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In a perfect world, every new hire would hit the ground running and go on to become a productive and long-tenured employee. However, this is virtually impossible without a comprehensive and well-structured onboarding program that prepares your employees for success. Therefore, onboarding, which should not be confused with orientation, is essential to your small business strategy. This Balboa Capital blog article discusses three benefits of employee onboarding.
1. Improves the new hire experience.
The first day at a new job is like the first day at school. It is filled with a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and anxiety. New hires pick their best outfits and arrive at work ready to make a good impression. When you provide your new hires with a well-structured onboarding experience, you are making a good impression, too. In years past, onboarding consisted mainly of finalizing the new hire’s paperwork and adding them to the payroll with their healthcare benefits.
The customary office tour would include brief introductions to key staff members. Today, these things are being replaced with online paperwork, onboarding portals, virtual employee handbooks, business swag, welcome emails from managers and teammates, social media announcements, and various employee perks. These are just some ways a good onboarding process can improve the new hire experience. Lastly, ensure you set up your new hires’ desks, computers, and telephones before their first day at work.
2. Increases employee retention.
High employee turnover can negatively affect your small business’s morale and bottom line. Employees quit their jobs for many reasons. Some are “job hoppers” who like a frequent change of scenery, and others are seeking more opportunities, higher income, less stress, and a better work-life balance, to name just a few. However, first impressions matter, and a good onboarding program sets the tone for your new hires by introducing them to your business in a professional and engaging manner.
They are more likely to formulate a positive vision of your small business, remain at your business, and not seek employment elsewhere. A good onboarding process might also result in increased employee productivity and higher customer satisfaction.
3. Decreases time to productivity.
New hires who do not go through an onboarding process, or receive proper training, might feel like they were left alone on an island. They will arrive at work each day or work remotely from home without having a firm understanding of its culture, mission, or accepted practices. Furthermore, if the onboarding process did not include adequate training, the new hires would not perform up to expectations. This can lead to frustrated employees and a steep decline in productivity.
Your business can avoid these pitfalls with onboarding and on-the-job training that prepares your new hires for success. In addition, well-trained employees will be productive earlier in their tenure because the learning curve is shorter. It all adds up to satisfied employees who positively contribute to your small business’s productivity sooner than expected.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.