Beyond Orientation: The Importance of Onboarding

ByCandace Anderson - Managing Consultant and Certified Diversity Practitioner

On average, it will cost an employer half to two times an employee’s annual salary to replace them. From resumes, phone screens, interviews, assessments and background checks to drug screens, reference checks, the offer and, finally, the acceptance — organizations spend an enormous amount of energy, time, and money to find the “perfect candidate.” Many then spend the next six months literally praying the candidate doesn’t leave.

How to Retain the Perfect Candidate

One way to retain employees is to make sure your onboarding program is on point. While some employers use orientation and onboarding interchangeably, that is not entirely correct. In fact, orientation is just the first part of the onboarding process. To further distinguish the two, orientation is meant to be a one-time event whereas onboarding is a process that should last between 90 days and one year.

It is a long process for several reasons. Onboarding is the process by which the employee is fully integrated into the company and its culture. It is also when and how the new employee obtains all the tools and information they need to become productive members of the team and the organization. It is crucial that employers engage a new employee immediately and continue to engage them well past the six-month mark as 31 percent of new hires are likely to leave during that period of employment.

What is Orientation?

There is no one way to conduct a new-hire orientation. Some companies invite a group of new hires to spend a day or two in orientation classes, watching slide presentations, listening to witty welcome speeches from key stakeholders, taking tours around the facilities and enjoying catered lunches. Alternately, employers can simply have a new hire meet with HR for an hour or so and then spend the rest of the day with their manager and team. For maximum impact, orientation should take place on the employee’s first day of work and should include new hire paperwork — Form I-9, W-4, direct deposit information, etc.

Orientation is also a good time for the new employee to learn:

  • Company history
  • Vision statement
  • Mission statement
  • Organizational structure
  • Company values
  • Code of ethics

 The following will definitely be on your new hire’s radar, so be sure to include detailed information about:

  • Benefits – insurance carriers, premiums and effective dates
  • Payroll – when and how often
  • Key policies – dress code, vacation and sick leave, anti-harassment policy
  • Building access – ID badge, keys/access card
  • Administrative procedures – business cards, expense reports, office supplies
  • IT – computer username/password, email

Employers should consider creating a new hire portal online. Not only will this allow you to send new-hires paperwork electronically as soon as they accept an offer. The employee can then continue the orientation process through the portal, which can consist of a glossary of company acronyms, a virtual copy of your employee handbook as well as other details about their new department and job responsibilities. If your company uses a portal, make it engaging by including a welcome note from their manager, first-day information and friendly messages and photos from new colleagues.

Other first day ideas:

  • Schedule critical introductory meetings and events
  • Decide who will greet the new hire on his or her first day
  • Set up workstations with appropriate equipment and supplies
  • Introduce co-workers and tour the facilities
  • Assign a buddy to coordinate onboarding activities
  • Create a welcome sign
  • Post the new hire’s photo and short bio on the company intranet prior to their arrival so everyone knows who they are
  • Present new employees with a staff directory with everyone’s picture, email and phone number
  • Consider giving new hires company shirts of a certain color so other employees know who they are and can help them get up to speed
  • Schedule lunch with the hiring manager
  • Plan activities that set expectations and introduce objectives

Post-Orientation Onboarding

Don’t let up once orientation is over. Instead, implement an onboarding process designed to continue the engagement. Every company is different. So, there is no way to describe what this onboarding or continuous engagement looks like. However, regardless of size or industry, the best onboarding programs take considerable thought and planning. They are deliberate, comprehensive and involve HR, leadership, management and other key stakeholders.

One suggestion is to schedule regular check-ins for your employee with HR and other key stakeholders that last throughout the first year. These can be conversational, but make sure you ask meaningful questions so you can get meaningful answers. These meetings can possibly ward off a potential problem that could lead to the employee resigning. Continuous engagement activity is the perfect opportunity to set expectations and ensure new hires feel like a valuable member of the team — this is what will encourage them to stay.

By executing a thoughtful and comprehensive onboarding process, your company can improve the new hire experience and encourage your “perfect candidate” to stay. Too many companies make the mistake of ending the employer/employee courtship too soon. Prolong the courtship by setting up a process that continuously engages the new employee for at least the first six months. Doing so will greatly affect the new hire’s experience and will benefit the company by significantly increasing retention. From the employee’s perspective, your goal is to transform a new hire from a nervous outsider to a productive team member, fully integrated into the company and the team. 

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