Onboarding 101 🧑‍💼

Hello, wonderful HR enthusiasts! 🤗 

This is Mariam Mushtaq from HR Brain Pickings - bringing to you this week’s first edition. Hope you all had a great weekend! 😊

Today, let's navigate something that’s quite undervalued when it comes to improving employee experience and retention - onboarding a new employee. 🧑‍💼 

Think back to when you first joined a new company - the way you welcome new hires can really set the tone for their experience at their new workplace - don’t you think? 🤔 

A Tale as Old as Time (or at least as old as HR)

Picture this: You've just hired Alex, a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed new team member eager to contribute. Fast forward a few weeks, and that eagerness has turned into confusion and disengagement. 🫣 

Alex during his second week at work ⬇️ 😭 

This scenario is all too common, yet also entirely.. preventable?

Why Does Onboarding Go Awry?

• Lack of Structure: Without a clear onboarding plan, new hires like Alex are left feeling lost at sea.

• Information Overload: Bombarding Alex with too much information too soon can trigger a feeling of overwhelm and anxiety.

• Underestimating the Power of Culture: Failing to immerse Alex in the company culture from day one means missing a critical piece of the puzzle.

Free Bonus Resources | Employee Onboarding

1. 📜 Ready-to-Use Employee Onboarding Templates and Checklists → Get Here

2. 📖 Guide: How to Onboard New Employees → Read The Full Guide

3. 📑 Your Step-By-Step Guide to New Hire Onboarding → Get A Free Checklist

4. 🛠️ Use this tool to design onboarding journeys for new hires → Try the Tool for Free

Employee Onboarding Case Studies | Google, Netflix and LinkedIn 📚️ 

Pro Tips for HR Professionals | Latest Stats

With recent statistics indicating great onboarding can enhance employee retention by 82% 📈 and improve performance by over 70% 🤯, it's evident that a well-structured onboarding process is a key driver for organizational growth.

Despite this, 36% of companies still lack a structured onboarding and recruitment process 🙄, highlighting a significant gap between understanding and implementation.

Drawing inspiration from onboarding experiences crafted by industry giants like Google, Netflix, and LinkedIn, here's a distilled guide filled with actionable tips for HR professionals ✨.

1. Start Early with Pre-boarding 🚀

Given that only 12% of U.S. workers rate their company's onboarding as good, initiating engagement before the official start date can set a positive trajectory. I mean - that’s a pretty good reason to at least try pre-boarding? 😊 

Welcome emails, key information about the first day, and early access to platforms or tools can alleviate first-day anxiety, making new hires feel valued and anticipated 💌.

2. Customize the Onboarding Experience 🔧

With 25% of companies limiting onboarding to just 1-2 days, extending and personalizing the onboarding experience can significantly impact employee engagement and retention.

Tailor the experience to meet each new hire's needs and learning styles, acknowledging that one size does not fit all 🌟.

3.Foster a Sense of Belonging 🤝

A strong start in cultural assimilation is crucial, especially considering that 91% of employees who receive company culture training feel connected to their workplace.

Share your organization's stories, values, and practices through informal chats or interactive sessions, helping new employees feel part of something bigger from day one 🌱.

4.Leverage Technology and Automation 🛠️

With the global market for onboarding software expected to reach $1.7 billion by 2026, utilizing digital tools to automate routine paperwork and streamline onboarding logistics is not only efficient but also essential.

This frees up time for meaningful human-centric interactions, ensuring no critical steps are overlooked 📚.

5.Implement a Buddy or Mentor System 👭

47% of businesses use the buddy system, and 56% of new hires prefer having a mentor or buddy, which indicates the effectiveness of pairing new hires with seasoned mentors or buddies within their department.

This also normally costs $0 to set up 🆓.

6. Set Clear Objectives and Milestones 🎯

Given that 77% of employees who underwent formal onboarding met their initial performance goals, providing clear, actionable goals and regular milestones can help new hires understand what success looks like in their new role and how they can achieve it.

7. Celebrate Early Wins 🎉

Acknowledging achievements early on can significantly boost a new hire's confidence and sense of belonging.

This is especially important considering 10% of employees quit early because their onboarding experience wasn't satisfactory, highlighting the need for positive reinforcement from the start.

Treat your onboarding program as a living process. Regularly solicit feedback from new hires and use it to refine and improve the program. What worked well for one cohort may need adjustment and modifications for the next.

_Source

EngageWith Feature Highlight 💡

New Hire Onboarding: Design delightful onboarding journeys that are engaging, interesting, and collaborative. Make your new hires part of your organization even before they join!

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Today’s Reads

• Anxiety - is now the top mental health issue in the workplace. Read this SHRM article to learn more.

• Have you implemented on-site childcare at your workplace? If your workforce is made up of a good chunk of working parents - it might be time to consider incorporating this benefit. Read how KinderCare's on-site child care center helps parents thive at work.

• “32% cited a lack of consistency in the experience of remote versus in-office participants, with 86% of employees in the Americas saying that workplace tools do not integrate seamlessly.” Read the recent trends on office redesign.

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