Streamlining employee onboarding: How should it be done?

Streamlining employee onboarding: How should it be done?

Employee onboarding is a critical process for any business, but it can be time-consuming and complex. This slow ramp-up time can be frustrating for both the employee and the employer, and can lead to high turnover rates and slow productivity. In this article, I explain the importance of streamlining employee onboarding, and will give you some tips on how to do it.

How retention and turn-over affect an organization?

Two of the most pressing challenges that human resource departments face are employee turnover, retaining employees, and getting them up to speed. According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), it can take up to six months for a new hire to reach full productivity. This lengthy period can result in lost productivity and revenue for the organization. Regarding turnover, as of 2021, the national average annual turnover rate was 47.2%, impacting the organization’s productivity, morale, and reputation, and result in increased recruitment and training costs.

How streamlining employee onboarding helps on HR problems?

Both of the challenges mentioned above can be mitigated with a good onboarding process. A study conducted by Glassdoor found that organizations with solid onboarding processes improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. Another report by the Brandon Hall Group, shows that organizations that automate their onboarding process reduce administrative tasks by up to 90% and reduce time-to-productivity by up to 60%.

Therefore, companies need an effective onboarding process that streamlines the experience for new employees while ensuring a seamless transition into their new role. In the following sections, we will outline some tips to help streamline the employee onboarding process and improve retention rates.

Benefits of streamlining employee onboarding

The benefits of streamlining employee onboarding are straightforward. Here are some of them:

1. Increased productivity: Streamlining the onboarding process can help employees to quickly become acclimated to their new roles and responsibilities, enabling them to become productive faster.
2. Improved employee engagement and retention: A well-designed onboarding program can help new hires to feel welcomed, supported, and connected to the organization’s culture and values.
3. Faster time-to-productivity: By providing new hires with the information, tools, and resources they need to do their jobs, organizations can accelerate their time-to-productivity.
4. Reduced administrative costs: Streamlining the onboarding process can reduce administrative costs associated with hiring and training new employees.
5. Positive impact on company culture: A well-structured onboarding process can also help to reinforce the organization’s culture, values, and mission. This can help new employees to understand and align with the organization’s goals and expectations, which can lead to a more positive and cohesive work environment.

Challenges of streamlining employee onboarding

While digital transformation offers many potential benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it also presents several challenges that can make it difficult to implement successfully. Here are some of the most common challenges that SMEs face when undertaking digital transformation initiatives:

Limited resources: Many SMEs operate on tight budgets, and the cost of implementing new technology can be a significant barrier. Digital transformation often requires significant upfront investments in hardware, software, and personnel, which can be challenging for SMEs that may not have the same level of capital as larger enterprises.

Resistance to change: Employees may be resistant to new technology or processes, and may require significant training to adopt new systems. SMEs may also face resistance from customers who are accustomed to traditional ways of doing business and may be resistant to change.

Lack of digital skills and expertise: Digital transformation requires a significant amount of technical expertise, which can be a challenge for SMEs that may not have dedicated IT staff or may not have the resources to hire outside experts. SMEs may need to invest in training and development to ensure that their employees have the skills and knowledge required to implement and manage new technology.

I hope this article has been helpful to you. I will continue to post information related to warehouse management, distribution practices and trends, and the economy in general. If you are interested in this article or want to learn more about Laceup Solutions, please subscribe to stay updated on future articles.

Tips to streamline employee onboarding

The figure below summarizes the issues that, in our experience, influence the most the onboarding process.

Check out this video for 5 Tips for streamlining employee onboarding.