If your company’s onboarding process is antiquated, modernizing onboarding could be your key to retention. According to Zippia, companies that onboard well have an 82% new hire retention rate and increase productivity by 70%. Onboarding well builds rapport and trust with employees from day one. What does that look like practically?
Let’s look at three simple onboarding steps you can take for a high-performance workforce.
Be a Mentor
Starting a new job can feel like the first day of school. Maybe your employees have experience, but they are learning a new office building, team, and culture, as well as their own roles. Onboarding specialists or current employees provide a pathway for new hires to ask questions and acclimate. Experienced workers can help give new employees pointers on learning new systems, policies, and procedures. This relational touch helps the new hires know and feel that they are not alone. It also fosters a sense of teamwork and helps begin building a sense of cohesion from the start.
Design with the User in Mind
If a lot of your onboarding process consists of training via computer software or paperwork, it may be time to update your interface. Integrating things like quizzes or situational questions can make the process more enjoyable. You may also consider adding a real-life element to onboarding by asking new hires to interact or role-play scenarios with the training manager to reinforce learning. Use updated materials and systems that are easy to navigate and user-friendly to make the process as seamless as possible.
Prioritize Clear Communication
New hires may not be sure what your expectations are or how they can be sure they are meeting them in the future. Take the anxiety out of the process by defining what you expect. Define what success looks like for a new hire at one month, three months, and six months. Check in periodically to see if they have questions or need help meeting goals. This type of communication mitigates guesswork and gives you and the employee a way to measure performance. Be empathetic as you lead and remember that everyone learns at their own pace. A benchmark plan can be adjusted as needed. Think of it as a guideline that helps your new hire understand their role and points them in the direction of where you see the role heading. Additionally, this will help employees know how to grow within the company beyond their role.
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