Why Onboarding Matters: How to Retain & Engage Talent

Onboarding helps introduce new employees to the organization they’ll be a part of. As they settle into the new company culture, companies can equip them with the tools and resources needed to become a productive member of their team.

That said, HR professionals share that an onboarding process should take at least three months to help new hires acclimate to their role. However, the length will still depend on the position, complexity of the organization, number of initiatives to be handled by new recruit, and how quickly the new hire can get up to speed with their co-workers.

Data tells us that a significant number of companies have an onboarding program in place, but not all employees go through onboarding. In fact, 64% of new hires share that they weren’t onboarded at all.

That said, let’s talk about why onboarding matters and how you can deliver a better onboarding experience for your hybrid or remote team.

Organizations value the onboarding process for the following reasons.

Businesses tend to focus all their energy on recruitment, then tend to fall short when it comes to fostering a company culture that new hires will fit into. Make sure you don’t just drop the ball after handing someone a job offer — you’ll need to be welcoming once they’ve joined your team.

Consider how employee engagement affects overall productivity, retention, and customer satisfaction. A State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report reveals that 37% of Asian employees feel disengaged at work.

With a good onboarding experience, you can help foster engagement and encourage employees to work better. In fact, over 80% of the workforce record better employee engagement thanks to onboarding.

When your company delivers a smooth onboarding experience, you can avoid costs associated with turnover and keep your employees around for longer.

Current data suggests that 58% of new hires with an exceptional onboarding experience are more likely to stay with their current employer for the next three years.

Did you know that onboarding can contribute to better employee productivity? One study reports that companies can improve productivity by more than 70% with an effective onboarding process. So having a good onboarding system in place can inspire employees to be more productive.

Since the Philippines recorded a 2.27% increase in labor productivity in 2020, it gives your organization the opportunity to fill in the gap and provide new ways to foster greater productivity among your team members.

Onboarding benefits don’t stop at improved engagement, retention, and productivity. It also means inspiring employees to contribute to your company’s overarching goals.

Achieving success can be difficult without the proper alignment or understanding of an employee’s role in the company. A good onboarding program can help steer new hires in the right direction.

Whether you’ve just established an onboarding program or want to improve your existing process, consider these best practices.

Get off on the right foot and focus on employee pre-boarding — or the time between the job offer and the employee’s first day of work. Focusing on pre-boarding can help solidify the employee’s commitment to your company and foster greater employee engagement.

Consider these activities during pre-boarding:

• Send welcome messages
• Request pre-employment documents (or help them register for mandatory employment requirements)
• Ask for personality assessment tests

Want to give your employees a good first impression right from the get-go? Organize specific engagement activities on their first day.

Help them transition by allowing them to learn more about your business and industry. Just keep everything short and fun so they don’t end up feeling too overwhelmed!

Here are a few things you can teach them:

• Directions to areas in your office, like restrooms, canteen, or pantry
• Where and how to contact colleagues during the workday
• How new employees can exit the building

Form a welcome group or culture committee to ensure a smooth onboarding process. You won’t have to make any grand gestures — simple activities like assigning a new buddy or leaving admin essentials like a pen and notepad on a new employee’s desk can make them feel welcome.

You can also hold a welcome lunch or provide flowers for employees on their first day.

Help your new hires get into the right headspace before they perform their tasks and responsibilities. Provide training and give them enough time to learn about and grow into their new role.

Create a balanced schedule for onboarding, where new hires have enough time to participate in training, get to know their colleagues, and settle into your company culture.

Meeting people outside their team can help employees understand where their role fits into the company. Consider facilitating one-on-one sessions between new hires and your senior leaders when onboarding new hires.

New employees can get advice and ask company leaders about how they built their career and how to succeed in their current role.

When onboarding employees, be transparent and tell them your expectations. When you set clear expectations, new team members can focus on learning and meeting their goals.

Onboarding carries a significant impact on employee engagement and satisfaction. Reap the full benefits with a good onboarding experience that motivates and inspires new members of your team.

Ensure a smooth onboarding process with the holistic Sprout Ecosystem. See what our suite of HR tools can do for your company on our product page, and check out our blog page for more related reading.