I think it’s important to point out something that might seem obvious, but is often forgotten or badly managed: the employee experience after recruitment. Employees who go through a structured onboarding process are around 69% more likely to stay with a company for three years, according to SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) – yet this remains one of the most overlooked parts of the hiring process.
I’ve been running Finders for more than 35 years. In that time, I’ve placed countless candidates and heard very different feedback on how they were welcomed (or not) into their new roles. My aim here is to share what I’ve learned, so future hires can have a smoother onboarding experience and companies can retain their top talent.
Everyone knows that recruiting top talent is costly in terms of man-hours, skills testing, potential travel and relocation costs, just to name a few. Imagine therefore the waste if an employee doesn’t feel well integrated and “at home” rapidly… the risk of losing him/her is high!
Over the years, I’ve picked up a few things that make a real difference. Here’s what I’d recommend:
1. Pre-boarding: keep in touch before day one
- Keep the new employee engaged between signing the contract and their first day.
- Have the direct manager or a future team member update him/her on team news or project progress.
- Make sure HR has all the paperwork wrapped up before day one: nothing kills momentum like a pile of admin on someone’s first morning.
- Share any non-confidential company information: newsletters, org charts, recent news.
2. Get the infrastructure ready
Make sure that the infrastructure is all ready for the new employee’s first day:
- Security logins and access keys sorted in advance.
- A desk ready and waiting (you’d be surprised how often this basic one gets missed).
- Computer, phone, and any other equipment tested and working. Give IT enough lead time to sort this out prior to the first day.
- For remote or hybrid hires: ship equipment home in advance, confirm VPN access, and make sure they can actually log in from day one.
3. Announce the new hire to the company
Don’t forget to announce the new hire’s arrival to the wider company (role, responsibilities, location, and who they’ll be working with). It helps the new employee feel recognised from day one, and lets colleagues know who’s joining and why.
4. Share the onboarding and company information pack
- Historically, this meant gathering new starters in a room to hear from leadership. Today, a short recorded video that people can rewatch is often more practical.
- Share the company’s vision and values. This is what helps new hires connect with the company on a deeper level, and it’s a step many organisations still skip, quietly undermining engagement and retention down the line.
- Plan out the first days with specific training sessions and clear owners. Block calendars in advance and share the plan with everyone involved, not just the new hire.
- Small touches count: make the new employee feel special!
5. Schedule the 3-month evaluation
Don’t forget to schedule the 3-month evaluation, to set objectives for the coming year. This is a great opportunity to check in with the new employee to see how he/she is doing, how he/she feels about the company and the team, and to share any feedback to improve performance.
6. Assign a mentor
If possible, designate a mentor for your new employee, not just for the start, but for several months to come. It can be very lonely starting a new job, particularly when new starts are working from home and the feeling of being alone and overwhelmed can be significant.
7. Celebrate wins and anniversaries
Make sure to celebrate the first year anniversary and any wins along the way – make the employee feel successful and needed! Teams who focus energy on ensuring employees are happy, challenged and being heard have a greater likelihood that the employee will want to stay with the business.
8. Run regular satisfaction surveys
Regularly run surveys to gauge employee satisfaction. At Finders we propose the GAP Performance Diagnostic, which goes much deeper than just employee satisfaction. It measures five factors (affinity, ownership, interdependence, purpose and risk) that drive team performance, giving managers a clear picture of where to focus their efforts.
All seems fairly basic and logical, but you’d be amazed how many new starts don’t start with this!
If you’d like support putting a stronger onboarding process in place, our Talent Development Team is happy to help! Get in touch!
Sources
SHRM, “Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Good Onboarding”, shrm.org