Could better onboarding processes help stem the loss of new employees and create better job retention? As new hires leave their jobs at a faster rate than ever before, a survey from Eagle Hill Consulting suggests it’s time to look at the onboarding process and consider why current practices are missing the mark.
The survey of 782 respondents from a random sample of employees across the U.S. who started a new job in the last 18 months found employers are not providing an onboarding experience that leads to employee success.
Onboarding Basics
Often viewed as a cursory human resources task, the onboarding process is becoming less impactful for many companies. When asked about their onboarding experience, new hires said they did not receive the basic information needed to be successful in their job. This included relationship building (71%), organizational culture (62%), technology (54%) and benefits information (46%).
Depending on the organization, the onboarding process was performed differently. Not half of those surveyed (49%) received in-person onboarding. The remaining respondents received a virtual (31%) or hybrid (13%) onboarding.
What Employees Want to Know in the First Month
- Knowledge of how performance is measured (83%)
- Information on mental and physical health resources (76%)
- Opportunities to make personal connections with team members (75%)
- Guidance on how to be successful in corporate culture (74%)
- Details on how workplace practices could change (74%)
- Information on the organization’s core values (70%)
- Opportunities to make personal connections with people outside their team (69%)
- Tips on how to network in a remote/hybrid job setting (68%)
*Eagle Hill Consulting
The consultancy countered that with the growth of remote and hybrid work, the onboarding process may be more important than ever.
“Onboarding is so much more than paperwork and checklists,” said Melissa Jezior, President, and CEO of Eagle Hill Consulting. “What you don’t want is for your company to become ‘The Great Regret’ for new employees because of an onboarding failure. Done wrong, onboarding can damage performance and morale, which drives employees right out the door. But when done right, onboarding can set employees up for success in terms of strengthening their career development, enabling them to live your culture and values, and developing strong relationships across the organization.”
Onboarding Importance
The research also found only 50% of those surveyed expect to be at the same job in three years. Knowing that new hires, particularly younger generations, are apt to leave an unsatisfactory work experience within the first month, it is worthwhile to grant the onboarding experience the significance it deserves.
