The first impression is the last impression!

As we all know, we live in a candidate-driven environment where candidates prioritize an excellent culture that recognizes their abilities and focuses on their well-being. But, most importantly, people make up their minds about their new company on the first day of work, whether they intend to stay with the organization in the long term or not.

Hiring top tech candidates is merely the beginning of a successful hiring process. The success is also associated with whether or not organizations will be able to keep those new hires in the long run.

That is how first impressions of your organization significantly impact employee retention.

However, focusing on this aspect while running your hiring process is practically tough.

That’s why organizations should work on Building a Solid Onboarding Strategy!

According to Brandon Hall Group research, organizations with an effective onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by more than 70%.

Onboarding is a post-hiring process that focuses on making new hires feel welcome in the organization. An onboarding process prepares and directs employees about everything, from their role to the company’s work culture.

The primary goal of the onboarding process is to show the new hire that your organization is excited to have them on board and values their contribution to the organization.

However, many organizations overlook that an onboarding process begins as soon as the new hire accepts the job offer and lasts at least one year.

Importance of Smooth Onboarding

Onboarding is essential because it provides new hires with the knowledge, training, and support they need to bring resourceful results to their organizations.

“According to a recent Bamboo HR survey, new employees with a positive onboarding experience are 18x more committed to their employer.”

Another advantage of a smooth onboarding process is:

• Contributes to Employee Retention
• Improved employee engagement
• Increased Productivity
• Strengthens your brand image

That’s why it is pivotal for an organization to have the proper onboarding process to ensure a seamless experience for both the employee and the company.

Tips for an effective onboarding process

A successful onboarding process helps to transform a good-fit candidate into a top performer.

According to a CareerBuilder and Silkroad Technology survey, one in ten employees have left a company due to a poor onboarding experience, and 37% of employees said their manager did not play an essential role in their onboarding experience.

To avoid losing your one-in-a-million candidate and ensure the success of your onboarding process, it’s vital to make the new employee feel at ease from the start.

Keep reading to find out how you can do so.

Here are five sure-fire tips that organizations can follow to make a new employee’s entrance as smooth as possible.

Help them in setting work goals

A new hire is similar to a newlywed bride who requires full attention and guidance to fit into a new environment. That’s why companies must give them at least a week to adjust to their new role and understand the role requirements and goals.

As a great leader, you can assist them in setting regular or weekly goals and discuss and welcome new ideas to make them feel acknowledged. This way, new hires will understand how the company functions and the level of work efficiency it expects from them.

Along with that, organizations should empower and allow them to think independently. For that, you should give them the authority to make decisions on their own in their role. This process will not only engage your employees from the beginning but will also help foster an environment of continuous improvement and innovation that will further lead to growth. This way, you can give employees a great experience that will lead to long-term employee retention.

Give them time to settle.

The first days in a new office are always memorable for new employees. So, whether they’ll have a good or bad memory of that day depends on the organization’s onboarding process. The truth is that not all employees are ecstatic on their first day; some may also be very nervous. So, to help them calm their nerves, the organization should give them some time to settle.

Some companies overload employees with tasks and goals on the first day. But this will only result in a bad experience. Instead, you should give them the tools and resources they need to settle down. This way, they’ll have time to figure out their goals and strategies to perform well and bring best in the organization.

For example, on their first day of work, you can show them videos to give them an overview of the company’s history, mission, vision, and operations. After that, as a small task, you can ask them to prepare some notes based on that. This process would give them a better understanding of the company and its work. So, now that employees are well aware of a company’s profile, there may be limited chances of factual errors in their work.

Provide an onboarding mentor

Learning is a continuous process, and there will always be a learning curve, no matter how many working experiences a new hire has had. Even after endless team meetings and watching company-related videos, it is prevalent for a new hire to have a zillion questions about their work and the company’s culture.

In this case, organizations can provide an onboarding mentor to a new hire who can patiently answer all their questions. They should encourage them to ask more questions and let them know there is nothing wrong with sharing their doubts. Sometimes, their doubts give rise to innovative ideas and help in recognizing loopholes that will benefit the company.

Welcome messages & meetings

The next step you can follow in your onboarding process is employee recognition. This process will assist you in getting acquainted with new hires. For that, you can organize a company meeting and introduce the new hire to the rest of the team to give them a sense of belonging. You can also send a brief and friendly welcome to make them feel like they’re now a part of your team. Moreover, to create them more creatively, you can ask other team members to create a fun video with a brief welcome message. This strategy acts as a perfect icebreaker between the team members and new hires.

Collaborate frequently

Collaboration is essential for keeping track of and communicating with new hires. Schedule regular or weekly team meetings to discuss their weekly goals to collaborate effectively. Regular meetings will assist you in uncovering hidden talents and skills and assessing your new hire’s efficiency level. Aside from that, you’ll be able to see their roadblocks and help them address any potential issues early on.

You can also schedule a meeting with new hires each week’s end. In the sessions, you can discuss their future goals and how they feel about their new position.

Discuss their progress

There are several ways to take care of your employees, including discussing their problems and progress. It would be nice to inquire about the stumbling block they are facing with work or any other area. According to a recent survey, addressing development during onboarding increases satisfaction by 3.5x. It will help if you encourage them to actively share their work-related questions so that they can be resolved early on and their efficiency is not impeded later.

Conclusion

Onboarding is no longer just about providing new hires with the paperwork and information they require; it is also about establishing a meaningful work relationship that will motivate them to stay in the long run.

So, if you want to foster a culture of motivated and productive employees, focus on developing a solid onboarding strategy that emphasizes strengthening the new hire’s connection to the organization.

Furthermore, if you need any help attracting and hiring top talent, you can contact OptimHire and try our services to make your hiring 20x faster, easier, and seamless.

For more info, book a call with our success manager.