A Career of Engagement - Phase One - Onboarding
As we further explore our Triboarding approach to creating and cultivating an entire employee life cycle of engagement we want to focus this week on the Onboarding.
Do an internet search and you end up with 33,100,000 results; now 33,100,001! Needless to say, it is a well documented and researched topic. Why? Because it is important and makes a major difference in any organization. Onboarding is to employee engagement like breakfast is to the start of any day, the most important meal of your day, or in the case, the engagement of an employee’s career.
Getting off to a great start sets the stage for future success. In fact, many studies show good onboarding increases retention by nearly 85%. Right now, however, there is currently so much focus on the technology and facilitating the “process of effective onboarding”, the goal and essence of the onboarding is lost in a sea of decisions around which is the right onboarding technology. And while the process is important, let’s not lose sight on the goal of onboarding; to create a firm foundation by providing organizational and personal clarity, alignment and resources that enable an employee’s near and long-term success.
No matter the tools and processes used to facilitate the process, ensure that the onboarding experience provides information, knowledge, education and examples on successfully integrating into and navigating the organizations culture. What is and is not valued in the organization? What insights can be provided about their role? And what, where, and how can they contribute to success? Provide opportunities for employees to engage from day one in making a difference.
In addition, finding ways to connect to the organization’s history, whether the organization is a year old startup or a century old icon, is extremely important. For example, any FedEx employee can tell you Fred Smith’s (CEO) college term paper on the hub and spokes concept that received a C but he later turned that very concept into a global, multibillion dollar brand. Or about him betting on blackjack in Las Vegas to cover an upcoming payroll obligation and pilots hiding planes to keep them from being repossessed in the early days. Your organization’s stories are important to tell, so find ways to incorporate them into your onboarding.
Onboarding is truly more than new hire orientation and getting your computer and passwords. Is onboarding a strategic part of your long term people strategy? If not, you may be missing the most important meal of the day.
To discover more about the lifecycle of employee engagement and what Cornerstone Learning can do for you, visit our Triboading page at www.cornerstonelearning.com/triboading.
Click here to download more information on the Triboarding process and how Cornerstone Learning can help you achieve a robust employee engagement strategy.