Have you heard sentences like well-begun is half done or first impression is the last? These age-old sayings hold even today. Especially for the employee onboarding process. There is enough research supporting the data that effective onboarding can improve retention by 82%. To create a great employee onboarding experience, let's look at a few things that organisations must avoid while onboarding new employees.
Generally, on day one, employees are busy with joining formalities. They are not introduced to their teams and colleagues. Keeping the day one choc a bloc will be exhausting, besides it will not give employees an opportunity to interact with other team members.
1. Not creating a personalised employee onboarding experience
Most of the organisations have some sort of onboarding program in place. But the efficacy of such programs depends on how well it caters to employees' needs. Each employee would have different concerns depending on the department they are joining. The employee induction plan should be comprehensive enough to address employees' apprehensions, introduce them to the culture and make them feel at home.
2. Making a bad first impression
Imagine going to the new office and your desk is not ready. Or a laptop or a desktop is not allotted. Such glitches create a bad experience. It makes the employee feel that the company is not welcoming them. Ensure that when an employee joins, everything that he/she will need is ready for them.
3. Not facilitating team interaction
Generally, on day one, employees are busy with joining formalities. They are not introduced to their teams and colleagues. Keeping the day one choc a bloc will be exhausting, besides it will not give employees an opportunity to interact with other team members. Such practices should be avoided.
Instead, an employee must be allowed to break the ice with other co-workers. It will help them settle in and feel like a part of the team.
4. Not introducing them to the company culture
Company culture is the set of common beliefs and patterns that holds everyone together. The sooner the employee feels like a part of the culture, the sooner he/she will be able to feel at ease. This further instils a sense of team spirit and pride, keeping them engaged while enhancing their productivity.
It might seem like a difficult thing, but even giving a simple joining kit with products that are customised with your brand values can work surprisingly well.
To sum it up, the employee onboarding experience should be such that each employee feels that the organisation is glad to have them onboard. Not only does it impact productivity, but also fosters a life-long bond with the employee.
