Ready to Find Your Next Star Performer?
Can you imagine if your company had a reputation for being a great place to work and you had a pipeline of qualified candidates waiting for an opening at your company and you rarely had an opening because your employee retention was 100%?
It is always easier for a company to attract and retain top talent when it has a reputation for being a great place to work but did you know that a great onboarding program can increase employee retention? In today’s labor-tight market, employee retention is more important than ever. There is increased competition for a smaller supply of talent and statistically, 1 in 6 new hires will leave within the first three months and more will leave within the first six months. Given the prevalence of mergers and acquisitions, those employees hired into the new organization should be considered new hires and welcomed in with the onboarding process as well.
Typically, new hires spend much of their first day in the HR Department where they read and sign documents, watch videos and complete computer-based training. They can feel disengaged and overwhelmed. Then they quickly tour the company, are introduced to their coworkers, shown to their desk and assigned busy work until they have time to understand their job.
What if you thought of your new hire as one of your best customers and changed your onboarding process to reflect that? Can you create the possibility that your new hire would feel welcomed and inspired by your onboarding process?
Onboarding can fun and meaningful and should begin right after your new hire turns in their resignation. Frequent telephone calls, texts, emails and meetings allows the new manager to begin developing a meaningful relationship answering questions and reinforcing their decision with current events, stories and differentiators. This is particularly important since your new hire is in an environment with coworkers asking them to take the counteroffer and stay.
Include the new hire’s family in the onboarding with a gift bearing the company logo, invitation to the company’s annual picnic and perhaps even a log-in to access online information about upcoming company events.
Install the software to complete new hire documentation online and then send your new hire a log-in so they can review and sign documents in the comfort of their home. This leaves the actual start date available to be filled with a personal agenda that is fun, interesting and can be done at a relaxed pace so your new employee can actually absorb and retain the information.
On their start date, your new employee can be greeted by a Human Resources professional, their new manager and their assigned mentor. The first day agenda can include a tour of the company, lunch in a conference room with their new coworkers and an icebreaker exercise to encourage starting healthy relationships. Successful onboarding creates a feeling of welcome and belonging from the first day. Imagine your new hire going home and telling their family that they had the best first day on a job.
Your new employee should see their workspace already set up for them and fully stocked with a computer that is updated with current software and ready to go, all the supplies they need, their name tag, badge and business cards. Decorate their workspace with gifts bearing the company logo like a T-shirt, pen and coffee mug. Place a welcome letter signed by everyone including the CEO on their desk. Provide a map of the area with nearby restaurants, dry cleaners and grocery stores. Include the new employee in company events and activities such as the company softball league.
Let the coworkers know the start date and make sure a different coworker is scheduled to have lunch with the new employee each day. Ask persons from different departments to schedule having lunch with the new employee as well. A new hire that feels they are part of a team and a valued member of the company has a longer tenure.
A great manager will ensure the new employee understands what they need to accomplish to succeed including clearly defined performance metrics as well as training and support. The manager should take the time to learn about the new employee and tailor development opportunities that support career advancement and make sure their role maximizes their strengths. The manager should encourage their new employee to contribute their experience and perspectives. The new employee will also want to know how their performance will be evaluated as well as how to earn bonuses and promotions. An engaged manager translates into an engaged employee who is living into a future of potential with the company. Plan meaningful work and training so the new employee can feel productive and begin contributing immediately.
Choose the best employee to be a mentor who will help your new employee learn their job, accountabilities, KPI’s, best practices, communication protocols, technology, processes, procedures, key policies. A great mentor will help the new employee assimilate into the company and learn about people, systems, the corporate culture and how the new employee’s job fits into and contributes to the overall success of the company. Include information about the informal corporate culture as well such as casual Fridays.
Most companies think of onboarding as a one day experience but onboarding should continue for at least 6 months or longer to ensure retention. Onboarding should not be restricted to new hires. There may be current employees who could benefit from going through an onboarding program to rejuvenate their careers as well. Let JK Consultants know how we can help you.
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JK Consultants
(209) 532-7772
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www.JKConsultants.com