It’s challenging to have long-term employee retention without effective onboarding. Even though a majority of the candidates you hire will be excited to start their new job, the honeymoon period only lasts around six months; and many employers find it challenging to keep employees focused and content after that. It all comes back to developing a formal onboarding process with programs that usually continue over the course of the first year. Here are some tips for new hire success.

Welcoming New Employees

Leaders are encouraged to reach out to new employees within the first 24 hours of hiring. Starting a new job can be intimidating for candidates. Some new hires might even be unsure if they made the right decision after accepting your offer; but if you call and welcome them to the team, they will begin to realize their identity within your organization before they even start working for you.

Separate Onboarding and Orientation

It’s important to distinguish between these two processes. Although onboarding is much more comprehensive, orientation is still an important program that is often used to inform new hires on company policies. If it’s not done right, then it can be lengthy and off-putting to candidates when they show up on their first day and have to complete endless paperwork. Most of the orientation process can be accomplished virtually to make it more efficient. Orientation is something that can and should start before their first day to ensure new hires are productive right away. Provide them with specific job descriptions, organizational charts, and goals to make the transition easier and more satisfying.

The First Week and Beyond

Giving new hires thoughtful feedback about their early contributions on the job is a great way to keep them engaged. Recent surveys found that 75% of new employees want on-the-job training during their first week, but it’s important to find a good balance because you don’t want them to suffer from information overload either. Assigning a mentor is an effective way to reduce employee anxiety, decrease the learning curve, and assimilate new hires quickly. Their success also depends on having access to the right tools and resources, so make sure to provide any required passwords, company emails, keys, etc.

A recruiter focused on the plastics industry can help you find the best talent on the market; but once you hire them, then you really have to promote opportunities for continuous growth and development to transform onboarding into retention.

 

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