Optimizing onboarding process, the key to stronger workforce

Does the first contact of an employee with your company and their integration process favor your employer reputation?

We often come across phrases like “Employer of Choice” or “Top Of Mind Employer,” etc., in HR circles, but what ultimately defines an employer as a Choice, Top, or Ideal employer? We’ve already discussed the importance of Candidate Experience and its benefits for an organization, but what happens when a candidate eventually becomes an employee? Then we move from Candidate Experience to Onboarding Experience, which falls under the overall Employee Experience.

The Onboarding Experience is defined as the integration experience of new employees into an organization. An Onboarding program is a structured procedural framework aimed at helping new employees understand the company, its culture, values, policies, procedures, and their work responsibilities, so they acquire all the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to succeed in their new roles.

This experience usually begins from the moment a job offer is accepted and continues during the first few weeks or months of employment, including activities such as training, team-building activities, and internal meetings/events. An Onboarding Program is essential for any company that wants to attract and retain top talent, as it provides these new talents with the information and resources they need to integrate into the organization and work effectively. Additionally, a good Onboarding program helps create a positive work environment and fosters a sense of satisfaction and success among new employees, thus enhancing the power of word of mouth and, consequently, overall Employer Branding.

But how does Onboarding unfold? What is the Onboarding journey? The Onboarding journey may vary depending on the organization and its practices, but there are some basic stages that are common in most companies:

• Pre-boarding: This stage occurs from the sending of the Job Offer until the new employee’s first day, usually including activities such as sending necessary documents for hiring, setting up access to systems and tools, and communicating important information about the company’s culture and expectations.
• Welcome: These are the first days of the integration process, when the new employee comes into initial contact with the company, its culture, and policies. This stage may involve a tour of the workplace and/or meeting with key team members.
• Familiarization & Induction: The new employee begins to learn more about the organization, their duties, and teams. They also receive specific training for their role, including training on the tools and systems they will use and the tasks they will be responsible for. In short, it’s the Induction period.
• Integration: Full integration into the new work environment may take several days or weeks, depending on the organization’s size. The new employee starts working regularly, learning more about the interaction between people and departments, their individual goals and the company’s goals, and fitting themselves into the whole.
• Interaction: The journey doesn’t end after the first few weeks or months. Continuous interaction with the work environment and frequent feedback help new employees gain more confidence, take more initiatives, and maximize their potential.

An organization following the basic stages of a well-structured Onboarding program and enriching its processes with the aim of creating a positive and efficient employee experience can yield many benefits, such as:

An organized Onboarding Program can help new employees feel welcomed, leading to higher retention rates/staying in the company.

Organizations providing a strong Onboarding Process increase new employee retention rates by up to 82%. (Source: The Brandon Hall Group)

A positive Onboarding experience can make new employees feel more comfortable and confident in their new roles, creating higher job satisfaction. This can translate to better performance, increased dedication, and a stronger sense of loyalty to the company.

70% of employees who had an outstanding Onboarding Experience believe they have “the best possible job.” Additionally, these employees are 2.6 times more likely to feel truly satisfied with their work and to stay there. (Source: Gallup)

An effective Onboarding Process can help your people start contributing to the organization’s goals and perform earlier. This leads to increased productivity and, consequently, revenue for the company.

Insight: Organizations providing a strong Onboarding Process increase new employee productivity by up to 70%. (Source: The Brandon Hall Group)

Onboarding programs can assist employees in understanding the company’s mission, values, and culture, helping them integrate into the organization more quickly. This leads to a stronger sense of belonging and a shared purpose among teams, ultimately achieving higher levels of employee engagement.

Insight: Organizations with a formal onboarding process are twice as likely to achieve higher levels of employee engagement compared to those that do not. (Source: IBM, “The Value of Employee Onboarding: A Multi-Year Survey Examining the Business Impact of Onboarding Programs”)

Onboarding programs can facilitate communication among new employees, managers, and their colleagues within the organization. This can help build stronger relationships, increase transparency, and reinforce a culture of collaboration.

Insight: 62% of respondents state that a well-designed integration program can have a positive impact on corporate culture. (Source: Human Capital Institute)

A well-executed onboarding program can contribute to creating a positive employer brand for new employees, aiding in attracting more top talents, utilizing them as ambassadors through word of mouth.

Insight: 83% of Talent Acquisition Leaders report that having an effective onboarding program helps improve Employer Branding. (Source: LinkedIn)

To discern the effectiveness of your onboarding practices or program, an organization should regularly conduct evaluations. The process of assessing an onboarding program involves gathering feedback from new employees and those actively involved in onboarding processes. The aim of this evaluation is to determine how well the company’s goals are being met through the program. Onboarding evaluation can take various forms, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and monitoring specific indicators. Analyzing the data obtained will help identify areas for improvement and define actions to achieve an efficient onboarding program.

Are you looking to improve your onboarding practices? Do you want to stand out as an Employer of Choice by offering a unique integration experience to your employees?

Embark on a journey to unlock the full potential of your workforce and enhance your employer brand through effective onboarding. Learn how to create a seamless integration experience that fosters engagement and loyalty.

Understanding Onboarding Experience: Onboarding transitions candidates into employees, shaping their perception of your organization.

Stages of Onboarding Journey: Pre-boarding, welcome, familiarization, integration, interaction.

Benefits of Well-Structured Onboarding: Increased retention, improved job satisfaction, faster productivity, higher engagement, enhanced culture, positive branding.

Evaluating Your Onboarding: Regular assessments ensure alignment with organizational goals and continuous improvement.