Onboarding is typically seen as the orientation or initiation process of new hires. This process can last from before the individual begins their work with the company through the very first weeks or months.
Onboarding is a critical process that often doesn’t get the time and attention to detail placed on it that it should have. It can also look like one thing to one company and something totally different to another company. But a company is only as strong as its onboarding plan.
An effective onboarding plan has a domino effect in that it can ensure new employees feel comfortable in their position and have all they need to succeed while at the same time make sure the company or team has the right people in place to meet its overall goals.
Onboarding matters for 2 reasons:
1. Retention is improved. A solid and structured onboarding process makes it more likely an employee will stay with the company.
2. Productivity is increased. In one study, 62% of companies reported faster “time-to-productivity ratios when using an onboarding process for new team members.”
Having an effective onboarding process works in your company’s best interests in other ways as well:
1. It ensures legal regulations are complied with and minimizes administration tasks.
2. It creates a genuine feeling of belonging and when people feel like they belong, they are better able to focus on their work.
3. It makes it easier for HR to manage new employees as new employees require more administrative tasks, the HR department is able to keep up.
