said interacting with colleagues via software feels forced, and nearly a quarter of them (24%) do not use these apps at all. Instead, employers should encourage building connections through face-to-face interactions, which can take place remotely on video calls (with cameras turned on) or in person in office common areas.
Establish a feedback loop.
Soliciting post-session feedback is an important step toward improving the onboarding experience and building a positive corporate culture. Organizations should view onboarding as an iterative process that requires ongoing feedback, evaluation and recalibration. Regular check-ins and open communications channels should be established to allow new hires to express their thoughts, concerns and suggestions regarding their experience during their early weeks at the company.
Rather than waiting for an employee to proactively offer this feedback, immediately following any onboarding session, the HR or training team should send a short online poll to provide attendees the opportunity to rate the course’s quality, the content’s usefulness, the trainer’s competence and related feedback. New hires are often reluctant to share their constructive feedback; our survey found that 1 in 4 (24%) new hires were uncomfortable sharing feedback regarding issues during their onboarding, many of whom (57%) feared retaliation for bringing up negative issues. Collecting this feedback, however, can help organizations identify areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments to enhance the onboarding process. This feedback loop also reinforces the message that the organization values the input of its employees and is committed to their growth and development.
In a highly competitive job market, companies cannot afford to overlook the significance of onboarding. For your new hire program to be successful, follow employee onboarding best practices and embrace employee feedback. Beyond merely providing orientation and training, effective onboarding sets the stage for long-term success by fostering employee engagement, job satisfaction and loyalty.
By reevaluating and revamping current onboarding practices, organizations can create a foundation that not only empowers new hires to thrive but also contributes to a positive workplace culture and sustainable organizational growth. Investing in comprehensive onboarding programs is an essential strategy to attract and retain top talent in today’s business landscape.
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