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By Marlo Lyons
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Onboarding is the first step in connecting a new hire to their new company, their team and the company's mission.
According to BambooHR onboarding statistics, "employees who had an effective onboarding feel up to 18x more committed to their workplace."
In contrast, a Paychex survey shows 50 percent of new hires who suffered a poor onboarding experience planned to leave their new employer.
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Why? Employees reported feeling undertrained, disoriented, let down and devalued in the first few days and weeks of joining the company.
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With employment website Indeed reporting the average cost to recruit a new hire is between $2000 and $20,000, losing an employee shortly after onboarding is costly and could impact company goals.
Here are five reasons why companies may want to revisit their onboarding process to ensure they're more focused on connection and belonging than the basic administrative tasks.
1. Dispersed Employee Population
With more companies providing remote and hybrid work opportunities, it's harder for new hires to adapt to organizational cultures or receive immediate support. Connection starts with the first few days on the job and will grow or diminish with every interaction.
It's important for new employees to connect with coworkers and build relationships quickly. New hires don't just want to "fit" at the company because they have the right skills and capabilities to succeed—they want to feel like they truly belong.
A 2022 report by employee engagement platform Achievers found that "a strong sense of belonging drives three times the level of employee engagement, commitment, productivity." That means retention.
Research from Gartner, a consulting firm, backs that up: Organizations "with sustainable DEI initiatives demonstrate a 20 percent increase in inclusion which corresponds to greater on-the-job effort and intent to stay, as well as high employee performance."
It's crucial to take time to create moments of unity within a dispersed team. This will help new hires feel like they are an important part of the group and organization.
2. Past Work Traumas
A person with previous work trauma—whether it be harassment, bullying or simply a previously unengaged manager— will be cautious at first in their new job. They'll look for the same behaviors in their new employer and may take a longer time to trust those around them.
If an employee doesn't have a strong first few days or weeks, they may misinterpret interactions or believe that their new manager and colleagues aren't invested in their success. That can lead to a very short tenure. BambooHR onboarding statistics show one in five employees (16 percent) of employees quit in their first week.
Starting a new job is already a time of high stress and anxiety, and that's without accounting for past trauma. An employee onboarding process that prioritizes support and connection will help an employee who has experienced trauma feel more comfortable, build trust and know they made the right decision to join the company.
3. Fierce Competition
My client recently accepted a job offer, and they were excited to finally feel settled. Then a recruiter called them about another exciting opportunity.
They took the call and interviewed with another company while onboarding for their new job. Think this is uncommon? Not anymore.
This isn't the first time I have witnessed and heard about employees continuing to search for another job after accepting an offer or starting a new role. Employees are looking for the best fit for them and if that connection isn't strong enough with their new company and team quickly, they will continue to look for that connection somewhere else.
If employees don't feel connected to their employer, manager and team, they won't care if they burn that bridge and jump ship within weeks of starting. And with reports that companies are spending 40 percent` more time to make a hire (up to 66 days), it's not easy to make a quick replacement.
4. Multi-Generational Workforces
There are five generations in the workforce right now—the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen-X, Millennials and Gen Z. Each generation has different expectations and mindsets when it comes to work and connection.
Specifically, Gen Z (who are born between 1997-2012) are digital natives and are focused on networking and making connections with others. They also must feel deeply connected to a company's brand whether they're shopping or looking for a job. Life has always moved fast for them— they're used to instant gratification and answers from the click of a finger. So deep connection must click faster as well.
Because Gen Zs are relatively young in the workforce, they may not be the ones leading new hire onboarding. But they could be on the team coordinating the onboarding process. Companies should ask them directly what will help their generation connect to the company quicker.
Then compare Gen Z's needs to data on how other generations connect and consider creating an onboarding checklist to ensure employees of all generations feel equally connected in the onboarding experience.
5. Work-Life Balance
Employees are looking for a balance between work and their personal lives more than ever. This means they're heavily focused on companies' wellness programs and what companies do to take care of their employees.
It may not be an employer's job to help employees manage their personal lives. But the more companies show they care about employees' well-being and not just how fast they can ramp into productive employees, the more employees will feel supported and that will result in a deeper commitment to the company.
Companies should explain how their company culture provides a direct benefit to employees' work-life balance. For example, do they incorporate "no meeting Fridays"? Do they have discourage employees from contacting colleagues during time off?
It's also helpful to be clear on specific offerings such as mental health benefits or discounted gym memberships. This way, employees will feel like companies care about their entire well-being, even outside of work.
Approaching Employee Onboarding with Connection in Mind
Connection isn't about just connecting to the company and mission. Employees don't leave jobs or companies as much as they leave managers who they don't connect with deeply and don't trust.
Managers who are only focused on setting expectations and getting the new hire up to speed on the technology and actual work may lose sight of building a deep bond with their new employee. That lack of early connection could hurt longer-lasting employee engagement even if the employee makes it past the onboarding stage.
About the Author
Marlo Lyons is a certified career, executive and team coach and author of Wanted—A New Career: The Definitive Playbook for Transitioning to a New Career or Finding Your Dream Job. Marlo has spent more than 20 years inspiring, motivating and empowering people to excel in their careers and businesses. She helps leaders at all levels to achieve their desired career goals and empower their employees to reach optimal performance. Marlo developed Career Transition Strategies® from her experience coaching hundreds of clients in many industries, her role as a human resources executive in startups and Fortune 500 companies, and from transitioning from TV news reporter to entertainment lawyer, HR business partner and certified coach. Contact her at marlolyonscoaching.com.
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