Blog

26/02/2024

By Chris Andrews – Managing Director

Welcome to the team, you are no longer special

From the moment a candidate applies to a job, the recruitment process begins. We can think about this as ‘the courtship’ phase. From the moment a candidate signs the contract, the onboarding process has begun. We can think of this as the ‘honeymoon phase.’ With so much on the line, how can employers ensure that this is the best honeymoon phase their candidate has ever had? Here, we explore the transition.

If you have a well-organised and successful talent acquisition funnel, you will have a stream of new starters filtering in to your business. The onboarding experience needs to be a seamless continuation and one that reinforces all the expectations you have created throughout the process so far.

Here are 2 stats that highlights a gap in onboarding expectations vs reality

1. More than 93% of employers believe that onboarding plays a critical role in an employee’s decision to stay or leave the company.

2. More than 76% of HR professionals feel their company underutilizes onboarding.

These stats are obviously alarming, however, there are three steps you can implement which can improve the experience significantly.

#1 Automation

Onboarding software can create seamless and personalised experiences for new employees. There is a huge range of off-the-shelf providers with stand-alone/integrated solutions which can be tailored to your needs. These have the added benefit of reducing administration time and increasing compliance. Companies such as BambooHR and Enboarder offer simple, subscription-based solutions.

#2 Personalisation

AI is allowing for increased personalisation of onboarding as new employees have an interactive concierge service which allows them to interact and manage their own onboarding journey in a supportive and proactive environment. Familiarisation through the use of avatars creates an extra level of comfort.

#3 Human interaction

While the above measures create efficiencies and save time, there is still room for human interaction which is crucial to the process. A phone call once the contract is signed, team engagement, and a well-planned first 3 months are crucial to anyone’s onboarding.

By sharing information on who is new to the business and training everyone in the company to make a point of welcoming the newcomers, a positive and nurturing atmosphere is created which will be shared with the outside market and in turn feed the employer brand.

We build, operate and improve talent acquisition funnels for growing companies. Contact us today to chat through our services.