How important is a formal onboarding process? And how to create one
- Krystal Yates
- Nov 21, 2023
- 2 min read
The simple answer? Very!
A website called Exploding Topics has compiled some statistics for 2023. The numbers are telling.
Here’s what we know:
According to CareerBuilder, “36% of employers don’t have a structured onboarding process.” Since “Organizations with strong employee onboarding can increase retention by 82%,” that number is staggering.
The Exploding Topics website says, “Organizations that lack a formal onboarding process tend to experience negative results. 16% report lower productivity, 14% have more inefficiencies, 12% have higher employee turnover, and 11% report lower employee morale.”
Have I got your attention? As a small business, it can be simple. Some best practices we advise include:
Have someone ready to work with the new hire on their first day. Show them around, buy them lunch, and generally make them feel welcome.
Be prepared before their first day! Make sure they have all the tools and logins they need. Before posting your next ad, write out a list of what every new hire will need. You can continue to add to this and tweak it by department as you grow.
Send them their new hire paperwork before their first day, along with what you expect them to bring with them (usually their checking account information for direct deposit and identification for the I-9). But give them time to fill it out on day one.
Schedule regular check-ins. At a minimum, once a week to start.
Make sure your SOPs are up to date before they start. This gives them a reference point if you (or their designated trainer) aren’t immediately available to answer a question.
Have them help you update the SOPs as they identify process gaps.
Exploding Topics says it best. “Navigating a new job can be treacherous. An onboarding process should act as a map, compass, and personal guide—invaluable tools that help new hires hit the ground running.
Companies that onboard the best tend to automate where possible, assign mentors to new hires, and approach onboarding with the same energy and excitement as their hiring process. They’re also aware that onboarding never really ends. New hires need ongoing support.”
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