Dive Brief:
- Successful new hire onboarding is one of the most critically important elements in retaining strong talent -- a well-known mantra in HR circles, according to Robert Parry, a human capital management consultant at Paychex.
- Unfortunately, too many small business owners focus too much on hiring rather than what comes afterward, he writes.
- This often results in new hires who don't clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, which can lead to frustration among employees and employers alike.
Dive Insight:
A strong onboarding system will help new employees hit the ground running, get into the pace of daily business life and learn about their new employer's culture. It should reduce a new hire's anxiety and lack of job knowledge, and free up supervisors and managers from spending too much time helping the new hire get acclimated.
To do that, Parry says small employers must prepare new hires beforehand and get other employees involved. Carefully select which information to provide, focusing on company policies and specific job duties, assign a mentor and, finally, set clear milestones for individual progress.
Hiring a talented individual to fill that open position in your company is just the first step in amassing a high-performing workforce, he writes, adding that it's equally important to shepherd a new hire through those crucial first days on the job. It'll give the employee a sense of accomplishment and the eagerness to keep learning more about help the organization grow.
