7 ways to enhance your onboarding programme

First weeks are crucial for a newcomer: statistics have shown that new employees who attended a well-structured onboarding orientation programme were 69 percent more likely to remain at a company up to three years.

So how can your induction trainings become both more engaging and informative so you can retain great talent? Here are 7 ways to achieve it: 

  1. Run pre-boarding activities: reduce first day stress by offering your newcomers an electronic welcome pack, which can include company’s history, press releases, FAQ sheet, links to company videos, etc. Also, why not get over with the paperwork before starting? Set up a page in your intranet where your new hire can upload a picture for their badge, complete paperwork for benefits enrolment, get informed about learning opportunities and more.
     
  2. Make it personal: make sure everything is set up for your new employee’s arrival, together with some branding materials and a personal note. Folding newcomers into the company’s culture will increase their engagement and their productivity.
     
  3. Create digital and interactive induction materials: combine face to face sessions with digital engaging materials to make sure your new employee retains key information while avoiding information overload. 
     
  4. Use gamification (or the use of game dynamics in a non-game context): instead of discouraging employees with endless ppts use gamified trainings to help your newcomer better remember the information while adding some fun and excitement. Human bingo? Always a good idea.   
     
  5. Keep it individual: if you have many new hires joining at the same time, set up different coffee breaks with each of the individuals to create a sense of mentorship. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the employee than you could possibly know through the interview process. 
     
  6. Develop a mentorship programme: provide new hires with an experienced mentor to help them settle in while they become efficient employees.  At the end of the day, it’s all about networking and giving your new hire the chance to meet senior employees from day 1 which will create both retention and engagement. 
     
  7. Use metrics:  survey your new hires one and six months later to see if your onboarding programme is having an impact on their development. That way you will know what’s working and what you need to change. 

The traditional onboarding sessions with just an informative ppt are a thing of the past. By taking the time to create a more holistic approach to new hires induction trainings you are actually investing in your company’s future. Not only will the newcomers be happier to work for an agile and engaging company but also they will be more likely to stay for the long run and be more efficient in a shorter term. 

Paloma Redondo

Marketing Manager