You would hope
that each time you start a new job – or on the flip side bring in a new employee
– the process is as streamlined and smooth as possible. After all, being the
new recruit in the workplace can be a source of some stress, potentially
falling both on the employee and the employer.

For HR
managers in particular, it can be a challenging time as they are likely
responsible for getting the working relationship off on the right foot. Having an effective program in place to initiate new hires is
the best way to ensure a successful transition into the new role, and one that
will hopefully lead to a productive and sustained period of employment.

This process
is known as onboarding, and it can be the most valuable tool in these crucial
early stages to enhance employee engagement, and help organizational success.
Let’s take a look at some of the key ingredients for a successful employee onboarding solution. 

Preparing
for a new employee

As noted by
Entrepreneur, the average cost of recruiting, hiring and training a new
employee can be as high as $4,000 for each hire, so obviously it’s important to get it right. That means getting the process started at the earliest
possible juncture, even before you make the hire in most cases. 

“The
orientation should begin at the first click of the mouse when someone first
goes on the organization’s website, so by the time the person comes in for the
interview, they already know quite a lot about the organization,” says
Richard Jordan, a business coach speaking to Inc.com about the value of onboarding. Having
as much information as possible on your website can get the process underway.

Getting
through the general organization orientation can be a time-consuming endeavor, so
letting your new recruit do as much preparation work before his or her first day can
help you move onto the most pressing areas of your onboarding process.
Speaking of which… 

Making
the first impression count

According to
HC Online, research has shown that approximately 50 percent of senior hires
fail within the first 18 months, while the same percentage of hourly workers
don’t even make it beyond the first 120 days. With employee retention such
a crucial factor for success in an organization, stemming this level of
attrition should be a high priority.

Onboarding can
make a huge difference to this early-stage turnover. In fact, research from
Aberdeen Group showed it was the number one aspect of talent management thought
to have a lasting impact on employee retention, more important than learning,
performance and even compensation. 

Despite this,
the study uncovered that just 36 percent of the organizations have a formal onboarding
process in place. There’s likely nothing worse than having a new employee
start their first day at your organization and walking into a disorganized,
chaotic orientation period. Presenting a professional – but still accessible
and enjoyable – working environment is the ideal day one experience, with all
necessary information on hand to allow new staff to quickly start the training
properly. 

The
hallmarks of a good onboarding program

If the goal of
an onboarding program is to help your new employees get up to speed as quickly
as possible so they can begin to contribute to your organizational goals, then
laying out those goals early is obviously critical. The problem is that
getting your employee settled can take a large amount of effort, with so many
small, logistical details needing to be worked out.

Everything
from setting up employee access to computer systems and email accounts to going
through workplace health and safety concerns are included in these details; however, they’re not always among the most efficient steps in the process.
That said, there is likely little to no variation from one new recruit to the
next at this stage of onboarding, but the right solution can
now automate many of these steps. 

With modern
organizations needing to adhere closely to regulations in the workplace, the
automated approach is also a great way to ensure compliance from each and every
new hire. Once your employee has progressed through the automated stage of
onboarding, then the important face-to-face element of the process can begin in
earnest, and they will be able to quickly assimilate into their new team. Beyond compliance, a seamless onboarding process also sets the stage for a successful, engaged relationship.

Onboarding technology is designed with the goal of improving the experience
and retention of new employees in your organization, by making the onboard process as
smooth as possible. People analytics further enhances the process by letting your organization track the onboarding workflow, so you can see which
areas are effective and which could use improvements.

Get onboarding right — there’s too much at stake to bungle it.