The Importance of Employee Onboarding!

Starting with a new company can be overwhelming for anyone, there is a lot of information to process and if not managed correctly can be a confronting way to begin any new role.

Research shows employees are 69% more likely to stay with a company for three years or more if they experience a great onboarding process and it’s certainly something we see value investing in.

At C7EVEN we view onboarding as a key initiative to reinforce the new employee’s decision to join our business and ensure they don’t get a feeling of regret after their first few weeks in the job. When executed right onboarding has the potential to drive productivity and job satisfaction while boosting company culture with minimal disruption to your existing team.

Image: The C7EVEN team together at a recent team workshop.

To understand how effective employee onboarding can positively impact your business, you first need to understand the impact of a negative onboarding experience.

According to research almost 33% of new hires start looking for new employment within the first 6 months of being with your business. Furthermore 23% of new hires will leave within their first year, while 90% of new hires decide within the first 6 months if they will leave or stay.

These findings indicate how integral the first 6 months are for a new employee – and how effective employee onboarding goes beyond just that first day, or week. It is the first six months and can be the difference between a turnover or a top performing employee.

Images: C7EVEN’s employee onboarding pack and a recent team bonding activity.

C7EVEN has created a clear and detailed onboarding procedure to ensure each new employee feels welcomed and prepared whilst getting a good understanding of what is to be expected when working with us.

Here are our top three tips for effective employee onboarding:

1. Be prepared – show your new employee your are excited to have them joining your team. Have their desk set up, computer, computer access and other devices ready to go, ensure your team know their name, and introduction meetings prescheduled.
2. Multiple touch points – don’t rely on one person to ensure a positive onboarding experience, it is the responsibility of the whole team. Set your new employee up with a buddy outside of the HR team. Someone in a similar position they can lean on for team support.
3. Onboarding is not just one day – the first six months of any new employee is critical, you want the onboarding process to be continuous for that first six month period. Schedule check ins at two months and five months to get a better understanding of how they are settling in, what they aren’t sure of or require further support in.

We’re always on the lookout for great people to join our team, find out more here.

 Courtney Renshaw

Agency Business & People Manager

*Source: Stats from Ceridian Article published October 2020