Regardless of size, scale or industry sector, every organisation must ensure they have a well-designed, strategic onboarding program. When onboarding, some organisations excel remarkably, while others lag.
Your onboarding process helps new employees to acclimate with work process, procedures and introduces them to your company. It’s not just a tick box exercise, it needs to support your new employees during their first three months and leave a lasting impression.
30% of newly hired employees leave within three months of being hired.
Source: Harvard Business Review
A poor onboarding program is not only counterproductive, it is also detrimental to the company’s growth and financial performance. It leaves new employees lost and disorientated. Without a well thought-out plan, new employees struggle to get up to speed and become productive. In addition, replacing an employee, regardless of tenure, involves recruitment, training, and again onboarding, all of which is time consuming and comes at a cost.
Your onboarding program sets out what is expected, lets new employees understand how the organisation operates and inducts them into your company culture. When the famous management consultant Peter Drucker coined the phrase “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, he did not mean that strategy is not important, he was trying to convey that a positive work culture is a surer route to organisational success.
A meticulously planned onboarding program embraces the need to begin before the new hire walks through the door. This is known as pre-boarding, where the employer engages with the candidate during the notice period. It is crucial to engage with candidates during this period, as they are likely to receive offers and expressions of interest from other organisations. Without proper engagement, they may reconsider and choose another opportunity.
If your onboarding program is strong, review it to ensure it remains effective and robust. If not, act immediately and prioritise its enhancement today!
