What is Employee Onboarding and Why is it so Important?
The term ‘Employee Onboarding’ refers to the process companies go through to successfully integrate and welcome a new hire to their business.
This extends beyond a first successful day but more until the employee is fully integrated in the team and have adjusted to their new role.
We are sure you’re thinking that this all sounds very similar to orientation, but orientation tends to refer to the first steps of onboarding and onboarding therefore refers to any action that helps new hires understand their new environment as well as the job role. Orientation typically provides the individual with the basics of the environment but is not all encompassing to include for example a companies values.
Why is onboarding so important?
On your first day of you new job, were you nervous? Excited? Probably a mix of the two. If you didn’t on that day receive enough attention and instruction this would not have boded well for your mood and overall attitude to the company. More than 25% of new hires quit after 3 months and a lack of employee onboarding process is likely why. Not only is this an inconvenience for the new recruit but also for the company as they now need to use resources to go back through the costly recruitment process.
Onboarding employees effectively can improve your employee retention.
Not only will a dedicated onboarding process prevent you from going through the recruitment process again so quickly, it will also help your new hire reach full productivity quicker by providing them with the tools necessary to get there. Going through the onboarding process will allow employees to settle quicker and therefore add value sooner to their team.
Onboarding
When planning your onboarding process with MyBenefitsZone it’s important to consider these four steps:
- Communicate with your new hire regularly – starting a new job is daunting so make sure to stay in contact with them in the run up to their start date and show them you’re looking forward to having them on board. This will already make them feel valued.
- Plan their first week for them – upon arrival the employee will not know what their day will be like so plan the first few days for them to get them successfully set up.
- Welcome them – Be friendly and positive, show them around the office, and allow them to meet everyone. Perhaps schedule a team lunch so that they can get well acquainted with their new colleagues in a relaxed environment.
- Keep it up! – the onboarding process isn’t just the first week, it’s important the new hire has enough meaningful work to be getting on with whilst they sculpt their place in the team. Check-in with them, show them you still care.
MyBenefitsZone allows your onboarding process to be planned and implemented digitally, providing new employees with all the information they require immediately and removes the ask for them to feel uncomfortable asking questions. Contact our team to find out how we can get your employee onboarding process implemented today.
