Level Up Leadership

A recent survey about employee onboarding offers quite a bit of information from the employee perspective. The survey looked at feedback from over 1,000 new hires in 2014, and the results are summarized in this infographic. Here are some of the most pertinent findings:

• More than anything else, 76% of new hires feel that on-the-job training is the most important part of their first week at a new company. 73% want a review of company policies during the first week, and 56% feel that having a buddy or mentor is most important.
• When receiving on-the-job training, most people want to be trained and shown around by someone in management. Ideally, the person’s new boss will be the person helping them get adjusted and learn what’s expected of them. This creates a clear and direct understanding of expectations.
• 31% of people have left a job within the first six months. Of those, about 34% left within the first month. This means that people are getting a strong understanding of their long-term potential at your company within the first few days. If they’re not happy with what they see or how they are treated, they are going to look elsewhere.
• The study pointed out that most people who leave their jobs within the first six months are in entry-level and intermediate positions, such as receptionists, retail staff, and customer service reps. Keep in mind that these lower-level employees often have customer-facing jobs. It’s important to ensure that whoever you hire gets the training and welcome that they need, not just to be happy within your organization, but also to present the best possible face to your customers.
• One of the top reasons that people leave a job quickly is that the position ends up being different than they expected. Remember that onboarding starts during the hiring process. You need to be honest and forthright about what will be expected of your new hires and what your company culture has to offer. If the new employee finds out that they were misled, they are unlikely to stick around for long.
• Along those lines, the survey found that employee onboarding could be most improved, according to new hires, with clear guidelines, more effective training, and a friendlier environment. People want to know what’s expected of them and to be given the resources to do their job effectively. Make sure that you’re onboarding plan provides new hires with all of the tools they need to survive and thrive within your organization.