According to research, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experienced great onboarding. This means that onboarding plays a vital role in employee retention. Numerous additional studies have proven the impact of employee onboarding on retention levels. Employees who experienced great onboarding have a better chance at being more productive and staying with the company longer.

But you might be surprised to know only 12% of U.S. employees believe their company does a good job at onboarding. It’s time to transform your employee onboarding so that it meets modern employee expectations and contributes to your organization’s retention strategies. Consider this step-by-step guide to conducting a memorable and engaging employee onboarding experience.

A Guide to Onboarding

A successful onboarding and training program can help your new hires acclimate to the work culture and provide them with the knowledge they need to succeed. Here are some best practices to consider when managing the onboarding function.

1. Preboarding is the first step.

Onboarding begins the very first minute a new hire accepts an employment offer. We all know the first day is reserved for paperwork so it’s better to not only provide assistance to new employees, but also send paperwork prior to the first day. You can send an email containing the information about new hire paperwork, forms for them to fill out and the list of documents. This will reduce the burden of paperwork on the first day and help save time for connecting with the team. Preboarding also consists of setting up the workstation prior to day one.

You can go one step ahead by sending new hires:

• Company swag to build excitement for the first day.
• An onboarding packet with their schedule including start date, time, where to park and location as well as details on company dress code, so they know what to expect.
• A welcome email inviting them to ask any questions.

2. Cultivate team connectivity.

Every new hire has questions, from where to find the restroom to locating the conference room. To help new hires understand the “lay of the land,” give them a tour of the company and introduce them to other departments. This can help reduce common first-day jitters and make it easier to navigate the workplace.

Even if you’re working remotely, you can include this step in your onboarding process. Introduce your new hire with a video or audio meeting with the team. Pairing new hires up with a buddy can help provide guidance as they acclimate to their role.

3. Follow up with new hires.

Employee onboarding doesn’t end on the first day. It is a process the extends beyond the first 90 days. Regular follow-up and check-ins with their managers can help new hires continuously seek feedback and learn how to embrace their role. Manager and team leads should connect with new hires at the end of their first day to see how everything is going so far. This can also make a new employee feel valued and important from day one.

4. Coaching and mentorship.

Training new hires gives them an opportunity to engage with the company’s procedures and processes. A great way to build engagement during onboarding is to assign them a mentor or coach to help them continuously improve performance and outcomes. Remote organizations can take advantage of virtual coaching to train new hires.

5. Set the right expectations.

During onboarding, it’s important to clearly define expectations from new hires to achieve performance and productivity goals. Unless they clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, they won’t know how to contribute toward business success. You can set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (SMART) goals with new hires to help them meet business objectives. This can make it easier for them to understand company expectations, track them and improve upon them.

6. Praise and feedback.

A culture of feedback can help new hires understand when they’re performing well and give them the tools and resources to perform better. Continuous feedback from managers and peers can encourage a culture of feedback in which everyone takes ownership of the business’s success. In addition to constructive feedback, recognition and praise can encourage better outcomes.

7. Know and listen to your new hires.

Every employee is different and brings something unique to the table. Assess your employees closely and find out their areas of strength. You can set up an open dialogue with the new employee to know about their strengths. You should also discuss weaknesses and areas of improvements. This can help you get the best out of your employees and approach the training process with enhanced understanding. Also, encourage your employees to speak up about their expectations for training and make yourself available to listen when possible.

Conclusion: The Impact of Onboarding

Employee onboarding has a direct impact on the employee’s retention, productivity, engagement, performance and success in their role. By following the proven practices, you can transform your new hire onboarding and training process and encounter common challenges. Structured employee onboarding can create a positive experience for new employees upfront and helps you build a culture of learning.