Advice on Creating a Better Employee Onboarding Process

Most (64%) new hires are less likely to stay at a job after a negative onboarding experience, according to a new study from  Hibob, an HR tech platform. This is especially important information for small businesses as the hiring market continues to be competitive, with 40% of employees expected to quit their jobs this year.

Research conducted by Gallup found 60% of millennials say they are open to a different job opportunity, likely because 55% don’t feel engaged at work. In other words, if businesses want to retain young talent, they need to ensure an engaging, positive workplace experience from the first day of employment.

“The quitting economy is a serious issue facing businesses across the United States, and it’s showing no signs of stopping. One of the best ways to combat this issue is by taking charge of company culture and rethinking how HR strategies can protect businesses while keeping employees happy,” says Ronni Zehavi, co-founder and CEO of Hibob. “From our survey, we’ve learned that new hires want transparency and value the human side of the onboarding process, where they can be set up for success while organically making friends.”

What New Hires Want From Their Onboarding Experiences

•     Employees often feel mislead by job descriptions. More than 25% of employees say they didn’t receive enough information about their jobs before accepting the offer. And only 40% of employees say their current jobs completely reflect how the position was described during the interview process.
•     New hires prefer an organic onboarding process. Of the new hires surveyed, 33% dread adapting to office politics and personalities more than learning protocol or filing onboarding paperwork. About half (49%) of employees believe the best way to get acclimated to a new job is by making friends in the workplace and would rather make friends with coworkers than have a designated new-hire buddy.
•     Interactive onboarding would make new employees feel more comfortable. New hires don’t want to be singled out—38% report feeling most welcome during onboarding when included in a group of other new hires. Additionally, new hires prefer intro meetings and interactive onboarding groups (31%) more than happy hours with colleagues. This is important for businesses to consider, especially when 52% of employees say they spend up to five hours being on boarded at their new job.

Shutterstock photo of new hires by  Michael D Brown