Smooth onboarding must in times of recession

Published on Wednesday, Feb 04, 2009

In today’s tough, recession-hit times, with companies tightening their recruitment costs, can you afford to cart along astronomical new hire turnover rates, that too simply due to gross negligence. I am sure the unanimous answer is a resounding ‘no’. Then, in spite of spending precious time, effort and resources on recruiting the right candidates, why don’t companies bother to prime themselves to accept the new employees into their fold? Unsurprisin gly, more than 50 per cent of new hires tend to leave their jobs within the first six months recession or no recession.

This is why recruitment does not end with merely finding the ‘perfect’ candidates with the right skills, experience and culture fit.

The initial 100 days (some even argue that it extends to six months) are the most crucial time for any new hire. This is when the company has to literally hold his hand and walk him through the unfamiliar territory so that he can start off on the right foot.

Yet, most companies negligently throw the new hires into the fray, leaving them to sink or swim all on their own. Little wonder then that the abandoned freshers find themselves isolated, bewildered and frustrated. Sorely regretting their decision, despite finding a job in the tough times, they leave soon and the company finds itself right back where it had started. What’s more, with the global slowdown putting the economy on a decelerated track, companies cannot afford to discard their new hires without a second thought. Neither can they get by with slipshod disorganised attempts at orienting employees.

Companies have to realise that the early days on the job are quite critical to the employee’s success. This is when you can shape his perception, assimilate him into the new environment and pave the way for high morale, engagement, productivity as well as the all-important loyalty.

This is where a formal onboarding process enters the picture. The organisation has to lay the foundation for a long-term relationship by engaging the employee, communicating the company message and doing everything else possible to ensure that he gets off to a quick start. As Eric Wood, President of EnviroSense, Inc., a US based environmental consulting firm, points out, “With a thorough orientation and onboarding process, the probability of achieving the goals of the business and the employee are greatly increased. Without it, the probabilities of disappointment, employee turnover, re-work, and dissatisfied clients all grow unnecessarily”.

Unknown terrain

Organisations will do well to craft a carefully structured and professionally-delivered onboarding process that provides a variety of experiences from introduction to the team, meeting the manager, knowledge of company and job objectives, understanding review procedures to a guided tour of the facilities.

Here it should be pointed out that an orientation programme is just a part of the comprehensive onboarding process as the latter extends over a longer duration (a month to even a year) and includes assigning a ‘buddy’, mentoring and feedback.

It begins with a clear understanding of the company vision, mission, values and culture. But, make sure that the onboarding is not reduced to a data dump where the flabbergasted employee is bombarded with mind-numbing rules, regulations, policies and lectures.

An effective technique is to keep the employee engaged by highlighting the nature of his work, explaining why the job is important and how his role fits into the big picture. Even stories or examples can be narrated to present a vivid picture of captivating memories. The main focus should be on making the employee feel welcome as a valued team member, show that he will be a part of the organisation and everyone is happy to have him aboard. Moreover, nothing can be more off-putting than a scowling, sour-faced or dull guide. Have a trained coach in place who will provide thorough information and active support while making the experience engaging and fun.

In other words, create an interactive and interesting experience that makes the new hire feel excited; motivated and connected, basking in the confidence that he has made the ‘right choice’.

Also, organise periodic check-ins with the new employee to measure his progress as he settles in and adjusts to the job. Make it comfortable for him to provide feedback and show that you are really interested in getting honest opinions.

To sum up, companies should recognise the importance of having a well-conceived onboarding programme or preparing new hires to succeed. Even recent surveys uphold that employees who attend a structured orientation programme are 69 per cent more likely to remain with the company after three years than those who did not go through such a programme.

PAYAL CHANANIA