In some industries, employee turnover rates are extraordinarily high, such as in the retail sector where turnover rates average between 80% and 100%. Replacing an hourly worker can cost as much as 30% of that employee’s salary, meaning companies experiencing higher turnover have a financial motivation for implementing programs that boost employee retention. One way to increase retention is through better onboarding practices. A good onboarding strategy may even play a role in leveling the playing field when it comes to gender. Here’s a look at a few best practices for successful onboarding programs.
Don’t Neglect Unique Individual Needs
The truth is that when it comes to employee onboarding, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for every organization or even for every new hire within the same company. Varied learning styles, preferences, and needs mean that an approach that’s highly effective for one employee might be a total turn-off for another.
The different needs of members of the millennial generation compared to the needs of the Baby Boomer workforce is one example of how individual differences can lead to dramatically different onboarding approaches. Millennials tend to prefer more relaxed atmospheres where they have greater autonomy while still feeling supported and valued. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, would expect a regimented, professional onboarding process.
That said, approaching onboarding by grouping employees together based on their generation is a bad idea, as well. Stereotypes and assumptions are never a good thing. The best way to navigate the unique needs of your new hires is to offer onboarding programs with a mix of delivery methods to suit varied learning styles.
Always Provide an Updated Organizational Chart
Organizational charts continue to serve a valuable purpose in modern-day companies. Today’s organizational charts come in all shapes and sizes and look drastically different from the photocopied one-sheeters of days past.
Organizational charts help to navigate workflow issues, enable new employees to readily identify the right team members to approach with questions, who to pass the baton to when it’s time to move a project on to the next phase, or who is responsible for various responsibilities throughout the company.
Consider Onboarding a Months-Long Process
Many companies have a new-employee orientation process that lasts for the first week or so of a new hire’s employment. This orientation and onboarding process may consist of a few classes, meetings with HR, watching videos and taking short quizzes to verify understanding. Employee onboarding shouldn’t end after formal training requirements are out of the way, however; the most effective onboarding programs last for several months.
Longer onboarding programs mean that new employees are supported fully during the first few months of employment, with ongoing opportunities to learn from and engage with staff within their own departments and across the organization. Onboarding may be less formal following the initial training process, but you should implement a program offering at least some level of additional support for the first 90 or 180 days.
A longer onboarding program also means that you’ll have ample opportunity to check in with new hires and solicit feedback on the effectiveness of the program, assess knowledge gaps, and modify your onboarding program as you go to ensure that you’re meeting each employee’s individual needs.
Onboarding is often not given enough attention in companies today, yet it’s one of the most effective ways to boost employee retention. Comprehensive onboarding programs leave employees feeling supported, valued, and respected, while simultaneously providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to exceed expectations.
Image via Pixabay by Unsplash
Author: James Mitchell