The term on-boarding has been around for a while, but what does it mean... in essence it is the activity or process of integrating a new employee into the organisation.
So why as an employer should you be interested and think about on-boarding?
Firstly it improves retention. Recruiting a new employee is costly, more so if it is to replace an employee who has already left. There are many surveys and reports which demonstrate that if on-boarding is undertaken well, it makes a new employee more likely to remain with you. Newly hired employees are nearly 60% more likely to remain with you three years later if the on-boarding experience is well executed.
Secondly it increases productivity. There is a study which suggests that 62% of companies saw a faster time to productivity ratios when using an effective on-boarding process.
The purposes of on-boarding for organisations who are successful at it are:
· Ensuring compliance with legal requirements
· Create an environment the individual wishes to be a part of
· Faster ramping up of new hires
· Provide a consistent approach to all new employees to the organisation
· To ensure that new employees understand the companies purpose; strategic direction; policies and procedures and general logistics of the building/company
· Better retention of new hires.
But when does on-boarding start, and when does it finish? There is no right or wrong answer here... some organisations pride themselves that this begins with the actual advert for the role as it sets the brand and success of the organisation, others it is when the interview is complete. However we recommend that on-boarding commences from recruitment through to their first day and beyond to the end of the probation period.
If you would like a review of your on-boarding process to ensure that it is the best it can be, then contact us here at Bower HR Consultancy. We can ensure an effective checklist is in place and support you in pre and post a new hire joining you.
Remember also just giving your new hire the employee handbook to read and sign at the commencement of employment with you and never referring to it again or the policies contained within it is not sufficient protection and is not a good on-boarding approach! You as an employer are responsible to ensure that the staff are up to date and regularly aware of policies which affect them – particularly if they change. Phone me, Serena Bower on 07771 934702 or email serena@bowerhr.co.uk to further discuss innovative and appropriate approaches to ensure your staff are up to date with changing policies and the risk of non-protection is managed.
