In a time of high turnover rates, where ‘job hopping’ is becoming the norm, carefully considered induction and onboarding processes are crucial for ensuring employee retention, engagement and productivity.
Studies show that the first 90 days in a new role really count, so making this period fun, productive, and inspiring for your new starters can make a big difference to your business too.
The high cost of high turnover
Australians are quitting early in droves and it’s costing businesses serious money. A PWC study found that 23% of Aussie employees leave within their first year of work (putting us right at the bottom of the list), compared with just 4% in the Netherlands.
The price tag of this turnover is huge – said to be costing companies around $3.8 billion in lost productivity and $385 million in recruitment costs annually.
Needless to say, there’s plenty of room for improvement.
The benefits of a warm welcome
When it comes to getting off on the right foot, what’s good for the employee is also good for the employer.
Successful onboarding practices make staff happier, more productive and – most importantly – more likely to stick around. They also demonstrate the values and culture of your company for both existing and prospective employees.
Not to mention the fact that effective onboarding can help get your newbies up to speed – and adding value to your organisation - extra fast. It’s a definite win-win.
The details count
This is where the experience and insight of current employees comes in handy. Why not ask them what they wish they’d learnt on their first day? For instance, was there any in-house jargon or acronyms they spent weeks too afraid to ask the meaning of?
As well as formal inductions to cover off processes and procedures, soft skills can be really important too. It’s often the little things that make new hires feel welcome and prepared. Some great ideas we’ve seen work well include:
- send an introductory email around the office in advance, so everyone is ready to welcome the new employee (and actually knows their name)
- ensure a space/desk is prepared and ready to go
- help your new employee put names to faces by creating an organisational chart
- get the paperwork out of the way early – and make it as easy to complete as possible (we know the super stuff can be confusing, so let us know if we can help your new starters get it right the first time)
- just like the first day of school – assign your new employee a buddy to help show them around and be first port of call for any questions
- then, make their first day their best day – do all you can to ease their nerves and consider adding a social activity such as coffee or lunch to help them bond with the rest of the team.
Your new hire should leave work feeling confident they made the right decision to join your organisation.
The key is to care
Starting at a new workplace is one of the most stressful changes that modern life throws at us. As an employer, ensuring your induction and onboarding processes are thorough and empathetic can make a world of difference to your new hires.
