- Only 15% of organizations continue onboarding beyond the recommended minimum of three months.
- Managers aren’t bought in to longer onboarding programs because they see them as using up valuable time and resources.
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Our Advice
Critical Insight
- New hires should receive consistent messaging from the recruitment stage through to the end of their first year, but the courting often stops when the offer letter goes out.
- HR staff should be acting as the primary onboarding process owner, but they are seldom empowered to influence other departmental practices.
- An estimated 70% of new hires make the decision to stay at or leave an organization within their first six months. Effectively engaging new employees during the onboarding process is crucial to gaining long-term commitment.
- Onboarding isn’t one-size-fits-all – begin with the basics and then customize to suit. Customize by integrating the unique mission and vision of the organization into the onboarding program. Be creative!
Impact and Result
- To realize the benefits of onboarding, an organization must understand the breadth and depth of a comprehensive program, take a systematic approach to program design, and create accountability.
- Organize this project around key activity management as a means to organize the onboarding process and create accountability.
- Use documentation throughout the onboarding process, with consideration given to customizability, to ensure that no details are forgotten and to help stay organized.
Workshop: Onboard New Hires for Ramp-up & Retention
Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Workshop Preparation
The Purpose
- To collect data.
- To determine stakeholders to be involved in workshop.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Data is holistic and well-understood, and comes from multiple sources.
- The correct stakeholders are identified and are free to participate in the workshop.
Activities
Outputs
Collect data from relevant sources.
- Data points.
Identify key stakeholders and ask for their participation.
- Stakeholder group.
Module 2: Make the Case for an Onboarding Program and Assess Adminstrative Requirements
The Purpose
- To understand the rationale for, and benefits of, a longer onboarding process.
- To be aware of your current onboarding program’s gaps.
- To begin planning out the administrative requirements associated with onboarding.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Ability to get buy-in from stakeholders is gained.
- Gaps identified so that improvement is possible and accurately defined.
- Accountability and onboarding tasks are identified.
Activities
Outputs
Make the case.
- Statistics and research that support onboarding rationale.
List current onboarding activities.
- Catalogue of current onboarding initiatives.
Analyze data to assess current program.
- Insight into onboarding gaps and strengths.
Learn about administrative components of onboarding.
- Understanding of administrative requirements.
Brainstorm administrative tasks.
- Develop list of required administrative tasks.
Use RACI chart to assign accountability
- Accountability assigned and understood.
Module 3: Plan the Orientation Program and Create Training for Quick Ramp-Up Time
The Purpose
- To determine how success of project will be measured.
- To plan the orientation program.
- To plan training initiatives.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Program becomes measurable and thereby easier to assess ROI.
- Orientation program is fully developed.
- Training programs are fully developed.
Activities
Outputs
Select project metrics.
- Goals are set and definition for success is created.
Plan orientation activities.
- Orientation program developed.
Brainstorm orientation blockers.
- List of potential blockers and solutions.
Map out orientation schedule.
- Orientation schedule.
Review training best practices.
- Training best practices understood.
Create a training timeline for new hires.
- Training timeline established and agreed upon by stakeholders.
Start, stop, continue, to improve new hire training.
Module 4: Address Performance Management Needs
The Purpose
- To understand new-hire performance management needs.
- To create the new-hire timeline to begin setting organization-wide performance expectations.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Performance management expectations understood.
- Shared understanding of new hire needs and onboarding expectations.
Activities
Outputs
Discuss the role of performance management in onboarding.
- Performance management expectations understood for new hires.
Review performance management at your organization.
- Performance management processes re-designed to suit new hire needs.
Draft new hire timeline.
- Shared expectations established, timeline designed.