40% of workers across the globe are considering quitting their current jobs in the next 3-6 months according to a report from McKinsey and Co.
In response, it’d be wise to evaluate your present efforts in retaining your talent.
Present-day employees have a lot of say in how they’re treated. One of their core priorities is that they feel supported and valued. A great way to show your new hires that (a) you care and that (b) they’ve chosen the right organisation is through robust onboarding procedures.
Here are the onboarding strategies you can use to retain your new hires.
1. Start with Preboarding
Employee “preboarding” is essentially an introductory step before the more intensive onboarding process begins.
Just as your new team member will be working hard to prove you made the right choice by bringing them on board, you want to demonstrate they’ve made a good choice by deciding to work for you. Knowing your organisation is invested in employee wellbeing will undoubtedly show you’re a company worth working for.
An introduction email as soon as your candidate accepts your job offer can set you off on the right track.
Start by welcoming your candidate onto the team, and let them know the names of some of the people they will be working with. Next, include valuable information your employee might need, such as videos showcasing information about your brand identity.
2. Adjust the Onboarding Process for Different Roles
Certain parts of the onboarding process will be the same for all employees. However, this doesn’t mean an onboarding process should be entirely one-size-fits-all.
Adjust the steps you take in the onboarding process based on your new employee’s needs. For instance, ask yourself what kind of software and tools the team member will be using from day one, and provide them with video guidance on setting up new accounts.
Think about the specific members of staff your new employee is going to be working with, and arrange for a video or group meeting where you can all get to know each other in an informal and friendly setting.
Creating a streamlined and personalised process for each employee will ensure your new candidates aren’t overwhelmed by information that may not be pertinent to them when starting their new role.
3. Focus on Inclusion
According to Yello, 64% of employees say diversity and inclusion is a crucial consideration in their decision to take a job offer. Employees are becoming considerably more ethically driven. If your organisation isn’t placing a substantial focus on ethics and values, you risk losing valuable talent.
Ask new hires about their preferred pronouns and names, and introduce them immediately to the people they will be working with. Allow your employees to sit in on video meetings even before their role officially starts if you’re not going to be sharing sensitive information, and add them to your group messaging boards.
Make sure every team member feels like a crucial part of the team, regardless of whether they’re working in the office, remotely, or on a hybrid schedule.
4. Build a Plan for Development
You should also be looking for ways to build a foundation for a long professional relationship between your company and your hires.
In Linkedin’s 2018 Workplace Learning Report, 93% of employees said they would happily stay with a company for longer if they felt their managers were investing in their careers with training and development. During the onboarding process, you can begin helping your employee see a future with your brand by working on a professional development plan together.
Set up a one-on-one meeting where you discuss what the future might look like for your new team member and what kind of goals they’d like to achieve. Discuss how you can help your employee reach new heights in their career and what your training opportunities look like.
5. Collect Feedback Regularly
Collecting feedback is an excellent way to determine whether you’re giving your new team members all the support and guidance they need.
Ask your new hires what they feel you did well in the onboarding process and what they would like to change if given a chance. Pay attention to productivity levels after your employees start their new role, and look at how they might change when you add further steps to the onboarding process.
The feedback you get should guide your future onboarding strategies, helping you build a more comprehensive experience for every new hire.
Great Onboarding Starts with the Right Hire
Remember, a great onboarding process can be a powerful tool. According to Brandon Hall Group, it’s capable of improving new hire retention by around 82%. You only get one chance at a first impression.
However, excellent onboarding processes will always start with the right hiring decisions. Before investing in improving your employees’ onboarding, the most important stage is ensuring you’re recruiting the right individuals.
If you’re interested in recruiting the best new diverse talent with a progressive social enterprise, contact AAI today at team@aai-employability.org.uk or see what we can do for your business this year by clicking here.
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