From the course: Human Resources: Running Company Onboarding

Understanding the importance of onboarding

From the course: Human Resources: Running Company Onboarding

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Understanding the importance of onboarding

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- Onboarding can have a huge impact on an employee's success. Unfortunately, onboarding doesn't get the attention it deserves at many companies. Let's imagine a typical new hire at a company that doesn't make onboarding a priority. She arrives on her first day to a cluttered and messy work space. This makes her feel unwelcome. She spends a big part of her first day filling out endless piles of boring paperwork. Nobody has time to train her so she spends her first week reading procedures and taking outdated e-learning courses. She'd like to contribute, but her boss forgot to ask IT to give her access to the network. She's had a hard time fitting in with her new coworkers, who don't understand why she isn't doing any work. This employee may never live up to her potential. At best, it will take too long to get her up to speed. At worst, she'll quickly leave the company and they'll have to onboard another new hire. This was an example of an ineffective onboarding program. Let's see what happens when a new hire joins a company that does onboarding right. His work station is fully prepared when he arrives on his first day so he feels welcome right away. He completed most of his new hire paperwork before his first day so he can hit the ground running. He receives comprehensive training to help him learn how to do his job effectively. Thanks to an effective onboarding program, this new hire is able to quickly get to work and make a difference. The company uses a buddy system to help new hires fit in so he makes new friends and soon becomes part of the team. These two examples highlight the impact of a good onboarding program. A well-run program delivers several advantages. You're new hires are more committed, they achieve greater productivity, and you can prevent costly turnover. There's a lot at stake when you hire new employees. That's why it's so important to get onboarding right.

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