Are You Forgetting the Most Important Part of Hiring?
Hiring is one of the costliest things you do as a business as it can leave you exposed and vulnerable. While a good hire can be a turning point in your business, a bad hire can leave you (and your employees) reeling. That’s why the interview and selection process are important. However, it’s what you do after that that will shape the employee and your team the most. No matter the size of your business, if you are bringing someone new on, you must consider the onboarding process.
What Is Onboarding and Why Does It Matter?
Onboarding is the first exposure your new employee has to you and your business. A bad—or nonexistent—onboarding process will override an enjoyable recruitment. Recruiting is the courtship. Employment is the marriage. If you did something in recruitment/hiring that isn’t reflected in the first few days on the job, the new employee will feel a disconnect and may begin pulling away. Onboarding sets the tone for your fledgling relationship. It shapes how they’ll feel about leadership and their peers. And it can increase employee productivity by 72% and employee retention by 80%. So, it’s worth the effort. Onboarding goes beyond gifting and training. And should be a consideration for every size business. If you are hiring, you’re never too small to consider onboarding.
Components of a Successful Onboarding Program
The onboarding process should consist of a:
Do Small Businesses Need Onboarding?
The short answer is yes. The goal behind onboarding is to exhibit company culture early on and create an effective training program and introduction to your business. Even if you’re a company of one, it’s likely you want to continue to grow. This new employee can help you build a foundation for success. So, it’s essential to create a strong one with staying power (aka retention). If you don’t take the time to onboard your employee(s), you’re trying to create a foundation that keeps getting swapped out and lacks consistency. A strong onboarding program is as essential with your first employee as with your 101st employee since you are only as strong as your weakest team member. Never is that more apparent than with employee #1.
Phone:
(320) 334-3095
chamber@glenwoodlakesarea.org
7 First Street NW
Glenwood, MN 56334