Is Your Onboarding Process Effective?
Hiring new employees is a very expensive, time-consuming process. To be specific, it takes an average of 42 days to fill a position, at an average cost-per-hire of $4,129, according to data from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Considering the amount of resources companies devoted to hiring, the new employee success rate isn’t amazing. Results of a survey conducted by Bamboo HR revealed 31% of people have left a job within the first six months, and 68% of these new hires departed within three months.
If you’re not sure how effective your onboarding process is, it’s time to evaluate it. Accomplish this by seeking feedback from new hires and taking a close look at the retention rates of employees you’ve hired within the past year. Hopefully, what you see will please you, but if not, take these steps to make a change for the better.
Customize Training
Taking a one-size-fits-all approach to training doesn’t work. Every person you hire comes to your company with a different background. Therefore, you need to customize training activities to match their skills and experience. Training someone on information they already know is a waste of time — and mind-numbing for the individual — while skipping steps will leave them confused, and unable to properly do their job.
Make Expectations Clear
New hires aim to please, but they’re not mind-readers. Create a 30-60-90 day plan to keep everyone on the same page. This will manage expectations, and allow them to enjoy a sense of independence, because they won’t constantly have to ask what they should be doing. Knowing they’re on pace with their training will please them, which will help affirm their decision to accept the job.
Assign a Mentor
Getting acclimated to a new company takes time. New hires often feel isolated at first, because they haven’t had the chance to build relationships with their peers. Curb this by assigning each new hire a mentor to help them settle in. The seasoned employee will take them under their wing and help them adjust to both the company in general and their job.
Schedule Regular Check-Ins
Helping a new hire ease into their job is a team effort — and that includes you. Make sure new employees are happy and settling in by scheduling regular one-on-one meetings with them. Knowing you took time out of your busy day to check in will make them feel valued. This will also allow you to identify any issues the person is facing and correct them before they evolve into a problem so big, they decide to quit.
Track Your Efforts
Gauge the success of your newfound onboarding efforts by carefully monitoring retention rates. Compare them to numbers realized before you started this initiative to see if it’s resonating. This will help you determine whether this strategy is enough or if you need to take another route to really reach your new hires.
Finding the right person for the job isn’t easy, so don’t be afraid to seek assistance. To learn more about how we can help you find top behavioral health talent, contact us today at (513) 651-9500 or by email at [email protected].