Hiring top talent takes a lot of work and can be a long, nuanced process. But keeping those employees engaged and challenged so they’ll stick around is an equally essential part of the process. One way to make that happen is to re-evaluate your onboarding process with the goal of identifying potential deal-breakers that may be making it easier for your competitors to woo your employees away from you.
- Waiting till Day One to connect.
With so many opportunities to connect via social media, email, phone, and websites, there’s no reason the employee shouldn’t be hearing from you long before his or her first day. Hiring managers and immediate supervisors should reach out and establish a connection in advance to help orient new employees. The employee can also fill out any forms or paperwork in advance to avoid spending significant time on these tasks on his first day. - Failing to provide clear expectations.
Written job descriptions and performance expectations help the employee better evaluate how well he is filling his position. Without clear expectations, he may feel unable to get a clear picture of what you expect from him. And that can lead to job dissatisfaction. - Using a “sink or swim” approach.
It can be difficult for new employees to assimilate into the culture of a company. Rather than just leaving them alone to see how they fare, put some effort into communicating company values. In addition to official communications, try to work them into conversations, team meetings, and other informal exchanges. You can also assign a mentor to each new employee to help orient them to the company and to help them get to know the other team members. - Not providing regular performance evaluations.
Regular performance evaluations help new employees know that they’re meeting your expectations and that they’re becoming valuable members of the team. When an employee knows what he’s supposed to contribute and feels that his work makes a difference, he’ll be more likely to be satisfied in his position. - Ignoring onboarding for temporary employees.
Temporary workers are still valuable members of your workforce. By taking them through the same onboarding and training processes you provide for permanent employees, you can create a positive employer brand image while also creating a loyal worker. Down the road, you may hire that worker for another project or you may decide to hire him or her permanently.
Investing in your employees on the front end will help you retain them longer by building loyalty to your company. When you’re known as a great place to work, the employees you hire will be less likely to jump ship if another offer comes along.
