The Pitfalls Of Poor Onboarding Programs

It’s no secret businesses are working with and recruiting from a workforce that has had a tough year. The last thing a business should be worried about right now is losing new hires, or even key talent. Unfortunately, if a business lacks a strong onboarding program, research shows us that’s exactly what will happen.

Glassdoor found that businesses with a strong onboarding experiences will improve their employee retention by up to 82% and that employees are more productive overall when entering the business. Setting employees up for that kind of success involves a deeper level of onboarding where employees are familiar with more than just their general duties, the company structure, and some policies. Onboarding should connect your employees to your mission, clearly outline the role they play in the DNA of the business.

A bad employee onboarding program can lead to a variety of problems, such as low employee engagement, high turnover rates, and decreased productivity. Here are some common pit falls to avoid when thinking about your onboarding experience:

Keep an eye out for these common pitfalls

• Lack of structure: A poorly structured onboarding program can leave new hires feeling lost and disoriented. Without a clear plan or timeline for training, new employees may struggle to get up to speed and may not fully understand their role within the organisation. 58% of organisations say that their onboard program is focused primarily on paperwork.

• Insufficient training: Inadequate training can leave new hires feeling ill-equipped to perform their job duties. Without proper training, new employees may make avoidable mistakes or may not be able to complete tasks to the required standard, leading to frustration and decreased productivity.
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• Failure to set expectations: Without clearly defined expectations, new employees may not fully understand what is expected of them. This can lead to confusion and miscommunication, as well as feelings of inadequacy or frustration. When creating your experience, ensure they leave knowing what they do when they're out of the "onboarding bubble".
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• Lack of support: New employees may feel isolated or unsupported if they are not provided with a buddy or point of contact. We understand that not every business in 2023 has the capacity to ensure there is a full FTE dedicated per person. At OBSIDEA, we always include resources for the employee and the manager to ensure there is no "grey area" in what is required in their first day, week and month. This also includes where to go for support, as without a support system, new hires may struggle to adjust to their new environment and may be more likely to leave.
  

Overall, a bad employee onboarding program can have a negative impact on both new hires as a whole. We're repeating ourselves at this point, but it's important to prioritise a well-structured, comprehensive onboarding program to ensure that new employees feel valued, supported, and equipped to succeed in their new roles.

What does an investment in Onboarding look like?

Investing in an onboarding program with OBSIDEA involves a collaborative process with our team to create a customized onboarding experience tailored to your needs. We will work with you to assess your current onboarding process and identify areas for improvement (think of it like rebuilding a car!). We will also gather information about your organisation, its culture, and your new hires' needs to create a tailored onboarding experience. Based on the needs assessment, we will design an onboarding program that includes a comprehensive set of tools, resources, and digital modules to ensure that it hits the mark for every employee, regardless of physical resources.

We've seen real impact for the companies we've developed onboarding experiences for, and it's not just our word you should take. We're happy to share that our recent onboarding program 'Embark' has won a Diamond LearnX Award, as well as finalist status with ILP (winners announced in March).

At OBSIDEA, we believe that a successful onboarding program should be engaging, interactive, and tailored to the unique needs of each company we work with. We are committed to working closely with our clients to develop an onboarding experience that supports them, and one they can show off as a world class experience.