Beyond the financial costs, a poor onboarding experience can also lead to decreased employee productivity, increased turnover, and a negative impact on company culture to name a few.
In this article, we will explore the importance of effective onboarding and share best practices for onboarding new employees.
The legal landscape of onboarding: don't skip the details
First thing is first, it’s important to be aware of the legal considerations during onboarding to avoid any potential legal issues down the line.
Document verification
Perhaps the most important legal consideration is document verification. As an employer, you should ensure that new employees provide valid and accurate documentation, such as a driver's license or passport, to verify their identity. It is also important to verify whether the employee is eligible to work in the country, which, for example in the US, requires completing Form I-9, and reviewing acceptable documents provided by the employee.
Mandatory training
Mandatory training is another legal consideration during onboarding. This involves training on workplace safety, discrimination and harassment prevention, and other topics required by law. Failure to provide mandatory training can result in legal liability.
State-specific laws related to onboarding
To ensure compliance, it is important to always familiarize yourself with the onboarding laws in each state, and country, where they operate and update their onboarding processes accordingly. As well as continuously make sure to keep an eye out for any changes in laws that might occur. This may involve creating state-specific onboarding checklists, updating employee handbooks, or seeking legal counsel to ensure full compliance.
Measuring success of your onboarding process: key metrics
55% of businesses do not measure the effectiveness of their onboarding processes.
(Source: Businesswire)
When it comes to assessing the effectiveness of an onboarding program, it's crucial to have the right metrics in place. These metrics will provide you with valuable insights into how well the program is working and whether it's achieving its intended goals. After all - if you’re not tracking the key metrics, how will you know if what you’re doing is truly working? 🤔
Here are some key metrics that can help you measure the success of an onboarding program:
- Time to productivity: This metric measures how quickly new hires are able to become fully productive in their roles. It assesses the effectiveness of the onboarding process in equipping employees with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to contribute to the organization. By tracking time to productivity, you can identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to streamline the onboarding experience.
- New hire retention rate: This metric measures the percentage of new hires who stay with the company for a specified period, typically the first year. A high retention rate indicates that the onboarding program is successful in engaging and integrating new employees into the organization. Long story short - it suggests that new hires are finding value in their roles and are more likely to commit to the company long-term. Research by Brandon Hall Group found that organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.
- Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS): The eNPS is a metric that measures employees' willingness to recommend the company as a place to work. It provides insights into how engaged and satisfied employees are with the onboarding process and their overall experience in the organization. A high eNPS score indicates a high employee engagement, as well as that employees are likely to become advocates for the company, which can positively impact talent acquisition and retention efforts. A metric definitely worth paying attention to!
- Training completion rates: This metric measures the percentage of employees who successfully complete all required onboarding training modules. It assesses the level of engagement and compliance with the onboarding program. By tracking training completion rates, companies can identify any gaps in training content, delivery, or accessibility and make improvements to ensure that new hires receive the necessary information and skills to succeed in their roles.
Feedback loops: the heartbeat of continuous improvement
Collecting and acting upon feedback during the onboarding process is crucial if you’re looking to continuously improve the onboarding programs. Feedback loops will allow you to gather valuable insights from new hires, assess the effectiveness of their onboarding efforts, and make necessary adjustments to enhance the overall experience.
New hires are 91% more likely to improve their connection with their bosses right away when they are asked for feedback.
(Source: Candidate Experience Global Research Report)
Here are two ways you can collect feedback from your new hires:
- Surveys: Surveys are one of the most common and effective methods for collecting feedback during the onboarding process. Surveys can cover various aspects of the onboarding experience, such as the quality of training, the clarity of expectations, the level of support received, and the overall satisfaction of new hires. Survey questions can be both quantitative and qualitative, allowing you to gather measurable data as well as detailed feedback. Through analyzing survey responses, you can identify patterns, trends, and areas for improvement. Surveys also provide a platform for new hires to voice their concerns, suggestions, and ideas, fostering a culture of open communication and continuous improvement.
- One-on-one meetings. In addition to surveys, one-on-one meetings between new hires and their supervisors or managers are an essential point of feedback during the onboarding process. These meetings provide an opportunity for new hires to discuss their experiences, ask questions, seek clarification, and provide feedback on their onboarding journey. Managers can also use these meetings to gather valuable insights, understand individual needs and challenges, and address any issues or concerns that new hires may have.
Collecting feedback is just the first step in the feedback loop. To truly benefit from the feedback, the feedback collected should be regularly reviewed to identify any areas for improvement. Remember, feedback is the compass for improvement – let's keep it pointing in the right direction.
From day one to year one: onboarding for long-term success
A well-designed onboarding program not only helps new employees acclimate to their roles and the company culture but also fosters their professional growth and development. Here are some key components of an effective onboarding process that contribute to long-term employee success:
- Career development plans: A comprehensive onboarding program should include discussions and goal-setting sessions to help new hires understand their career paths within the organization. By providing clarity on growth opportunities and outlining potential advancement trajectories, employees are more likely to feel motivated and committed to their roles.
- Mentorship programs: Pairing new hires with experienced employees or mentors can greatly enhance the onboarding experience. These mentors become the new hire's 'buddy', offering guidance, support, and valuable insights into the organization's dynamics, helping them navigate their roles and build strong relationships within the company.
- Continuous learning: A successful onboarding process should emphasize continuous learning and skill development. By providing access to training programs, workshops, and resources, companies can empower new hires to enhance their knowledge and expertise, ensuring they have the tools to excel in their roles and adapt to changing business needs.
- Performance reviews: Regular performance reviews during the onboarding period allow managers to provide feedback, assess progress, and address any concerns or challenges. Clear expectations and constructive feedback help new employees understand their strengths, areas for improvement, and how their contributions align with the organization's goals.
How long is too long? The ideal onboarding timeline
The new hire onboarding process typically consists of several stages, each with its own timeline.
The average employee onboarding process typically lasts between three to six months, commonly referred to as 30-60-90 Day Plan.
(Source: Candidate Experience Global Research Report)
Here is a recommended timeline for the various stages of onboarding:
- Pre-boarding (prior to start date). This stage involves sending welcome emails, sharing necessary paperwork, and providing access to relevant resources. It helps new hires feel prepared and informed before their first day.
- Day one. The main goals of the first day should be setting expectations for the employee and giving them a clear idea of what their job will be like on a daily basis since the first day of employment.
- Week one. No matter what training method your organization uses, this first week is critical in terms of providing adequate support and communication, ensuring the employee feels comfortable in their new role.
- Month one. After the first week and within the first month of the new job, the employee is starting to get to know their surroundings and familiarizing themselves with the company culture.
- Month two. This is all about the new employee building relationships with their team members and across different departments as well. As they build relationships, they begin to understand the company culture even better and how things get done in the organization.
- Month three. By this time, they should be capable of executing and completing projects or specific tasks independently. The objective is to instill a sense of long-term growth and success in new employees, which can be achieved by providing them with a development plan and involving them in their own career progression.
- The 90-day mark. By the 90-day mark, the new employee should confirm if they made the right decision by joining the company. It's crucial that employees not only meet expected results but also integrate well with their team and align with the organization's values. Additionally, this is the best moment to gather feedback on the onboarding experience, as the employee now has a better understanding of the organization and can provide suggestions for future improvements.
P.S. The length of the onboarding process depends on various factors such as the complexity of the role, the organization's culture, and the industry. However, it's essential to strike a balance between providing comprehensive training and ensuring that new hires can contribute meaningfully to the organization as soon as possible.
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