Don't Overlook The Importance Of A Finely Honed Onboarding Process

by Liz Seyi Digital marketing manager

Most of us appreciate how crucial it is to get almost any relationship off to the best possible start. However, sometimes, employers can invest heavily in their online recruitment campaigns while neglecting the subsequent onboarding process.

Past research has shown that firms with well-developed approaches to onboarding and retention tend to enjoy higher profits than those that don't have much of a plan in these areas.

If, then, you want to keep hold of your company's top talent, the following onboarding steps could be instrumental.

Get off to a swift start

It may seem like mere common sense to suggest that the onboarding process should be quick; after all, we're sure you're well aware of the many weeks or even months that the candidate sourcing, interviewing and hiring process can take.

However, there may be elements of your onboarding approach that are unnecessarily extending the process. Do you, for example, wait until your new employee is physically on your premises before starting to onboard them? Well, some of your competitors will almost certainly be finding ways to onboard their incoming workers as soon as the job offer is accepted.

Indeed, the initial stage of the onboarding process could be considered as preparation for your new employee's first day in the office. Don't just tell them the basic logistical details, such as what they need to wear or what they need to bring. That's because you can also start issuing vital work-related documentation to them through an online communication portal, or even send them a virtual greetings card or other welcome from your existing team.

Don't prioritise speed for the sake of speed, though

While an efficient onboarding process should be a goal for your company, that doesn't necessarily mean it ought to be completed within a short space of time. Indeed, if - as is the case for so many organisations - you only spend less than a week or a month on onboarding, this could be having a detrimental effect on your workplace's morale, productivity and turnover rates.

Past surveys have indicated precisely this phenomenon. We would therefore suggest that you at least make your onboarding process long and structured enough to not only train your new hires in the basics, but also nurture them to help to fully integrate them into your organisation over time.

Sure enough, it has been found that in firms with longer and more structured onboarding approaches, employee engagement, trust in leadership and retention rates all tend to be higher.

Don't hesitate to enquire to us about hiring

You only effectively get one chance to onboard each new employee, so you shouldn't overlook the opportunity that this process represents to make them feel welcomed and valued within your workplace. It's something that will have serious benefits for your business, too, long after the online recruitment campaign that brought the given worker into your company has ended.

Call the Webrecruit team now, on 01392 829400, to learn more about what we can do to boost your own firm's results from its online recruitment efforts.