Onboarding :
The Ultimate Guide (2022)
- Chapter I: Definition of onboarding
- Chapter II: The place of onboarding in companies today
- Chapter III: The advantages of onboarding
- Chapter IV: How to succeed in the onboarding process?
- Chapter V: The importance of digital in your onboarding process
- Chapter VI: How to choose the right solution to for digital onboarding?
- Chapter VII: How to measure the success of onboarding?
- Chapter VIII The future of onboarding
Definition of onboarding
Onboarding comes from the English phrase "to get on board". It is often used by the aviation industry to define the act of getting passengers on board an aircraft, but it has another meaning in the corporate world. If we describe onboarding in a simple way, It is the process that a new employee undergoes from the time they are notified of their appointment (pre-boarding) to the time they assume their new position (integration). The aim is to set up actions that will facilitate the arrival of the new employee in the company.
For some, onboarding starts with the first email exchange. For others, it starts on the employee's first day in the company. This process is mostly carried out in a positive and lasting way and its duration is between three months and a year. The sooner the onboarding process is set up, the faster the productivity and effectiveness of the new employee.
This period determines the employee's first impression of the new company. Effective onboarding provides a seamless experience with clearly defined stages of the induction process: pre-boarding, orientation and induction.
- Pre-boarding : the period between documentation and the entry of the new employee. It is a crucial period to create a bond with the new employee, to encourage and introduce them to the team.
- Orientation : the first day in the company. This day is an important day to quickly create a sense of belonging and the reassurance of the new employee.
- Integration : the follow-up period of onboarding to retain and motivate the new hire.
This practice is becoming very important to HR professionals as the issue of wellness in the work force is a key challenge for companies. While some companies do not find it necessary to address the challenges of onboarding, it can however play a crucial role. The way employees are welcomed, have an impact on the companys image. A successful onboarding must first of all be in accordance with the company's culture, its specifialties and its industry.
An employee who has been successfully integrated into the company will see the company as a desirable place to work. Moreso, an employee who is welcomed with care will quickly and easily adapt to the environment. They will be motivated, committed and involved.
A committed employee is 43% more productive (1). Yet, many companies still do not extend the onboarding period beyond one month (37%). (6)
So how do you successfully onboard your employees?
The history of onboarding
The English phrase, onboarding is related to a service. the service of being well integrated. The phrase first appeared in the 1970s. It was really made formal a while ago in a book by Talya N.Bauer and Berrin Erdogan in 2011. According to Talya N.Bauer, a professor of management at the University of Portland, it is accepted wisdom that it takes about 90 days for an employee to prove themselves in a new job. In reality,It is the responsibility of every organization to decide the duration time needed to integrate the culture, habits, processe of the company and the details of the new position. A week is hardly enough time to become accustomed to the environment, the daily tasks and the colleagues. A minimum of 90 days is advisable, so the employee feels at ease and can work under the best conditions. The duration and especially the quality of the onboarding is related to the success of the employee
Welcoming new employees has always existed: presentation of the office environment, colleagues and how the company functions. Today, we pay more attention to it. While the first steps of an onboarding are often similar: a tour of the facilities in 69% of cases, a presentation of the company by a management staff(56% of cases), a presentation of the new position in 55% of cases, a welcome breakfast or lunch (52% of cases) (2). Onboarding does not stop here, It is a total integration into the company's culture and its brand image. There must be commitments on the part of the employer, managers and human resources professionals. Indeed, a bad onboarding can be economically costly. According to an article in L'Express, a breach of contract during the trial period would cost the company more than €50,000 (5). In addition to this, the time dedicated to recruitment, the administrative management and training must also be included to the cost.
Two important reasons for companies not to overlook onboarding:
Key figures
Onboarding is not a process to be taken for granted. Certain figures show that it is important to take the time to integrate new employees in order not to permanently loose them. It is a long-term investment.
According to Workelo :
- 45% of resignations happen in the first year.
- It is estimated that approximately 80% of new hires decide to stay in the company within the first 6 months.
- A new hire that goes through a comprehensive onboarding process is 58% more likely to stay in the company.
While most companies are willing to implement structured onboarding systems, the results are nowhere near the target. It's not surprising that 88% of employees are not satisfied with their onboarding process considering that over half of the companies (58%) are satisfied with orienting new employees to administrative tasks or process integration.
- 6 times out of 10, it is the employees that break the contract during the trial period.
- 40% of the time, the breakup is due to professional disappointments.
The image of the company is also at stake in an onboarding process. Recent figures show that 1 in 5 employees would not recommend their company after their hiring experience. Yet hiring from employee referrals has a cost and time advantage. 20% of employees who are unwilling to recommend their workplace miss out on potential talents.
The place of onboarding in companies today?
As earlier stated, 6 times out of 10 it is the employees who break the contract during the trial period. Onboarding plays a vital role in the employee's future with the company. Indeed, a new hire who goes through an onboarding process is 58% more likely to stay with the company (3). Since improving employee well-being at work has become paramount for many organizations, the integration of new employees has also become a key issue.
Examples of onboarding
Multinational companies have embraced the challenges of onboarding. This is the case of the giant Facebook. For the Chief information officer (CIO), if the company does not stimulate interest within 45 minutes from the arrival of new employees, it is because their onboarding is not up to standard. All induction activities are planned in advance to introduce values, roles, practices and missions. The group organizes Boot Camps for its new engineers and this takes six months. The purpose is to give them real, practical experiences: overview of the company's culture, introduction to problem solving, discovery of the company's database, inspirations, motivation and rewards. At the end of the program, employees choose their teams and the project that has motivated them the most.
Orange
Orange has introduced a two-step application to make the arrival of new employees seamless:
Welcom'App : The first stage (before D-day) facilitates a smooth integration process. The new employee receives personalized information to keep him/her in suspense, encourage them and prove to them that they are welcome into the company. This is the digitalization phase.
The second step (D-Day and after) helps with the follow up on the new employee. Even if the connection is virtual, the software allows you to meet the new hire and understand their feelings. It gives the option to report challenges and most importantly improve employee engagement and satisfaction. Orange worked closely with the Furet Company team to create an integration process that reflects their image The application allows you to prepare for the arrival of the prospective employee by providing them with entertaining information. It includes a virtual tour of the premises, a virtual welcome of the President and the use of gamification. After its use, it has had very positive feedback from new users who were integrated with it.
For Pinterest, a full week is dedicated to the integration of new employees. They receive an email with the details of the schedule for their first day: the "Hire Class" with a collective breakfast. On the first day, the main value of the company is introduced, "knitting", which means " teamwork " in English. The organisers design the rooms so that they are diversified. They take the time to listen, discuss, and exchange with the new employees. The second day is reserved for the introduction to technical details. Engineers join the bootcamp, and the teams are formed. At the end of the week, the new employees meet to do some volunteering work and make a toast to their first integration week together.
Google has chosen to set up an onboarding "Ice breaker". The new employees are not unnoticed: they wear a cap with the words "Noogle" and carry a huge balloon that they have to hang on their desks. Google's onboarding is based on teamwork activities. The company focus on practical and knowledge-based learning to create a feeling of belonging between new employees. There is no time to be hidden, everything is done to break the ice. Managers welcome and coach new hires by listing the 5 tips proven to boost productivity:
- Discuss roles and responsibilities.
- Match the new employee with a "peer buddy" or a "référent" (subordinate).
- Establish the onboarding process once every month for the first 6 month.
- Start building a network within the company.
- Encourage open dialogue to avoid serious internal conflicts.
Linkedin has designed an integration process where every new employee has a unique experience. This process starts as soon as they arrive in the mornings. From the tour of the office to lunch time with the teams, everything is well thought out.
The afternoon includes various meetings. At the end of their first day, they receive a backpack containing a ready to use computer with an installed software and a "Roadmap". This "Roadmap" is called "90 days New Hire Onboarding Plan", it contains the details they need to know about LinkedIn and their future projects. This document allows them to monitor the progress of their integration.
Apple
When applying to Apple, candidates don't have any prior knowledge of their position. Apple depends on an onboarding program with packages distributed to new employees: stickers, forms from human resources, a company T-shirt and an iMac. The primary purpose of onboarding for Apple is to allow the employees to interact with one other, to create group bond from the start.
BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar's onboarding is known to be comprehensive. The company organizes a three-day Onboarding. The program includes a presentation of the company's history, its values and the discovery of potential colleagues. BlaBlacar also offers access to their "BlaBla Learn" platform. This internal company platform contains all the information a new employee needs. It allows the employees to be trained in order to increase their skills as they progress through the company.
What to remember
Onboarding has become an important part of human resources management in companies. All the onboarding processes of these companies are similar in some areas:
- The importance the pre-boarding phase is taken into consideration: the period between the recruitment and the first day in the company. This period defines the relationship between the company and the new employee.
- Most companies appoint a subordinate to supervise and support the new employee.
- An onboarding involves series of preparation, which requires time.
- Some companies prefer to wrap up the reception with a "gift box". The employee just has to sit and start working, everything is in place to make the integration process easy.
- The use of user-friendly applications within the company: these applications allow the new employee to learn the skills required for the job. arrivant de façon ludique.
The advantages of onboarding
A successful onboarding process saves time, enhances productivity, increase engagement, and improve Return on investment ("ROI"). Keep in mind the following benefits:
- Reduce the stress of the new employee during on arrival: the trial period can be a stressful time for the new employee. It is a new experience for them: new workplace, new colleagues, new customs. An effective onboarding allows the new employee to become acquainted with the company's expectations and method of operation. The more informed they are about the company, the less questions they will have and they will be more relaxed when they arrive.
- Shorten the learning process: Onboarding saves time due to the monitoring and support of their peers. Using the company's workforce as trainers can also help to strengthen the teams. it is important to take into consideration and adapt to the needs of each individual.
- Encourage open communication and bonding with the new employee: Having a constant connection with the new employee encourages open communication. The employee will feel supported and appreciiated. Subsequently, it will be easier to talk about the challenges they face with their managers or human resources personnels.
- Promote commitment to organizational goals: According to a research from Gallup's State of the American Workplace Report, employee engagement is one of the significant outcomes of an onboarding process. Engagement is crucial to a company's success. In companies that have an onboarding strategy, there is a 33% increase in engagements between employees and their employer (7). Employees who feel valued are 4.6 times more likely to give their best (8).
- A good relationship amongst employees: a good induction reduces disputes between employees. The new employee will not be seen as an outsider on arrival. The team should have a prior notice on the arrival of the new employee to avoid any awkwardness. this helps the employees to approach the new hires naturally and with ease.
- Improving job satisfaction and retention: Job retention is one of the challenges HR professionals faced in 2021. The larger the company, the higher the budget for recruitment. With proper induction of new recruits, work retention can be minimised. Good onboarding can potentially improve retention rates by 82% (9). These days, retaining the best employees is a key challenge because of the threat of competition and the scarcity of qualified candidates. Therefore, it is important to take onboarding seriously to ensure that the best talents are retained.
- Reducing turnover and retaining partner talent: Turnover is never beneficial for a company, financially, humanely and also for the company's image. Onboarding allows for a better relationship between partners and employees. It builds trust between the employer and the employee, making it easier to retain the employees. It is estimated that about 80% of new recruits decide to stay with a company within the first 6 months (3).
- Improved business results: Recruitment is capital intensive and time consuming. If onboarding is properly done, the company does not need to look for a new candidate.
According to a Workelo study on the direct and indirect implication of unsuccessful onboarding, a failed onboarding process costs around €7,000 (3). An employee who is well informed and trained on his or her job is an employee who can immediately focus on the value-adding tasks that they were hired for. - Improving your employer brand: onboarding is one of the most effective ways to attract candidates. It is common knowledge that a good image attracts more candidates than a bad one. Attention to onboarding also means attention to your brand image. A well receive employee can become an ambassador for the company, just like the existing employees, They can spread the word to their contacts, who can also become potential employees.
- Facilitates internal mobility: for the current employees who want to change jobs, onboarding can facilitate the change. Many companies do not include onboarding in their policy for internal mobility. Nonetheless, a change remains a change. Encouraging talents to move internally is also a way of retaining them.
Successful and efficient onboarding is profitable to the company, the existing new employees. In order to retain talent and benefit from its advantages, it is important to follow the key steps of the onboarding process.
How to succeed in the onboarding process?
The onboarding process starts from the initial contact, long before the actual induction of the employee. To achieve a successful onboarding process, there must be a formal communication between the new employee and the human resources personnel from the beginning of the process. This is not always the case. 77% of newcomers are welcomed by their manager and not by the HR professionals (2).
Steps to good onboarding
So what are the steps to take? What are the important steps that work for every type of profile?
There are more than 150 tasks that need to be carried out in order to set up a complete onboarding (3). find below some of the necessary steps to follow for a successful onboarding process:
- Prepare the contract and the mutual insurance documents.
- Do a digital introduction: introduce the new hires to their colleagues before they arrive.
- Assemble the materials: keys and badges.
- Prepare the new employee's workplace: desk, chair, computer, etc.
- Create the new employee's computer login and email address.
- Configure the new employee's computer with the internal software.
- Provide access to the server and to the company's social network.
- have a checklist to avoid forgetting things.
- Provide business cards.
STEP 2: Inform and engage employees
- Notify the appropriate departments: the accounting department, human resources department and the other various departments of the company should be notified.
- Inform the teams, to clarify the recruitment objectives and the arrival date of the new employee in a meeting.
- Mobilize the team where they will work directly and assign a surbodinate who will become their primary contact: this surbodinate will provide them with all the information needed under the best possible conditions.
Many companies do not consider all of these tips. 13% of new employees are not being introduced to their team and for 17% their arrival was not even announced (2).
STEP 3: Welcome digitally and physically
The first day in the company is a very important and decisive moment. This is because it is the new employee's first perception of the company's operations. It is important to take the necessary measures on the first day to ensure that all goes according to plan and that the new employee is retained.
- J-1 : Digital Onboarding
- Sending an email or a message to the new employee to build a relationship of trust.
- Send a welcome email from all the company's employees to integrate him/her into the team.
- D-Day: Physical welcome
- Be creative: Provide them with a welcome booklet, corporate accessories or a welcome pack.
- Share a welcome meal: breakfast, lunch or a cocktail so that they can meet the whole team.
STEP 4: Present the team, the premises and the corporate culture
- Introduce the team members. The supervisor can take the responsibility of introducing the employees and the team in which they will be working.
- Take the new employee on a tour of the premises: Help them find their way around and give safety tips.
- Introduce their job roles and provide them with a roadmap: mission and important deadlines.
- Present the company culture.
STEP 5: Create a training program appropriate for the new job role.
- Plan a standard training course spread over a specific period.
- Get the existing employees to be involved in training the new hires on tasks they have mastered.
STEP 6: Integrate the new employee and follow up regularly
- Team building: This technique was developed in the 80's to strengthen the bonds within the group of people in the company or in the institution.
- Also plan a small activity outdoors to strengthen connections in a different environment: seminars, group games, treasure hunts, team sports...
- Plan a surprise report the following month after the arrival of the employee.
- Provide a formal feedback in between the trial period.
- Conclude the probation period with a future-oriented interview (Feedforward).
A large number of employees in a company make the process formal, with specific contents like induction checklists or welcome booklets. However, in one out of two cases, the new hires do not complete the integration process.
According to the employee experience survey conducted by Parlons RH in partnership with Global Payroll (2) :
- 51% of the participants reported that there is a follow-up process for the integration of new employees in their company.
- 40% of them mentioned an implementation initiative in their company.
Mistakes to avoid
To succeed in onboarding, Some mistakes should be avoided:
- Failing to provide a specific program: there is nothing worse for a new hire than been confused on expectations and where to report to.
- Not assigning a point of contact to the new employee: it is difficult to adapt to a new work environment without support.
- Poor support and preparation of managers: it is important that managers establish a relationship with the new employee ahead of the induction.
- Neglecting the content: the content of the onboarding reflects the character of the company. It is important to talk about the company's business culture and its tools. The presenters must be prepared. Furthermore, to be regarded as a contemporary company, you have to modify your speech according to current events.
- bad management: avoid being late, create time for questions and breaks. It also implies having an alternative in case of technical problems. Every computer system has its flaws.
- Forgetting that the first mission of onboarding is integration: the lectures are not meant to be academic and there should be time for discussion and recreational activities.
- Stick to what you know: in order to offer interesting and entertaining contents, it is important to know how to stay up-to-date, to give room for creativity. Staying on the look-out for new features works best.
The importance of digitization in the onboarding process
COVID-19 a changed the way companies function. Some stages of recruitment process had no need to be modified because they were partly digitalized, for example the recruitment process. With the health crisis, the integration and onboarding processes of new employees had to change. The days of having breakfast with colleagues are over, and digital onboarding is now the new order. While digital onboarding may look impossible, many companies have succeeded in adopting it and some had digitized some of their onboarding processes before the outbreak of Covid 19. onboarding can be 100% digitalized, or it can be done at the start of the process (welcome email, sending of information regarding onboarding).
Digital onboarding has some advantages. For instance, the internal social networks builds a bond among the employees and is fully rooted in the culture of the company.
Digitalization ensures that the new employee is tracked and supported through the creation of an online training program which saves time. Human resources professionals and managers are always busy, and onboarding can be a time-consuming process. According to Digiworks, 63% of HR professionals feel that digitizing the role will enable them to constantly improve the services they provide. (6).
Digital Integration
The problems of accessibility is the common challenge in the first few days and creates pressure on the side of the new hires. The first day is stressful. The new employee needs to feel a sense of belonging at the workplace, this is why it is important to ensure that all the systems are available remotely. The companys official email, its project management system, its intranet, corporate social network, etc.
Making sure that the employee has all the necessary tools prior to their entry is vital.
Furthermore, pre-boarding also includes the other employees or team members. The day of arrival, even if it is virtual, should be known to everyone. Also a group presentation should be planned. A warm welcome and a sense of belonging is important. Formal and informal moments of communication should be encouraged. The distance and body language of the employtees can create uncertainty. It is important to ensure that the new hires are well integrated and they understand all the information provided. team building and interactions are necessary either remotely or physically. With the confinement, many companies have set up a time for communications with the new arrivals. Virtual coffee breaks, "ice breakers", daily exchange with an assigned subordinate on the day of arrival. There are many ways to achieve this interaction from a distance. These moments should be given priority in order to build trust. the onboarding process listed above should be followed and not ignored.
The example of "intranet" tools in the onboarding process
Today, many companies use intranet tools. They facilitate the flow of information, centralizing it and making it available to all employees. These tools make employees independent.
A new employee can easily and promptly contact other employees through the intranet. This tool saves time in successfully onboarding employees, provided that they have been previously trained. If this is not the case, it can result in lack of productivity. It is pertinent that the platform has a training plan for the employee on the companys activities and on the job role. In summary, the intranet facilitates the integration of a new employee:
- They can have full access to their personal administrative information.
- They can stay up to date on the company's news and upcoming events.
- They can access training courses.
- They can communicate and ask questions from the relevant contacts.
What if mobile learning is used to make onboarding appealing?
The goal of e-learning is twofold: to make training contents accessible on every platform and to regulate the users of the platform..from MOOCs (massive open online course) to interactive videos and serious games e-learning is constantly evolving to meet the needs of learners. E-learning courses allows step-by-step tracking of the various phases of the course. It also ensures that knowledge is tested and that students can assess themselves. Distance learning offers a fun and educational approach to training at your own pace, in accordance with your availability. Scratch cards, games with lives, swipe cards, mobile learning offers many features to make lessons diverse and exciting for learners.
The limitations of digitalisation in the onboarding process
The health crisis and lockdowns affected the activities of human resource personnels. Businesses have had to adapt to the situation by increasing their efforts to integrate new intakes as effective as possible. But how do companies integrate employees remotely? Digital technology has its limitations in the onboarding process. In the age of digitalisation and teleworking, many actions are now digitalized: placing food orders, buying clothes or even shopping.
But can people be integrated remotely? Will they really understand the companys culture? will they feel rejected?
Digitalisation boostes creativity
Digital technology pushes the limits of possiblities and increases creativity, enabling the new employee to be properly integrated. In addition, it makes it possible for the new employees to easily access information on the company culture. The question is not if onboarding can be digitized, but rather how to achieve it.
To make the process entertaining, some companies create welcome videos to describe the company and outlines the news of the company. some companies adopt story learning by creating comics that includes the name of the new recruit directly in the company’s history. The employee participates in the integration and becomes the companys ambassador. Digital technology makes onboarding possible, but it depends on the recruitment budget. However the process must remain accessible.
Placing the humans at the centre of the process
It is the companys responsibility to determine how to introduce a sense of humanity through a smile and a friendly attitude. the company has to maintain control over the process so that it does not end up being completely robotic. Loyalty and engagement are the most important challenges for HR professionals in 2021. Many onboarding HRIS solutions offer companies the ability to create social connections with learning and team building opportunities. These platforms are solely focused on building relationships. Even if the process is digitalized, humanity must remain at the core.
How to choose the right solution for digital onboarding?
Choosing the right solution for digitalizing the onboarding process is not easy as a result of the numerous choices and offers available in the market: virtual assistant, mobile learning, HRIS and SAAS platforms, etc. But before choosing the right solution, some questions need to be asked.
4 questions to ask yourself before choosing a solution?
1 - What are my objectives ?
Before you start, identifying the goal is a major step. Without objectives it will be impossible to measure the effectiveness of the process in the future, its return on investment and the achievement of its objectives. They provide a structured recruitment process. The use of recruitment software ensures that the objectives set for onboarding are aligned with the overall strategy of your organisation.
2 - At what point will I address the future board member?
The time at which the potential employee is contacted plays an important role in determining the future of their involvement with the company. If they are approached too late, they may feel sidelined. It is advisable to make timely contacts with the employee so that they can feel comfortable.This helps to build trust.
3 - What career path am I offering the employee? ?
The career path is an important step in choosing the right solution to digitalise onboarding. The training course can be formal, to ensure that skills are developed, to establish the manager-employee relationship. It can also be used in team building.
4 - What indicators do I want to track to measure the onboarding journey?
Several factors can be used to measure the effectiveness of the onboarding process: employee productivity, motivation and commitment. Knowing the indicators that will be used subsequently makes it possible to have a before/after view of these indicators.
Choosing the right solution for your business
Digitalising your process comes with some advantages:- Automating all recurring actions.
- Keeping all stakeholders informed and coordinated.
- Documents collection and distribution.
- Distributing and collecting documents;
- Transfer competencies, integrate training modules.
- Supporting the growth of the new recruit;
- Evaluating the progress of the integration.
Many solutions are available to digitalise your onboarding process, it up to the company to determine the best solution that suits their business and sector:
- SAAS platform: Software as a service or SAAS allows users to sign on to cloud applications and use them through the Internet.
- HRIS: This covers all the management processes of an HRD, from recruitment to training and career management.
- Digital tools for collaboration are also called instant messaging: this includes communications, collaborations, information and knowledge exchange.
- Mobile learning : learning with fun content.
How to measure the success of onboarding?
What does it mean to measure the success of an onboarding? Firstly, it means gathering information from the key indicators of the induction process, either positive or negative, to ensure the company's success. This gives room for improvements to be made in areas where there are deficiencies, or for the modification of information. As mentioned earlier, effective onboarding can boost retention, increase employee productivity, and increase employee engagement. In order to maximise these processes, they need to be analysed. The results must be interpreted in relation to the company and its industry benchmarks. For instance, the average retention rate varies across all industries.
Many companies (55%) still do not measure the effectiveness of their onboarding programme (11). Measuring these factors is very important for the successful development of the company. Yet 33% of companies, for instance, consider the reduction of time to hire as an important objective in their onboarding programme, and only 7% of them measure it.
(11). Today, many companies are still unable to determine the factors that should be measured. Most of them do not have an effective system of gathering and analysing the data after onboarding has been completed.
It is important to measure the effectiveness of onboarding. But what factors need to be measured? And how can they be measured?
Measuring engagement
Before measuring employee engagement, it is important to understand what employee engagement means. Each company has its own interpretation and expectations of what employee engagement is. There are two types of engagement:
- Organisational commitment: It is the employee's relationship with the company. It is linked to the employee's performance in achieving the company's objectives.
- Professional commitment: this second form of commitment is more focused on the specific activity and task that is performed during work.
The difference between the two is significant. An employee who is committed to his or her company but not to his or her job can easily be a liability to the company. With internal mobility this problem can be solved and vicd versa.
In order to measure the commitment of employees, regular surveys must be conducted. This allows the influence of the company's improvement actions to be checked. Consulting is a good solution. Outsourcing the surveys will result in a higher participation rate and a more accurate response from the employees. After the survey, it is advisable to hold personal interviews with each employee to discuss the findings openly.
Once the data has been collected, there are two ways to proceed. If the survey show a low level of improvement and a high level of commitment among employees, it is the right time to disclose the results in order to improve the company's brand image. if the results are negative, the company needs to take take corrective measures.
Measuring motivation
Motivation in the workplace is a set of personal, economic, social and environmental factors that drive employees to be fully involved and effective in the performance and achievement of their duties. Unlike commitment, which is collective, motivation is personal. The motivation of an employee also leads to the success of the company.
Motivation at work can be difficult to measure. To have an idea of the motivation of employees in a company, it is necessary to set up personal interviews with all employees. Most of the time employees prefer to keep their opinions to themselves for the fear of being criticised by their superiors. there is a solution to this problem: set up a suggestion box where all answers are confidential.
Some figures can also reflect employee satisfaction: the rate of absence and the turnover rate. Analysing what percentage of workforce that takes sick leave and reasons for this can help to improve this problem.
Keeping employees motivated is a daily task. Human resources professionals and managers can be trained on how to manage employees. Motivation can be maintained through simple actions like a daily tour of the department, company events, regular feedback, and recognitions of small wins.
Measuring productivity
Assessing the productivity of an employee can appear to be complex. it is possible to measure productivity in an objective way ("results") and in a subjective way ("behaviour").
- Objective measurement: this measurement is based on the use of quantitative measures because they are easier to quantify. They can be analyzed by studying the results of employees' activities (number of sales, number of files processed).
- Subjective measurement: Subjective performance measurement focuses on the qualitative aspects. The focus is no longer on the results but on how the employee achieved the result and how they are performing.
Four steps in calculating employee productivity:
- What productivity means for the company: Before evaluations, productivity can be defined by addressing three question
- What is the ultimate goal of the team?
- What are the criterias for this
- When should this goals be reached.
- Definition of objectives: By identifying objectives and deadlines, it will becomes easier to understand them.
- Examine the competitors: identify the standards and benchmarks according to the company's industry.
- Conistently Measure: it is important to compare data weekly to see if there are any changes and to modify.
Individual interviews
In the onboarding process it is important to communicate with the new recruit, especially if it is a digital process. To ensure that the integration time is maximised, it is important to follow up by organising regular meetings with the new hires. by doing this, it will be possible to monitor their progress, assess their abilities allthrough the trial period and respond promptly if necessary. The impact of a successful induction on the performance of an employee should not be overlooked. Investing in this process will pay off in the long term. follow-ups make it possible to avoid a negative outcome of the onboarding process. It is advisable to do a check-up on the first day of the integration, on Day 7 and 30 in order to keep a close eye on success of the candidate.
Further reviews can be done after the first month to keep the trend going.
The future of onboarding
Onboarding should be modified as often as possible. Effective onboarding is onboarding that is updated with the latest news,technological and social trends. If it is done properly, it will have a positive impact on the company's entire system. Some trends stand out for the future of onboarding.
Onboarding is becoming highly important before the arrival of the employee
The secret to successful onboarding is to start the integration process as early as possible prior to the employee's arrival. A pre-onboarding period ensures a smooth integration. The new employee will be more comfortable on their first day in the company. 22% of new hires leave their job within the first 45 days and 4% of them do not return after their first day (13). Having a pre-boarding period reduces the risk of the new hire leaving. A new employee who goes through a full onboarding process is 58% more likely to stay with the company (3).
Many companies use this period to provide prospective employees with work experience and exposure to real-life situations.
What if onboarding was included in job offers?
It is well known¡ that there will be a time of transition from the current health and economic crisis. Some companies have found a way to unite barriers, social distancing and career development: the 360° immersive experience. This is the new "post-COVID" way of recruitment. it It allows the company's internal procedures to be accessed from a distance and integrates the candidate into the company's culture. Offering intensive recruitment experiences is a way of imbibing onboarding into the job offers and boosting the brand image. The candidates' journey can take the form of 360° videos, an interactive virtual reality application for headsets or an interactive virtual tour of the website.
The employee experience is defined by the degree to which employees are satisfied with the relationship they have with their employers (14). It starts as an employee experience way before they join the company but this experience ends once the employee leaves the company. Nonetheless, it continues all through the professional life of the individual. This can lead to a blacklash effect on the employee : individuals who come back to their previous company after gaining skills in a different one.
Company integration allows the employer and the applicant to determine if they can work together.This solution helps to prevent poor recruitment or a bad company choice for applicants. The time of building the employee relationship will subsequently prove to be vital in the retention of talented candidates.
Automating onboarding
Automation does not just happen suddenly. It is a one-off process with lasting benefits. It saves time and money. it takes up to 5 hours per person to complete administrative duties (10). 57% of HR managers consider lack of time to be the major challenge to a successful onboarding process (12). Automation can also provide a seamless flow of information to the new hires and allows the process to run across several sites and departments with one click.
In order to function properly, automation must perform three main functions:
- With demanding laws on the security of personal data, employee data needs to be managed in a secure manner.
- Allow HR professionals to customize the content offered to each candidate.
- Guide new hires and managers by sending out messages throughout the process.
Gamification
Many companise have switched to gamification to make their onboarding fun. This makes it engaging and makes the targets accept the company's offer. According to Digiworks, gamification is the process of integrating game features, precisely video games, in processes to make them more appealing. In the context of onboarding, gamification engages the employees and makes the training content fun. It improves the digital onboarding process. This technique allows people to learn about the company in a positive and interactive way, through various game activities. There are different forms of gamification:
- By quiz.
- By vidéos.
- In form of games.
The built in motivation in video games is used to inspire employees in the same way but for their personal development. Many brands like LEGO, Google, Spotify and 2,000 other leading organisations use gamification for a wide range of purposes.