Good onboarding delights and retains
Too many companies underestimate the value of a proper on-boarding process and expect new employees to just slide into the department without much attention.
But the first time in a new workplace is a vulnerable period that has a major impact on job satisfaction, performance and ultimately the desire to continue. All with major consequences for the company.
Onboarding starts with a smile
There were butterflies of all kinds in Tim's stomach when he showed up for his first day as a new Account Manager at Elvium. Fortunately, the most restless of the butterflies had already stopped fluttering the day before. That's when Tim received a text message from Jesper, Elvium's CEO:
"Greetings from the whole team. We look forward to tomorrow and to having you on the team!"
We have a plan
Tim doesn't hesitate for a moment when describing the value of his first time in the office!
'There was a plan!' he says.
Like a true Egon Olsen plan, nothing is left to chance. And Tim felt confidently guided through a process where everything from the joint breakfast to the ongoing training was scheduled and staffed. The result was an employee who felt confident in record time! Not least in the product whose subtleties it is so crucial that he understands!
The electronic onboarding tool
Elvium's onboarding plan has since evolved into an actual product that will be launched soon.
"Companies spend a lot of money on recruitment, but fail at on-boarding!", says Jesper Andersen, CEO of Elvium and therefore an expert in recruitment.
With Elvium's recruitment system, it has been possible to refine the recruitment process and provide a more accurate picture of the relevant candidates. The recruitment system has meant a concrete financial gain for Elvium's customers. That's why it can annoy a revered CEO if his customers' perfect candidate decides to leave shortly afterwards. And he has long wanted to go to the other side of the recruitment process. To follow it all the way through!
The result is a structured process where all on-boarding tasks and relevant stakeholders are managed and notified electronically. A system you can feed with the company's good intentions and ensure a safe way into the company and retain them. Retain them, yes, even the new employees!
A quarter of all new hires quit
The security, training, community and professionalism. All of these serve to retain employees, and failing at them in the early days can be fatal.
It's no secret anymore that a good on-boarding process matters. Most people are familiar with the shocking figures that reveal, among other things, that 25% of new hires quit before a year has passed. While a whopping 90% of new hires have to consider whether they want to stay in the job during their first 6 months. In addition to the vulnerability a departure adds to the team, it's also costly. Around 18 months' salary, according to one study.
Introduction or onboarding?
The one thing that can still be difficult to manage is to structure the onboarding process. Plans may have been made for a colleague to be responsible for training in this or that product, but no account has been taken of who. Or maybe you just forgot to notify the lucky person. And what if the colleague is sick - who takes responsibility?
Not all positions require actual training to do the job. In these cases, on-boarding often risks becoming a vague and short-lived process. The focus is on getting the new hire up to speed with the job and forgets to pay attention to the other equally important parameters such as engagement and motivation. These are qualities that are not necessarily inherent in employees, but need to be nurtured. Not just in the first few weeks, but as part of a longer-term process.
We onboard you to work happiness
The essential part of an onboarding process is that you speak right into the emotions of the new employee. That you understand the need to settle in. An adult, competent person can find stepping into a new culture just as scary as a trembling student in a new class. The work environment is essential. If it is perceived as dismissive and unhealthy, the adult new hire will consider other options that the student can't.
The company should therefore try to accommodate the feeling of
- Having someone to bond with in the early days
- Quickly perform and contribute to the business rather than sit idle
- Find your way around without asking too much for help
- Confidently navigate company culture and jargon
As uncomfortable as it is to be left alone in the canteen, so is the cultural shift from a streamlined 24-7 performance culture at your old workplace to a more loose 'Remember-Now-Friday-Bar' culture. Being able to understand the new demand, where people suddenly get hung up on whether you prioritize the social aspect.
Simply put, new employees will learn to understand and act according to the cultural code fastest if the company itself has made it clear and includes it in the on-boarding process.
For more information about Elvium's onboarding module, you can always call 7199 2860.
