The Employee Onboarding Conundrum

An ineffective onboarding process can lead to a rise in employee turnover, delayed productivity, and negative cultural changes. According to Gallup, only 12% of employees believe their organization excels at onboarding. There are several reasons why onboarding fails, and organizations can improve their processes by addressing these issues.

Firstly, onboarding typically involves multiple people and departments, not just HR. This can result in a chain of events where tasks are passed from one person or department to another, increasing the risk of delays and leaving new hires feeling unprepared. To avoid this, companies should streamline the process and ensure that all involved parties have a clear understanding of their responsibilities.

Secondly, onboarding is often too short, with many companies confusing it with orientation. The best companies invest in a long-term onboarding process that even lasts beyond six months, compared to laggard companies that typically only have a day or a week of onboarding. Taking the time to build out a long-term strategy for onboarding can improve employee satisfaction and overall performance.

Thirdly, onboarding can be frustrating and time-consuming, with managers reporting that it takes an average of ten or more interactions to prepare for a new hire’s first day. It’s not feasible for companies to rely on manual onboarding processes, and they should consider automating some tasks to reduce the workload.

Lastly, organizations often neglect to provide ongoing support for new hires beyond their first week on the job. Onboarding should be an ongoing process throughout the first year of employment, and companies should provide support and performance measurement to ensure the new hire’s success.

In summary, to improve the onboarding process, companies should streamline the process, invest in a long-term strategy, automate some tasks, and provide ongoing support and performance measurement. Addressing these issues can lead to improved employee satisfaction and overall performance.