43% Of New employees Leave Within The First 90 Days Of Employment

Effective employee onboarding plays a critical role in an employee’s engagement, productivity, commitment, and retention. In fact, research found that as much as 43% (Source: Work Institute 2019 Retention Report) of staff turnover occurred within the first 90 days of a new employee’s start date.

Key aspects of successful onboarding include ensuring that appropriate planning, resource and processes are in place to facilitate and support new employees effectively and enable them to feel an important part of the Company and understand how they add value from the outset. In the remote working world, it’s even more important to go the extra mile.

Below are a few simple things you can put in place to help you with your employee onboarding process:

Onboarding Planning Checklist:

• Keep in regular contact with the new employee prior to star date to ensure any concerns and questions are dealt with promptly.
• Prepare the rest of your team for the new employee’s arrival and ensure they have a clear understanding of what their roles are in supporting and sharing information with the new starter
• Have all the new employee’s IT equipment and stationery ready ahead of time and ensure it is all in working order and delivered to them prior to their start date.
• Share video of office environment, news, culture documents and company policies, handbook etc prior to their start date.
• Assign an appropriate buddy or mentor to be responsible for helping new starter with orientation and support.
• Setup welcome video conference meeting with the new employee and their buddy/mentor.
• Compile an onboarding schedule, diarise induction sessions and share with the new employee prior to start date. Spread out sessions to avoid the new employee being overloaded with new information.

Onboarding – First Week

• CEO or Owner welcome.
• Setup welcome video conference meetings with the new employee’s new team members.
• Send welcome email to the whole company introducing new employee and what their role is.
• Get the new employee to meet as many people as possible to establish rapport.
• Ensure their first day is focused on them learning about the key aspects (mission, values, objectives) of the organisation and how their role fits in.
• Live and breathe your employer brand, ensure each leader reflects these values about their functional areas and the organisation during their onboarding sessions.
• Share cascading team goals, objectives and targets and what the working norms are.
• Invite new hires to group chats & socials to feel included and absorb information.
• Combine training with real tasks that new employees can work on.
• Daily end of day check in meeting with their Buddy.
• Weekly one on one reviews with direct Manager to review progress.

First 12 Months

• Define the key steps for an employee to become a productive team member, immerse the employee gradually into their role.
• Set SMART objectives and measures in writing and review regularly.
• Hold new employees accountable to their objectives and targets, share company results & team input regularly with them and the whole team.
• Schedule regular probation check with the new employee and their Manager, weekly if possible (or if not feasible, every week for the first four weeks then monthly), to review progress and provide feedback.
• Celebrate and acknowledge their accomplishments with them and publicly.
• Share career progression paths and identify areas for development.
• Encourage creativity and innovation through inter-office contests and promotions.
• Foster a culture of openness so the employee is able to voice concerns and feel listened to.
• Seek their feedback on their experience of their onboarding journey.

If you require any support regarding improving or enhancing your onboarding process or any other HR related issue, please email me at [email protected] or call 07737836697 to arrange a free 45-minute consultation.