What Is Onboarding and How Does It Affect Organizations?

Did you know that on average about 50% of the workforce quit their job after 4 months of entering an organization? That is not an encouraging number. Recruiting people that fits the company and training them requires an investment of time and money for companies and talent acquisition agencies. 

One of the most effective measures you can implement to avoid being part of that negative number is having a good onboarding process. If you want to know in detail what is onboarding, here we will show you its meaning and its impact in businesses. 

What is onboarding? 

In simple words, we can say onboarding is a process that simplifies the integration of new employees into a company. Its main objective is to help the newcomer to adapt in a fast and successful manner into the organization. Many people assume onboarding is just introducing the new employee to the rest of the coworkers. That is not correct! Actually, introducing the newcomer just represent a small part of a much bigger and comprehensive process.  

A good onboarding process 

Through the onboarding process, the new employee must get to know the organizational culture of the company, as well as its core values. Besides, he or she needs to know the internal structure of the organization in order to understand his or her position inside the general vision of the company. 

The onboarding process also represent the first step for the new employee to adapt to the company’s way of working. Keep in mind that even in the same field, each organization has its own way of functioning and operating. Therefore, helping employees to adapt quickly will be a priority. 

Onboarding importance 

You are probably wondering what are the benefits the company gets for investing time on the onboarding? To start, through this process the employee can be welcomed by the team and get to know each person in it.  Let’s not forget that the initial contact the new employee has with their coworkers will definitely have influence over his or her perception of the company. If that first impression is a negative one, the worker might end up leaving the position, which forces the organization to start the recruitment process all over again. 

Furthermore, a good onboarding process is one of the keys to build a good organizational culture. That process allows the people in the team to feel part of the same group. Being part of a team in which people feel appreciated and well received has a positive influence on employee satisfaction and motivation.

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Phases of onboarding

1. Preboarding

This is the stage of the process that comes before the onboarding itself and it takes place right after the hiring of the new member has been formalized. The main objective here is having a first contact with the new employee, making him or her feel welcomed and getting ready for the first meeting. 

Send a welcoming email 

The first step for a good preboarding process is sending the newcomer a welcoming email. In this message, you must convey the happiness and enthusiasm caused by the arrival of the new worker. This will reflect the care the organization has for the personnel and will generate a good first impression. 

Set a schedule 

The first day of work tends to be a little chaotic. Usually, new employees don’t know how many meeting will have on that day and what will be the objective of those meetings. For that reason, it’s best to send a schedule detailing the meetings the employee will have on the first day and the people involved.

2. Onboarding

Introduction and touring 

Onboarding starts on the first day of work. The very first step is the introduction of the new employee to all the coworkers in the organization. If that is not possible due to the size of the company, the introduction has to be at least to the people the newcomer will have the most contact. Also, it’s important to give him or her a tour around the work premises. 

Provide training 

The first step of training consists in giving the newcomer a detailed overview of the company. The employee must receive a list of the company’s guidelines: the values as well as the work philosophy. Also, here is where you must make clear the rules of behavior. Additionally, it could be useful to show the employee how a regular day would be like in the company. That would help to have a better understanding about the way that position fits within the organization 

Once the company familiarization stage is over, the next step is showing the newcomer each of the tasks he or she will have to carry out daily and the correct way to perform them. Last but not least, it’s a good idea to show the newcomer the special incentives that the position offers such as bonus or benefits for outstanding performance. Also, if the employee will have the possibility to develop the career inside the company and got to higher positions, this is the moment to announce it. 

Now you know the meaning of onboarding, its importance and how to onboard an employee correctly. Don’t put this concept aside because it can be very beneficial for employees and for your organization. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.