Everyone agrees that a bad on-boarding experience can shorten an employee’s tenure with a company and force the organization to be out looking for a replacement sooner than expected. But what is the impact of a good on-boarding experience? It can actually engage employees more effectively and make them more productive. Here’s how:

1. “First Impressions” — According to one study, almost 70% of employees are more likely to stay for 3 or more years after a great on-boarding experience. The tools companies use to perform their on-boarding tasks can have a significant impression on new employees. Handing a new employee a pile of paperwork to be completed is not going to impress them, least of all millennials and others who have grown up with digital technology. Companies need to project to their new employees that they made the right choice in selecting the company. This is especially true as skilled labor becomes more and more scarce. Using digital dashboards and online on-boarding tools like those found in Sage People can give employees a positive, personalized experience even before they have walked through the door.
2. Communicate Employer Culture — On-boarding tools and processes allow employers to communicate corporate culture and expectations at the very outset of the employee’s experience. This leads to quicker adoption of corporate goals and objectives. It also gives the employee guidance on how to ‘fit in’ to the new job and with his or her co-workers.
3. Establish goals — Good on-boarding will include the discussion and establishment of goals and objectives, both short and long-term. This shows an investment in time and effort on the employer’s part. It will also engage the employee in the job if they know what are the outcomes that will lead to success.
4. Plan for Employee Growth — While it may seem to be counter-intuitive to talk about the employee’s ‘next job’, it is important right at the outset to demonstrate the employer’s commitment thru promotion to the employee and their job satisfaction. If employees know that there are opportunities to increase their skills and contribution to the company, they will have greater incentive to work productively.
5. Get the “paperwork” done — No matter how much the on-boarding process can be made enjoyable, the company in the end must gather information from the employee to pay them, assign benefits and remain compliant with law and regulation. Good on-boarding tools can minimize the repetitive nature of that information gathering and often can provide alternative data gathering methods thru pre-boarding and employee portals.

The goals of on-board are both simple and complex. Getting the necessary information to get the employee ‘in the system’ and productive as soon as possible is critical. However, on-boarding is also an opportunity to plant the seeds of future employee engagement and productivity. Clearly, good on-boarding is a win-win and affirmation of the hiring decision for the employee and employer.

This Summer, Net at Work is hosting User Group meetings for our Employer Solutions clients. Come join us in one of the three locations, meet other users and hear the latest in HR and Payroll news from experts. Learn more about talent acquisition and on-boarding tools and meet and discuss your needs with experts from our software publishers.

• July 19th |  Boston MA
• August 23rd  | Tampa FL
• September 12th  | Atlanta GA

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