Posted: October 26th, 2022
HRMN 400 – New Employee Onboarding – DUE THURS 2/4
Please see the discussion questions below. All questions must be answered independently (discussion 1 – question 1, question 2 / discussion 2 – question 1, question 2) using the attached week 4 course resources and APA in-text/reference page. Answers must be thorough (1 page per question = 4 pages) and must cite course resources.
Don't use plagiarized sources. Get Your Custom Essay on
HRMN 400 – New Employee Onboarding – DUE THURS 2/4
Just from $13/Page
Discussion One:
1. Discuss the various components of new employee onboarding, including new hire orientation. Which part do you believe to be most important and why? What is the human resource manager’s role in the employee onboarding process? What is the manager’s role?
2. How does an onboarding program benefit both new employees and the organization? In your discussion, address how effective employee onboarding can enhance employee engagement and retention.
Be sure to provide the references for the sources of the information you used including the material provided in the classroom.
Discussion Two: Application
1. Discuss the consequences of an ineffective, or inadequate, onboarding program from both employee and organizational perspectives. How can HR evaluate the success of an onboarding program? Discuss at least 3 important onboarding success metrics.
2. Evaluate the onboarding program of an organization where you are or have been employed or one you are familiar with. Do you believe it is effective in successfully integrating new employees into the organization? Why or why not?
Be sure to provide the references for the sources of the information you used including the material provided in the classroom.
HRMN400 – Week 4 Citations
(Caldwell, Hasan, & Smith, 2018)
(Heathfield, 2019)
(O’Toole, 2020)
(Brown, 2020)
(Platz, 2019)
(Heathfield,
Successfully, 2019)
(Pike, 2014)
(Lagunas, 2014)
(
, 2021)
(Vanden Bos, 2020)
(Dubois, 2010)
(Rudy)
(Forbes Coaches Council, 2017)
(Burkett, 2017)
(Little, 2019)
Bibliography
Brown, J. (2020, May 20). Employee Orientation: Keeping New Employees on Board. Retrieved
February 2, 2021, from Balance Career: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-
orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035
Burkett, H. (2017, June 1).
. Retrieved February 2, 2021,
from HRCI: https://www.hrci.org/community/blogs-and-announcements/hr-leads-
business-blog/hr-leads-business/2017/06/01/reinvent-your-onboarding-process
Caldwell, Hasan, & Smith. (2018).
– Psychological Contracts and
Ethical Perspectives. Retrieved February 3, 2021, from University of Maryland Global
Campus: https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/543604/viewContent/20431499/View
Dubois, L. (2010, December 13). How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful.
Retrieved February 2, 2021, from Inc.com: https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-
make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html
Forbes Coaches Council. (2017, January 30). Seven New Onboarding Strategies You’ll See This
Year. Retrieved February 2, 2021, from Forbes:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/01/30/seven-new-onboarding-
strategies-youll-see-this-year/?sh=4cc048957b4d
Heathfield, S. M. (2019, September 30). How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
Successfully. Retrieved February 2, 2021, from Balance Careers:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829
Heathfield, S. M. (2019, October 31). New Employee Orientation: Employee Onboarding.
Retrieved February 3, 2021, from Balance Careers:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-
1918195
Lagunas, K. (2014, November 25). New Hire Onboarding as a Driver of Employee Engagement.
Retrieved February 2, 2021, from Training Mag: https://trainingmag.com/new-hire-
onboarding-as-a-driver-of-employee-engagement/
Little, S. (2019, February 26). What is Employee Onboarding — And Why do You Need It?
Retrieved February 2, 2021, from SHRM Blog: https://blog.shrm.org/blog/what-is-
employee-onboarding-and-why-do-you-need-
it?_ga=2.110698565.1743394787.1542496676-1232592599.1505600439
O’Toole, B. (2020, December 29). Tips for a Better New Employee Orientation. Retrieved
February 2, 2021, from Balance Careers: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-
better-new-employee-orientation-1916757
Pike, K. L. (2014). New Employee Onboarding Programs and Person-Organization Fit: An
Examination of Socialization Tactics. University of Rhode Island. Seminar Research
Paper Series. Retrieved February 2, 2021, from
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&ht
tpsredir=1&article=1043&context=lrc_paper_series
Platz, B. (2019, July 13).
.
Retrieved February 3, 2021, from Balance Careers:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-
experience-1918830
Rudy, L. J. (n.d.).
Employee Orientation and Training
. In Principles of Management. Lumen
Learning. Retrieved February 2, 2021, from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-
principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/
Vanden Bos, P. (2020, February 6). How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire.
Retrieved February 2, 2021, from Inc.com:
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html
Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for Retention. (2021, January 23). Retrieved February 2,
2021, from Gallup: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-
experience-key-retention.aspx
1
New Employee Onboarding–
Psychological Contracts and Ethical Perspectives
Abstract
Purpose – This paper clarifies the importance of Human Resource Professionals (HRPs) improving the
onboarding and assimilation of new employees and explains why this important task is so essential as
part of the psychological contract between employers and those new organization members.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a conceptual paper that identifies a problem based upon
findings in the management literature, explains the nature of psychological contracts and ethical duties,
and identifies action steps for improving the new employee onboarding process.
Findings – The paper identifies a ten.-step model for improving employee onboarding and explains why
HRPs and those who oversee them need to reexamine their assimilation of new organization members.
Originality/value – This paper contributes to the management literature by addressing a major problem
that is poorly managed in many organizations. The mismanagement of this important onboarding
process undermines organization effectiveness, decreases trust, and violates the psychological contract
held by new employees about the organization’s duties owed to them.
Key Words: Employee Onboarding, Employee Assimilation, New Employee Orientation, Psychological
Contract, Duties of Human Resource Professionals.
2
New Employee Onboarding–
Psychological Contracts and Ethical Perspectives
Assimilating new employees into an organization is an important task of Human
Resource Professionals (HRPs) and an essential element of their responsibilities as technical
experts in their discipline (Huselid, et al., 2009, pp 196-199). Ineffective onboarding destroys
benefits achieved by hiring talented employees and increases the likelihood that the hard work
spent in recruiting and selecting those employees will be wasted (Smart, 2012). Because many
organizations view their onboarding process as an expense rather than an investment, they
adopt a short-sighted approach to the process. The predictable result from this false economy
is that the transition into the organization for new employees will be painful–leading to
potential underperformance, minimizing the organization’s capability to fully utilize the skills
and abilities of these new employees.
The purposes of this paper are 1) to identify why improving this important Human
Resource Management (HRM) function greatly benefits those new employees and the
organization itself, 2) to clarify the ethical obligations implicit in new employee onboarding, and
3) to provide top managers and HRPs with a model for improving the new employee
onboarding process that meets the ethical expectations and psychological contracts of
incoming employees. The paper begins with a brief explanation of the onboarding process and
the nature of the psychological contract that exist between an organization and its employees.
Building upon a model introduced by the University of Michigan ethics scholar, Larue Hosmer, it
3
then presents twelve ethical perspectives that identify how employees perceive the nature of
their onboarding process. The paper then introduces a ten-step model for conducting a top
quality onboarding process, identifying how each of those steps honors the ethical expectations
of the psychological contracts of new employees. The paper concludes with the contributions
of this paper.
The Onboarding Process
Onboarding is the process of introducing a new employee into his or her new job;
acquainting that employee with the organization’s goals, values, rules and policies, and
processes; and socializing the employee into an organizational culture (Watkins, 2016).
Wanous and Reichers (2000) explained that the new employee orientation process occurs while
employees are under a tremendous amount of stress. The typical new employee onboarding
process provides employees with a volume of information that is overwhelming, impractical,
and impossible for new employees to incorporate within a short period of time. In compiling
research about the state of the art of employee onboarding, Srimannarayana (2016) noted that
some organizations included too many complex tasks and information for employees to
realistically digest while other organizations offered too few items that fail to adequately
prepare employees.
Bauer (2010) has explained that an effective onboarding process included four critical
building blocks to improve performance, inoculate against turnover, and increase job
satisfaction:
4
• Compliance: This building block is the lowest level of onboarding and includes reviewing
or teaching employees about basic legal and policy-related rules and regulations
associated with working in the new organization.
• Clarification: This key function ensures that employees understand their new jobs and
all its related expectations. Frequently, this function is poorly handled and lacks
specificity.
• Culture: Providing employees with a sense of formal and informal organizational norms
is often overlooked because members of the organization assume that the
organization’s values, assumptions, and norms are easily understood.
• Connection: This key activity refers to creating vital interpersonal relationships and
explaining information networks essential for employees to perform successfully.
Unfortunately, Acevedo and Yancey (2010, 349) concluded that most organizations do a
mediocre job of assimilating new employees and, few organizations utilize its full scope or
potential.
Bauer (2010) explained that effective onboarding has short-term and long-term benefits
for both the new employee and the organization, noting that employees effectively assimilated
into an organization have greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment, higher
retention rates, lower time to productivity, and have greater success in achieving customer
satisfaction with their work. In contrast, poor onboarding leads to lower employee satisfaction,
higher turnover, increased costs, lower productivity, and decreased customer satisfaction.
Holton (2001, 73) noted in his study of factors associated with onboarding that “(t)he most
important tactic (for effective onboarding) was allowing new employees to fully utilize their
skills and abilities.” Unfortunately, most organizations focus on establishing managerial control
systems rather than on building commitment and empowering employees (cf. Pfeffer, 1998).
Onboarding and the Psychological Contract
5
The employment relationship is inherently an interpersonal relationship with profound
ethical implications associated with HRM (Hosmer, 1987). That relationship is based upon social
exchange theory in which the employer pays money to the employee in exchange for his or her
services (Cropanzano & Mitchell, 2005). The expectations in this relationship frame the
psychological contract that exists between the two parties – a contract that is typically
unwritten and that rarely perfectly coincides but reflects the reciprocal obligations of the
parties (Rousseau, 1995; Robinson & Rousseau, 1994). Consistent with expectancy theory, new
employees are also concerned about 1) how they will benefit as an organization member, and
2) whether it is feasible for them to obtain promised outcomes (Shea-Van Fossen &
Vredenburgh, 2014). The implied psychological contract between employers and employees
has evolved over the past several decades (Pfeffer, 1998), but a growing body of evidence
confirms that employers who create relationships with employees based upon high trust create
organizational cultures in which employees exhibit increased extra-role behavior, are more
creative and innovative, and more profitable than employees in comparable organizations (cf.
Beer, 2009).
Well qualified employees who add the greatest value, or create the most organizational
wealth, for their employers expect to be treated with dignity and respect; given the
opportunity to advance in their organizations; be treated as valued “owners and partners” in
improving the organization; and valued as “Yous,” or as unique individuals, rather than as “Its,”
or fungible commodities with no individual identity (Buber, 1996; Covey, 2004; Block, 2013).
Although some employees are highly committed and inherently dedicated to giving extra-mile
performance, even in the face of poor treatment and ineffective leadership (Organ, et al.,
6
2005), research evidence documents that employers who treat employees with high trust, who
demonstrate a personalized approach to employees as valued partners reap the rewards of
better quality, improved employee performance, and increased employee satisfaction (Pfeffer,
1998; Paine, 2003; Smith, et al., 2016).
Louis (1980) examined the problem of employee dissatisfaction with the new employee
entry process more than thirty-five years ago, yet new employees continue to be surprised by
the inadequacies of many organizations’ onboarding systems (Lawson, 2015, Ch. 5). Although
the expectations of incoming employees about the perceived duties owed to them in the
onboarding process may vary, employees feel betrayed when those duties are breached – with
an inevitable decrease in organization commitment (Morrison & Robinson, 1997). A realistic
job preview reduces surprises, clarifies supervisor expectations, provides an opportunity for
employees to ask questions about desired outcomes, and clarifies the psychological contract
(Tekleab et al, 2013).
Hosmer (1995) explained that trust and ethical expectations are closely related and
derived from well-accepted philosophical foundations. Table 1 presents twelve ethical
perspectives, a brief summary of each perspective, and a summary of how new employees
perceive onboarding duties owed to them.
==== Insert Table 1 about Here ===
Each ethical perspective confirms that it is in the best interests of an employer and their
employees for the onboarding process to occur effectively and with high quality (cf. Hosmer,
1995). New employees typically perceive that they are an excellent onboarding process as part
7
of the psychological contract owed to them (DeVos, et al., 2005; Klein & Weaver, 2000). The
evidence also confirms that effective onboarding serves all stakeholders, benefiting
organization both long-term and short-term (Bauer, 2010).
A Ten-Step Model for Quality Onboarding
HRPs who incorporate highly effective onboarding programs honor the psychological
contract expectations of their new employees and fulfill their strategic role as ethical stewards
(Huselid, et al., 2009;). The following is a ten-step model for quality onboarding, including steps
prior to the actual arrival of a new employee.
1. Establish the Relationship Online Immediately after Hiring. Typically, the decision to
hire an employee occurs well before the employee actually begins work. Initiating an
online relationship enables an organization to create an immediate personalized
relationship with a new employee–a well-recognized element of effective leadership
(Kouzes & Posner, 2012, Ch. 1) and an opportunity for an employee to learn a great deal
about the organization.
2. Appoint a Trained Mentor-Coach for Each New Employee – The evidence indicates the
quality of mentoring for new employees can make a significant contribution to
employee socialization and learning (Ragins, et al., 2000). Mentoring can be highly
effective at helping employees to improve employee work attitudes, engagement, and
extra-role behavior (Van Dyne & Pierce, 2004).
3. Focus the Onboarding on Relationships and Networks – Assisting new employees to
create relationships with key organization personnel can shorten the socialization and
assimilation process. Sharing information with key organization personnel about the
employee’s qualifications and assisting the employee to become familiar with the
organization’s values communicates to the incoming employee that (s)he is an
important contributor to the organization’s success (Brown, 2007; Rousseau, 1990). The
relationship with the supervisor and the natural work group are both essential elements
in this transition (Parker, et al., 2013).
4. Prepare a Well-Developed and Complete New Employee Orientation Booklet –
Integrating the many diverse pieces of information that new employees needs in
8
relocating; acquainting the employee with the community and organization culture;
identifying the organization’s values, mission, and history; explaining employee benefits
and policies; completing required paper work and documentation; and identifying key
job tasks in contributing to the organization’s ability to create value enables a new
employee to obtain this critical information and is consistent with employee
psychological contract expectations (Sutton & Griffin, 2004). Providing that information
in one location also facilitates an employee’s ability to share that information with a
significant other.
5. Prepare Physical Location, Office, and Staffing Support Prior to Onboarding – A
properly equipped office and appropriate staffing support enable an employee to get
off to the best possible start. Initiating those actions prior to a new employee’s arrival
demonstrates that the organization has carefully thought through the new employee’s
assimilation (cf. Marks, 2007).
6. Assist in Transitional Logistics – Recognizing that a new hire may have had to relocate,
sell or buy a home, arrange for schooling for children, and/or make other stressful
transitions of significant proportion, reaching out to new employees to assist them in
those time consuming tasks communicates that an employer is aware of the need for
work-family balance and is committed to the employee’s welfare (Dewe, et al., 2010).
7. Clarify and Affirm Priorities and Expectations – Immediately upon the new employee’s
arrival to the organization, the employee’s supervisor should meet with the new
employee to clarify job responsibilities, key outcomes, and the employee role with the
entire work group; identify key resources and the role of the supervisor; and listen
carefully to the employee’s personal goals and job-related concerns. Creating a high
trust relationship with the new employee is facilitated by such a meeting in addition to
building employee commitment (Leana & Van Buren, 1999).
8. Engage, Empower, and Appreciate the Employee – Employees actively engaged as
owners and partners in an organization are more likely to contribute creative ideas, add
organizational value, and improve organization productivity (Adkins, 2016; Smith, et al.,
2016; Beer, 2009; Saks, 2006;). Building employee self-efficacy and confidence reduces
employee stress, facilitates assimilation into the organization, and enhances employee
performance (Peterson, et al., 2011).
9. Involve Upline in Onboarding Training and Orientation – Actively involving Top
Management Team members and supervisors in the new employee orientation
process–particularly in explaining organizational values and cultural factors–
communicates to employees that organizational leaders are committed to those values
and that they are prepared to perform according to the values that they espouse
(Schein, 2010; Kouzes & Posner, 2012).
9
10. Create an Ongoing Coaching Process – As part of the new employee orientation, both
the mentor and supervisor should identify the resources available to assist the
employee to become a highly productive contributor and the checkpoints that will be
used to help the new employee to be assimilated into the organization to achieve time-
targeted performance results (Bachkirova, et al., 2011).
Each of these ten steps communicates to the new employee that (s)he is a priority of the
organization. This ten-step process communicates, “We value you and want you to succeed. We care
about your success, and we have carefully thought through our responsibility to bringing you on board
successfully so that you can have a great experience in our company.” In the words of DePree (2004,
Ch. 1), this approach to the onboarding process and to helping the employee to succeed honors the
“covenantal” obligation of leaders to be “a servant and a debtor” committed to each employee’s well-
being and success. That psychological contract expectation of being valued as a person is the desired
hope of new employees as they transition into organizations. Although all ten of these recommended
steps might not always be practical in every situation, this model provides a guideline which has
applicability for many organizations in a variety of disciplines.
Caldwell and colleagues (2015) have provided a Virtuous Continuum of ethical conduct for
leaders and organizations for evaluating performance outcomes and ethical duties. That continuum,
indicated as Diagram 1, suggests that the responsibility of organizations and leaders is to optimize value
creation and organizational wealth by pursuing the best intetests of all stakeholders.
==== Insert Diagram One about here ====
Similarly, Cameron (2011) has explained that virtuous leadership is also “responsible leadership” and the
obligation of leaders to those whom they serve. A growing body of evidence confirms that honoring this
virtuous responsibility creates organizational wealth, greater commitment, improved customer service,
and better quality (Cameron & Spreitzer, 2012; Beer, 2009; Pfeffer, 1998).
10
Contributions of the Paper
Like many practical HRM issues, onboarding of employees is a profoundly ethical process with
implications for the psychological contract between the employer and employee (Hosmer, 1987). This
paper makes five significant contributions.
1) It identifies the nature of onboarding new employees as an ethical and practical opportunity
to improve the relationship between new employees and their organizations. The
responsibilities of HRPs and immediate supervisors in assimilating new employees honors
“covenantal” obligations that benefit organizations and the individuals working for them
2) It identifies the ethical nature of onboarding in comparison with twelve highly regarded
ethical perspectives and as a key element of psychological contracts. By elaborating on the
ethical nature of the onboarding process, this paper integrates those ethical perspectives with
the expectations of employees directly impacts their trust, commitment, and willingness to
engage in value-creating behaviors.
3) It confirms the value of a Virtuous Continuum approach to examining the current practices of
onboarding for HRPs. Honoring duties owed to stakeholders and optimizing value creation are
responsibilities of HRPs and supervisors and the Virtuous Continuum is a useful criterion for
evaluating an organization’s onboarding process (Caldwell, et al., 2014).
4) It identifies a ten-step model for onboarding with each step identifying how each onboarding
activity strengthens the ability of an organization to honor ethical and psychological contract
expectations of employees. The specifics of this proposed model comply with best practices for
onboarding in HRM (Bauer, 2010) while meshing with ethically-related assumptions about the
psychological contract (Rousseau, 1990).
11
5) It provides an opportunity for practitioners and scholars to increase their dialogue in
promoting the discussion of ethics in practice. The link between academicians and practitioners
is often weak and scholars are frequently criticized for being impractical (Van Buren &
Greenwood, 2013; Caldwell, 2014). This paper bridges that gap and provides an opportunity for
scholars and HRPs to work together to improve the onboarding process.
Conclusion
Although organizations depend greatly upon the ability of their employees to add value and
improve organizational creativity (Christensen, 2011; Beer, 2009), they often overlook the importance of
helping employees to succeed (Pfeffer, 1998). Van Buren and Greenwood (2013, 716) have noted the
importance of “involvement of business ethics scholarship in debates about important ethical issues in
employment practices.” By addressing the ethical implications of onboarding and assimilation in the
psychological contract that exists between new employees and their organizations, this paper furthers
that purpose while providing specific suggestions for improving a key HRM process.
As HRPs improve the onboarding and assimilation process for new employees, they enhance
each employee’s reason for wanting to connect as invested partners in the success of the organization,
the work group, and the supervisor with whom they work (Yamkovenko & Hatala, 2015). By improving
onboarding and new employee assimilation, HRPs and organization leaders honor the psychological
contracts and ethical assumptions of employees’ and create an organizational culture that generates
greater long-term wealth while serving the needs of their work force (Caldwell, et al., 2011).
12
References
Acevedo, J. M. & Yancey, G. B., (2011). “Assessing New Employee Orientation Programs.” Journal of
Workplace Learning, Vol. 23, No. 5, pp. 349-354.
Bachkirova, T., Jackson, P., and Clutterbuck, D., (2011). Coaching and Mentoring Supervision: The
Complete Guide to Best Practice. Berkshire, England: McGraw-Hill.
Bauer, T. N,, (2010). “Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success.” The SHRM Foundation’s
Effective Practice Guideline Series. Alexandria, VA: SHRM obtained online on September 2, 2016 at
http://www.shrm.org/about/foundation/products/Pages/OnboardingEPG.aspx.
Beer, M., (2009). High Commitment High Performance: How to Build a Resilient Organization
for Sustained Advantage. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.
Bierema, L. L., and Hill, J. R., (2005). “Virtual Mentoring and HRD.” Advances in Developing
Human Resources, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 556-568.
Block, P., (2013). Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-
Koehler.
Buber, M., (1996). I and Thou. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Brown, J., (2007). “Employee Orientation: Keeping New Employees on Board.” Alexandria, VA:
International Public Management Association – Human Resources.
Caldwell, C., (2014). “Forging Ethics-Based Business Partners: The Integration of Business,
Employees, and Education.” Graziadio Business Review published by Pepperdine University in
the April, 2014 edition found online at https://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2014/04/forging-ethics-
based-business-partners/.
Caldwell, C., and Clapham, S., (2003). “Organizational Trustworthiness: An International
Perspective,” Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 47, Iss. 4, p. 349-364.
Caldwell, C., & Hansen, M., (2010). “Trustworthiness, Governance, and Wealth Creation.”
Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 97, Iss. 2, pp. 173-188.
Caldwell, C., Hasan, Z., & Smith, S. (2015). “Virtuous Leadership: Insights for the 21st Century.”
Journal of Management Development. Vol. 34, Iss. 9, pp. 1181-1200.
Caldwell, C., Truong, D., Linh, P., and Tuan, A., (2011). “Strategic Human Resource Management
as Ethical Stewardship.” Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 98, Iss. 1, pp. 171-182.
http://www.shrm.org/about/foundation/products/Pages/OnboardingEPG.aspx
13
Christensen, C. M., (2011). The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change
the Way You Do Business. New York: Harper Collins.
Covey, S. R., (2004). The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. New York: Free Press.
Cropanzano, R., & Miller, M. S., (2005). “Social Exchange Theory: An Interdisciplinary Review.”
Journal of Management, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 874-900.
DeVos, A., Buyens, D. & Schalk, R., (2005). “Making Sense of a New Employment Relationship:
Psychological Contract-Related Information Seeking and the Role of Work Values and Locus of Control.”
International Journal of Selection and Assessment, Vol. 13, Iss. 1., pp. 41-52.
Dewe, P. J., O’Driscoll, M. P., & Cooper, C. L., (2010). Coping with Work Stress: A Review and Critique.
Walden, MA: Wiley & Sons.
Holton, E. F. III, (2001). “New Employee Development Tactics: Perceived Availability, Helpfulness, and
Relationship with Job Attitudes.” Journal of Business and Psychology, Vol. 16, Iss. 1, pp. 73-85.
Hosmer, L. T., (1987). “Ethical Analysis and Human Resource Management.” Human Resource
Management, Volume 26, Iss. 1, pp. 313-330.
Hosmer, L. T., (1995). “Trust: The Connecting Link between Organizational Theory and Philosophical
Ethics.” Academy of Management Review, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 379-403.
Huselid, M. A, Beatty, R. W., Kerr, S., & Becker, B.E., (2009). The Differentiated Workforce: Translating
Talent into Strategic Impact. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Kant, I. & Wood A. W., (2001). Basic Writings of Kant. New York: Random House.
Leana, C. R., & Van Buren, H. J., III., (1999). “Organizational Social Capital and Employment Practices.”
Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 538-555.
Klein, H. J. & Weaver, N. A. (2000). “The Effectiveness of an Organization-Level Orientation Training
Program in the Socialization of New Hires.” Personnel Psychology, pp. 53-66.
Kouzes, J., and Posner, B. Z., (2012). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things
Happen in Organizations (5th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.
Lawson, K., (2015). New Employee Orientation Training. San Antonio, TX: Association for Talent
Development.
Mayer, R, C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman. F. D. (1995). “An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust.”
Academy of Management Review, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 709-734.
Mitchell, L. M., (2007). “A Framework for Facilitating Adaptation to Organizational Transition.” Journal
of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 20, No. 5, pp. 721-739.
Morrison, E. W> & Robinson, S. L. (1997). “When Employees Feel Betrayed: A Model of How
Psychological Contract Violation Develops.” Academy of Management Review, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 226-
256.
14
Organ, D. W., Podsakoff, P. M., and MacKenzie, S. B., (2005). Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Its
Nature, Antecedents, and Consequences. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Paine, L. S., (2003). Value Shift: Why Companies Must Merge Social and Financial Imperatives to
Achieve Superior Performance. New York: McGraw Hill.
Parker, S. K., Johnson, A., Collins, C., & Nguyen, H., (2013). “Making the Most of Structural Support:
Moderating Influence of Employees’ Clarity and Negative Affect.” Academy of Management Journal,
Vol. 56, Iss. 3, pp. 867-892.
Peterson, S. J., Luthans, F., Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O., & Zhang, Z., (2011). “Psychological Capital
and Employee Performance: A Latent Growth Modeling Approach.” Personnel Psychology, Vol. 64, Iss.
2, pp. 427-450.
Pfeffer, J., (1998). The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First. Boston, MA: Harvard
Business School Press.
Ragins, B. R., Cotton, J. L., & Miller, J. S., (2000). “Marginal Mentoring: The Effects of Type Of Mentor,
Quality of Relationship, And Program Design on Work and Career Attitudes.” Academy of Management
Journal, Vol. 43, No 6, pp. 177-1194.
Robinson, S. L. & Rousseau, D. M, (1994). “Violating the Psychological Contract: Not the Exception but
the Norm.” Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 15, Iss. 3, pp. 245-259.
Rousseau, D. M., (1990). “New Hire Perceptions of Their Own and Their Employer’s Obligations: A Study
of Psychological Contracts.” Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 11, pp. 389-400
Rousseau, D. M., (1995). Psychological Contracts in Organizations: Understanding Written and
Unwritten Agreements. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Saks, A. M., (2006). “Antecedents and Consequences of Employee Engagement.” Journal of Managerial
Psychology, Vol. 21, Iss. 7, pp. 600-619.
Schein, E. H., (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Shea-Van Fossen, R. J., & Vredenburgh, D. J., (2014). “Exploring Differences in Work’s Meaning: An
Investigation of Individual Attributes Associated with Work Orientations.” Journal of Behavioral &
Applied Management, Vol. 15, Iss. 2, pp. 101-120.
Smart, B. D., (2012). Topgrading: The Proven Hiring and Promoting Method that Turbocharges
Organizations. New York: Penguin.
Smith, S., Peters, R., and Caldwell, C., 2016. “Creating a Culture of Engagement – Insights for
Application.” Business and Management Research, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 70 -80 available online at
http://www.sciedupress.com/journal/index.php/bmr/article/view/9734/5891
Srimannarayana, M. (2016). “Designing New Employee Orientation Programs: An Empirical Study.” The
Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 620-632.
http://www.sciedupress.com/journal/index.php/bmr/article/view/9734/5891
15
Sutton, G., and Griffin, M. A., (2004). “Integrating Expectations, Experiences, and Psychological Contract
Violations: A Longitudinal Study of New Professionals.” Journal of Occupational and Organizational
Psychology, Vol. 77, pp. 493-514.
Tekleab, A., Orvis, K., & Taylor, M., (2013). “Deleterious Consequences of Change in Newcomers’
Employer-Based Psychological Contract Obligations.” Journal of Business & Psychology, Vol. 28, Iss. 3,
pp. 361-374.
Van Buren III, H. J., & Greenwood, M., (2013). “The Genesis of Employment Ethics.” Journal of Business
Ethics, Vol. 117, Iss. 4, pp. 707-719.
Van Dyne, L. & Pierce, J. L. (2004). “Psychological Ownership and Feelings of Possession: Three Field
Studies Predicting Employee Attitudes and Organizational Citizenship Behavior.” Journal of
Organizational Behavior, Vol. 25, Iss. 4, pp. 439-459.
Wanous, J. P., & Reichers, A. E., (2000). “New Employee Orientation Programs.” Human Resource
Management Review, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 435-451.
Watkins, M.D. , (2016). Summary of the First 90 Days. Sarnia, ON, Canada: Instaread.
Yamkovenko & Hatala, J. P., (2015). “Methods for Analysis of Social Networks Data in HRD Research.”
Advances in Developing Human Resources, Vol. 14, Iss. 1, pp. 40-56.
16
Table 1: Twelve Ethical Perspectives and Their Ethical Implications for Onboarding
Ethical Perspective Basic Summary Organizational
Impacts
Employee Perceptions and Ethical
Implications
Self-Interest
(Protagoras)
Society benefits when we
pursue self-interest without
encroaching on others’ rights.
Seeks to optimize
long-term wealth
creation.
Excellent onboarding and quality training enable
new employees to quickly become contributors
in creating organizational wealth or value (cf.
Caldwell & Hansen, 2010)
Utilitarian Benefit
(Bentham & Mills)
A law or act is “right” if it
leads to more net social
benefits than harms.
Recognizes the need
to identify costs,
benefits, and impacts
of choices.
The Return on Investment of onboarding saves
an organization money in the long-run and
increases commitment (Pfeffer, 1998)
Personal Virtues
(Plato & Aristotle)
Standards must be adopted to
govern relationships and
articulate virtuous behaviors.
Organizations must
govern according to
correct principles and
virtues.
Creating an excellent onboarding process is
congruent with the virtuous obligations that
leaders owe to others (DePree, 2004)
Religious Injunction
(St. Augustine)
Compassion and kindness
must accompany honesty,
truthfulness, and temperance.
Honoring
relationships equates
with interpersonal
respect and kindness.
Treating employees as valued “Yous” rather than
as “Its” honors the obligations of Religious
Injunction (Buber, 1996).
Ethic of
Government
Regulation (Hobbes
& Locke)
“Live by both the letter and
the spirit of the law in
honoring duties owed to
others, but remember that the
law by itself is a minimal
moral standard.”
Complying with the
letter and spirt of the
law builds trust and
increases personal
commitment.
Treating new hires as valued partners and with a
concern for their best interests is not a legal
obligation but complies with the spirit of the
implied contract between the parties and is an
important means of building trust (cf. Caldwell &
Clapham, 2003).
Universal Rules
(Kant)
Inspired rules govern action,
resulting in the greater good
for society.
Universal rules and
values impact
organizations and
leaders.
Kantian rules mandate that individuals are
treated as valued ends rather than as means to
ends (Kant & Wood, 2001).
Individual Rights
(Rousseau and
Jefferson)
An articulated list of
protected rights ensures
individual freedom and
protects individuals.
Organizations are
obligated to honor
duties owed to
individual members.
Employees are likely to view organizations as
owing them a complex series of “covenantal”
duties and rights (Covey, 1992).
Economic Efficiency
(Adam Smith)
Seek the maximum output of
needed goods and the
maximization of profits.
Acknowledges the
importance of wealth
creation and value.
Onboarding is win-win benefit that maximizes
value creation (cf. Bauer, 2010).
Distributive Justice
(Rawls)
Avoid taking any actions that
harms the least of us in any
way.
Organizations owe
individuals fair
treatment at all times.
Ineffective onboarding actually harms employees
who are under great stress and impedes their
ability to succeed (Acevedo & Yancey, 2010).
Contributing Liberty
(Nozich)
Avoid actions that interfere
with others’ self-fulfillment
and development.
Acknowledges the
obligation to assist
employees to become
excellent.
Poor onboarding conflicts with the Ethic of
Contributing Liberty because it undermines the
effectiveness of new employees (Bauer, 2010).
Ethic of Self-
Actualization
(Maslow)
Seek to fulfill one’s highest
potential and to maximize
one’s ability to contribute to
creating a better world.
Recognizes that
fulfilling one’s
potential serves all
stakeholders.
The Ethic of Self-Actualization is best served by
empowering new employees and helping them to
succeed (Smart, 2012).
Ethic of Care
(Gilligan)
Emphasizes the importance of
creating caring relationships
and honoring responsibilities
to those with whom
relationships exist.
Focuses on the
importance of each
person and helping
them to honor their
responsibilities.
The Ethic of Care enables new employees to
honor their responsibilities to others. It is also a
duty owed to them which demonstrates that the
organization cares about their welfare (cf.
Cameron, 2011).
Hosmer, 1995
17
Diagram 1: The Virtuous Continuum as an Ethical Framework for Leaders and Organizations
Caldwell, Hasan & Smith, 2015
2/2/2021 New Employee Orientation: Employee Onboarding
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195 1/5
New Employee Orientation: Employee
Onboarding
• • •
BY Updated October 31, 2019SUSAN M. HEATHFIELD
New employee orientation is the process you use for welcoming a new employee into your
organization. The goal of new employee orientation is to help the new employee feel
welcomed, integrated into the organization, and performing the new job successfully as quickly
as possible.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/susan-m-heathfield-1916605
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757
2/2/2021 New Employee Orientation: Employee Onboarding
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195 2/5
In organizations, a core of information exists that you need to share with every
new
employee.
But, depending on the level of the job, the responsibilities of the job, and the experience of the
new employee, components will vary.
2/2/2021 New Employee Orientation: Employee Onboarding
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195 3/5
New employee orientation, often spearheaded by a meeting with the Human Resources
department, generally contains information in areas such as:
Safety
The work environment
The new job description
Benefits and benefits eligibility
The employee’s new manager and coworkers
Company culture
Company history
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-makes-up-your-company-culture-1918816
2/2/2021 New Employee Orientation: Employee Onboarding
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195 4/5
The organization chart
Anything else that is relevant for the new employee to working in the new company
New employee orientation often includes an introduction to each department in the company
and a list of employees to meet who are crucial to the new employee’s success. The best
orientations have set up these meetings prior to the new employee’s arrival.
Employee onboarding also includes training on-the-job, often with a coworker who does or has
done the job. New employee orientation frequently includes spending time doing the jobs in
each department to understand the flow of the product or service through the organization.
Timing and Presentation of Employee Orientation
Various organizations do new employee orientation differently. Orientations range from a full day
or two of paperwork, presentations, and introductions to a daily orientation program that was
effective in one company for years.
In the daily orientation program, the manager of the new employee’s department sets up a 120-
day orientation during which the new employee learned something new about the company
every day while also performing the job.
From meeting the CEO to operating each piece of equipment in the plant, this longer-term
orientation welcomed the new employee and gradually immersed them in the organization’s
operation, history, culture, values, and mission.
Early in the 120-day program, new employees attended training sessions and completed the
necessary employment and benefits paperwork, but the rest was custom designed for the
employee.
Effective new employee orientations often contain components over time whether for 30 days,
90 days or more. It is not effective to hit a new employee with too much information during their
first few days of work.
Finally, many organizations assign a mentor or buddy to the new employee. This coworker
answers all of their questions and aids the new employee to quickly feel at home.
The selection and training of these employees is critical. You don’t want a disenfranchised or
unhappy employee mentoring others.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-announcements-simple-1917949
2/2/2021 New Employee Orientation: Employee Onboarding
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195 5/5
How to Have a World-Class Orientation Program
Dr. John Sullivan, head of the Human Resource Management Program at San Francisco State
University, concludes that several elements contribute to a World-Class orientation program.
The best new employee orientation:
Has targeted goals and meets them
Makes the first day a celebration
Involves the family as well as co-workers
Makes new hires productive on the first day
Is not boring, rushed or ineffective
Uses new employee feedback to continuously improve
If your new employee orientation incorporates these six factors, you know that you are on the
right path to an effective orientation that both welcomes and teaches your new employees.
Also Known As New Employee Onboarding, Orientation, Induction.
2/2/2021
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 1/9
Tips for a Better New Employee Orientation
How to Create a Superior Employee
Orientation Process
• • •
BY BARBARA O’TOOLE Updated December 29, 2020
Your new employee orientation is a make ’em or break ’em experience, for a new employee. At
its best, the process of new employee orientation solidifies the new employee’s relationship with
your organization. It fuels their enthusiasm and guides their steps into a long-term positive
relationship with your company. State-of-the-art new employee orientation will help you retain
the employees that you most want to keep over the long term. Retention starts with orientation.
Table of Contents
New Hires Are Human
The Ideal Orientation
Make Employees
Welcome
Prepare for Productivity
Manage the Integration
Evaluate the Success
A Positive Example
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#remember-that-your-new-hires-are-human
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#the-ideal-orientation-for-your-new-hires
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#make-employees-feel-welcomed-and-like-they-belong
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#prepare-for-instant-productivity-from-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#manage-the-integration-of-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#evaluate-the-success-of-the-new-employee-orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#a-positive-example-of-a-successful-new-hire-orientation
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 2/9
Done poorly, your new employee orientation will leave your new employees wondering why on
earth they walked through your door. This lays the foundation for a negative employee
experience of your job and organization—why go there when the war for excellent talent is
escalating?
Table of Contents
New Hires Are Human
The Ideal Orientation
Make Employees
Welcome
Prepare for Productivity
Manage the Integration
Evaluate the Success
A Positive Example
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-ways-to-turn-off-a-new-employee-1918833
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-talent-management-really-1919221
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#remember-that-your-new-hires-are-human
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#the-ideal-orientation-for-your-new-hires
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#make-employees-feel-welcomed-and-like-they-belong
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#prepare-for-instant-productivity-from-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#manage-the-integration-of-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#evaluate-the-success-of-the-new-employee-orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#a-positive-example-of-a-successful-new-hire-orientation
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 3/9
Picture this scenario, which plays out every day in organizations. Your company’s new
employee orientation program has slick, pre-printed handouts. The program’s savvy, friendly
presenter uses good visuals such as overhead transparencies and a white marker board.
Participants receive a guided tour of the facility. The hundred-page employee handbook is safely
tucked under their arms or increasingly, the new employee is given a link to an employee
handbook that is the equivalent of 100 pages online.
Table of Contents
New Hires Are Human
The Ideal Orientation
Make Employees
Welcome
Prepare for Productivity
Manage the Integration
Evaluate the Success
A Positive Example
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-does-an-employee-handbook-do-for-you-1918123
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#remember-that-your-new-hires-are-human
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#the-ideal-orientation-for-your-new-hires
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#make-employees-feel-welcomed-and-like-they-belong
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#prepare-for-instant-productivity-from-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#manage-the-integration-of-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#evaluate-the-success-of-the-new-employee-orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#a-positive-example-of-a-successful-new-hire-orientation
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 4/9
Remember That Your New Hires Are Human
Many new hires question their decision to change companies by the end of their first day. Their
anxieties are fueled by mistakes that companies often make during that first-day new employee
orientation program. These common mistakes include:
Overwhelming the new hire with facts, figures, names, and faces packed into one eight-
hour day;
Showing boring orientation videos;
Providing lengthy front-of-the-room lectures; and
Failing to prepare for the new hire by providing appropriate equipment such as a laptop
and adequate assignments so the new employee feels as if they have jumped right into
the work of the new job.
A company’s positive first impressions can cement the deal for a newly recruited employee.
Those positive strokes can also speed integration and productivity. Research shows that good
orientation programs can improve employee retention by 25 percent.
Yet the average employee feels bewildered, overwhelmed by this new employee
orientation, and far from welcome. This was not your intention at all. What’s missing?
How can you take your program from simply orienting to integrating and welcoming
your new hire?
Does this sound familiar about your standard new employee orientation? If yes,
before you completely revamp your present new employee orientation process, ask
yourself the following question: “What do you want to achieve during new employee
orientation? What first impression do you want to make?”
Table of Contents
New Hires Are Human
The Ideal Orientation
Make Employees
Welcome
Prepare for Productivity
Manage the Integration
Evaluate the Success
A Positive Example
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-to-reduce-employee-turnover-1919039
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#remember-that-your-new-hires-are-human
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#the-ideal-orientation-for-your-new-hires
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#make-employees-feel-welcomed-and-like-they-belong
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#prepare-for-instant-productivity-from-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#manage-the-integration-of-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#evaluate-the-success-of-the-new-employee-orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#a-positive-example-of-a-successful-new-hire-orientation
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 5/9
The Ideal Orientation for Your New Hires
Dr. John Sullivan, Professor of Management at San Francisco State University and prolific
writer, speaker, and consultant, concludes that several elements contribute to a world-class new
employee orientation program. The best new employee orientation: 1
Table of Contents
New Hires Are Human
The Ideal Orientation
Make Employees
Welcome
Prepare for Productivity
Manage the Integration
Evaluate the Success
A Positive Example
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#remember-that-your-new-hires-are-human
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#the-ideal-orientation-for-your-new-hires
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#make-employees-feel-welcomed-and-like-they-belong
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#prepare-for-instant-productivity-from-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#manage-the-integration-of-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#evaluate-the-success-of-the-new-employee-orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#a-positive-example-of-a-successful-new-hire-orientation
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 6/9
Targets goals and meets them,
Makes the first day a celebration that keeps employees engaged and enthused,
Involves family as well as coworkers,
Makes new hires productive on the first day,
Is not boring, rushed, or ineffective,
Uses systematic data analysis and feedback to continuously improve, and
Asks managers what components were helpful in getting new employees productive and
contributing faster.
Table of Contents
New Hires Are Human
The Ideal Orientation
Make Employees
Welcome
Prepare for Productivity
Manage the Integration
Evaluate the Success
A Positive Example
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#remember-that-your-new-hires-are-human
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#the-ideal-orientation-for-your-new-hires
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#make-employees-feel-welcomed-and-like-they-belong
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#prepare-for-instant-productivity-from-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#manage-the-integration-of-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#evaluate-the-success-of-the-new-employee-orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#a-positive-example-of-a-successful-new-hire-orientation
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 7/9
Make Employees Feel Welcomed and Like They Belong
Most organizations are great at celebrating the departure of a beloved coworker. Why are
organizations often so awful at welcoming a new employee? Think about arranging a party to
welcome a new employee. Celebrations produce enthusiasm. Have you experienced starting a
new job only to have your coworkers and supervisor ignore you during the first week?
If so, you understand the effectiveness of even a little enthusiasm. Some simple celebration
methods might include a letter of welcome signed by the CEO, a company t-shirt signed by all
department members, and a cake with candles on the employee’s first day. Involve families in
the celebration. Schedule a welcome luncheon or dinner for spouses, partners, and families
during the employee’s first month.
As an example, a map showing nearby eateries is helpful and appreciated. (An invitation to
lunch from coworkers each day during the employee’s first week is even more welcoming.) Go
one step further than providing a map of the facility and the parking lot. Take a picture of your
new person in the parking lot, in front of the company sign. Visuals have a great impact.
Prepare for Instant Productivity From Your New Hire
Employers frequently overlook the most fundamental question of the new recruit. He or she
wants to know how their work impacts the department and ultimately, the company. Your new
employee orientation should include an overview of each department’s function. Include
information about what specifically goes into each department (inputs) and what comes out
(products).
Provide examples of how these functions relate to the employee’s job. Spend some time during
the new employee orientation allowing each person to examine how his new job and its
responsibilities fit in. Discuss the expected contributions and how they will help the company. Be
sure to point out how new employees can offer feedback for making improvements.
Old-fashioned welcome wagons were once used to deliver goodies to new members
of a community. You can establish your own welcome wagon. Freebies that aid the
new hire in performing their job will reinforce the belief that company employees are
glad he or she is here and want them to succeed.
Examine your new employee orientation program from the perspective of the new
employees. Anticipate their anxieties, as well as their questions. Provide a glossary of
Table of Contents
New Hires Are Human
The Ideal Orientation
Make Employees
Welcome
Prepare for Productivity
Manage the Integration
Evaluate the Success
A Positive Example
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-handle-an-employee-resignation-1919339
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/why-use-a-new-employee-welcome-letter-1918834
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-make-strategic-planning-implementation-work-1919184
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/overhaul-employee-onboarding-process-with-software-4169954
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/human-resources-acronyms-1918214
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#remember-that-your-new-hires-are-human
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#the-ideal-orientation-for-your-new-hires
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#make-employees-feel-welcomed-and-like-they-belong
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#prepare-for-instant-productivity-from-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#manage-the-integration-of-your-new-hire
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#evaluate-the-success-of-the-new-employee-orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757#a-positive-example-of-a-successful-new-hire-orientation
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 8/9
Distribute a help source card that provides the names and email addresses of people who are
pre-designated for questions. You may also want to assign a departmental mentor to assist with
questions and the new employee orientation process during the employee’s first month.
Manage the Integration of Your New Hire
Ideally, the new hire’s immediate manager will participate in part of the new employee
orientation. A fun way to incorporate the supervisor is in the style of the old “Newlywed Game.”
The supervisor has to guess how they think their new employee will answer questions. If their
answers match, points are awarded for prizes.
For an effective new employee orientation process, many companies expect the supervisor to
provide the departmental, and work-specific orientation. The Human Resources department
handles the company overview, the handbooks, the benefits, and other basic information. But,
then, the supervisor takes over.
On the first day, a new employee should meet with their new supervisor. The meeting should
include a plan for specific training. Both the supervisor and the new employee are encouraged
to share their expectations for the job, including fears or reservations each may have. The
manager keeps the meeting positive and adjourns with the new hire started on a meaningful
assignment.
Evaluate the Success of the New Employee Orientation
Good training programs ask for participant evaluations. At the end of your new employee
orientation, offer a brief, five-question survey focused on the presentation.
Follow up with a survey that focuses on content in ten days or so. Encourage feedback about
what information the new employee would have liked to have received during the new employee
company acronyms, buzzwords, and FAQs so they don’t have to ask the most basic
questions.
Avoid the mistake of allowing the new employee to sit idle. (In some organizations,
the Human Resources group helps with the design of a checklist, which assists
supervisors to provide a thorough orientation that excites and motivates the new
employee.)
Table of Contents
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/use-mentoring-to-develop-employees-1918189
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-does-a-manager-do-in-the-workplace-1919121
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/save-money-onboarding-and-raise-productivity-4105002
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/use-training-and-development-to-motivate-staff-1917833
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/human-resources-acronyms-1918214
2/2/2021 Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757 9/9
ARTICLE SOURCES
orientation program. Find out what information was overload or unneeded. Incorporate the
suggestions to improve your new employee orientation program.
First impressions of your organization, both good and bad, are made the first day. Decide the
objectives of your new employee orientation program. Meet those objectives honestly and
positively. Successful integration will happen only if your new employee decides he or she has
made a wise decision to join your organization. Your effective new employee orientation can
help make or break that decision.
A Positive Example of a Successful New Hire Orientation
The best new employee orientation was instituted at Edgewood Tool and Manufacturing, a small
stamping plant near Detroit. Every manager who hired a new employee was required to write a
120-day orientation plan for the new employee. It involved one action a day.
Actions included meeting the Director of Quality, calling on a customer, and having lunch with
the CEO. You can bet that the new employee was thoroughly welcomed and integrated into the
organization after 120 different orientation events.
Dr. John Sullivan.com. ” .” Accessed December 29, 2020.How to Help New Hires Get Up to Speed
Table of Contents
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-welcome-aboard-letter-example-2064229
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-does-a-hiring-manager-do-1918147
2/2/2021
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 1/11
Employee Orientation: Keeping New Employees on
Board
Why orientation is key to retaining new employees
• • •
BY DR. JUDITH BROWN Updated May 20, 2020
Orienting employees to their workplaces and their jobs is one of the most neglected functions in
many organizations. An employee handbook and piles of paperwork are not sufficient anymore
when it comes to welcoming a new employee to your organization.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-does-an-employee-handbook-do-for-you-1918123
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 2/11
The most frequent complaints about new employee orientation are that it is overwhelming,
boring, or that the new employee is left to sink or swim. Employees feel as if the organization
dumped too much information on them which they were supposed to understand and implement
in much too short of a time period.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 3/11
The result is often a confused new employee who is not as productive as he could be. He is also
more likely to leave the organization within a year. It is costly to both the employer and the
employee. Multiply this by the number of employees that you hire each year, and the cost of
turnover becomes significant.
With an ongoing labor crunch, developing an effective employee orientation experience
continues to be crucial. It is critical that new hire programs are carefully planned to educate the
employee about the organization’s values and history and about who is who in the organization.
A well thought out orientation program, whether it lasts one day or six months, will help not only
in the retention of employees but also in the increases in employee productivity. Organizations
that have good orientation programs get new people up to speed faster, have better alignment
between what the employees do and what the organization needs them to do, and have lower
turnover rates.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/the-costs-and-benefits-of-employee-turnover-1918271
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/core-values-are-what-you-believe-1918079
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/the-bottom-line-for-employee-retention-1919037
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-to-reduce-employee-turnover-1919039
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 4/11
Purposes of Orientation
Employers have to realize that orientation isn’t just a nice gesture put on by the organization. It
serves as an important element of the new employee welcome and organization integration.
To Reduce Startup Costs
Proper orientation can help the employee get up to speed much more quickly, thereby reducing
the costs associated with learning the job.
To Reduce Anxiety
Any employee, when put into a new, strange situation, will experience anxiety that can impede
his or her ability to learn to do the job. Proper orientation helps to reduce anxiety that results
from entering into an unknown situation and helps provide guidelines for behavior and conduct,
so the employee doesn’t have to experience the stress of guessing.
To Reduce Employee Turnover
Employee turnover increases as employees feel they are not valued or are put in positions
where they can’t possibly do their jobs. Orientation shows that the organization values the
employee, and helps provide the tools necessary for succeeding in the job.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/reduce-turnover-quickly-1918002
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 5/11
To Save Time for the Supervisor
Simply put, the better the initial orientation, the less likely that supervisors and coworkers will
have to spend time teaching the employee. You can effectively and efficiently cover all of the
things about the company, the departments, the work environment, and the cultureduring
orientation. The manager and coworkers will then need only to reinforce these concepts.
To Develop Realistic Job Expectations, Positive Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction
It is important that employees learn as soon as possible what is expected of them, and what to
expect from others, in addition to learning about the values and attitudes of the organization.
While people can learn from experience, they will make many mistakes that are unnecessary
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-on-the-job-training-brings-you-value-1917941
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-makes-up-your-company-culture-1918816
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 6/11
and potentially damaging. The main reasons orientation programs fail: The program was not
planned; the employee was unaware of the job requirements; the employee does not feel
welcome.
Employee orientation is important—orientation provides a lot of benefits, and you can use
feedback from participating employees to make your orientations even better.
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 7/11
All new employees should complete a new employee orientation program that is designed to
assist them in adjusting to their jobs and work environment and to instill a positive work attitude
and motivation at the onset.
A thoughtful new employee orientation program can reduce turnover and save an organization
thousands of dollars. One reason people change jobs is that they never feel welcome or part of
the organization they join.
What Do You Need to Include in the Process?
The most important principle to convey during orientation is your commitment to continuous
improvement and continual learning. That way, new employees become comfortable with asking
questions to obtain the information that they need to learn, problem solve and make decisions.
A well-thought-out orientation process takes energy, time and commitment. However, it usually
pays off for the individual employee, the department, and the organization. One such example is
Mecklenburg County’s (North Carolina) success in revamping its employee orientation program.
The employer wanted to live up to its credo of employees being the organization’s greatest
resource. In 1996, as part of a larger initiative to redesign services to meet customer needs, the
Mecklenburg County Human Resources Department staff made a smart decision. They viewed
new employees as part of their customer base and asked their customers what they wanted.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/failing-to-empower-employees-to-make-decisions-1918506
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-4-factors-are-driving-employee-high-performance-1919206
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 8/11
Employees were asked what they wanted and needed from orientation. They were also asked
what they liked and didn’t like about orientation. New employees were asked what they wanted
to know about the organization. Additionally, the organization’s senior managers were asked
what they believed was important for employees to learn when joining the county payroll.
Using feedback collected from employees, Mecklenburg’s HR training staff first realized that
meeting employees’ needs required more than a half day training session. Trusting employee
feedback, the trainers crafted a one-day orientation that gave employees what they said they
wanted and what senior management believed employees needed to know.
Essentially, the orientation mix now includes the less exciting topics such as W-2s and various
policies and procedures, but it also includes details that let the employee know something about
the organization.
Need more on how to plan an employee orientation that’s beneficial and fun?
Key Planning Questions
Human Resource professionals and line managers first need to consider key new employee
orientation planning questions before implementing or revamping a current program. These are
the key questions to ask.
What things do new employees need to know about this work environment that would
make them more comfortable?
What impression and impact do you want to have on a new employee’s first day?
What key policies and procedures must employees be aware of on the first day to avoid
mistakes on the second day? Concentrate on vital issues.
What special things (desk, work area, equipment, special instructions) can you provide to
make new employees feel comfortable, welcome and secure?
What positive experience can you provide for the new employee that she could discuss
with her family at the end of the first day of work? The experience should be something to
make the new employee feel valued by the organization.
How can you help the new employee’s supervisor be available to the new employee on
the first day to provide personal attention and to convey a clear message that the new
employee is an important addition to the work team?
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-ideas-about-what-employees-want-from-work-1919064
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/sample-human-resources-policies-and-procedures-1918876
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 9/11
How to Put Your Best Foot Forward for a New Employee
Since first impressions are crucial, here are some tips for putting your best foot forward. Have
some fun. Concentrate only on the very important topics of the handbook. Play some games—
this can help people learn. Games include:
Photo Match: after the tour. Each employee is provided photos of other employees and a list of
names. The object is to match the name with the face.
Signature Hunt: While employees are touring the facility, provide them with a piece of paper with
the names of several associates they will be meeting. They are then asked to obtain the
signatures of the people they meet. The employee who obtains the most signatures from a
variety of new coworkers gets a prize.
Other games that pertain to what the employee learned during orientation are also effective
assurances that orientation is successful.
Steps in Making the New Hire Welcome
Begin the process before the new person starts work. Send an agenda to the new
associate with the offer letter so that the employee knows what to expect. Stay in touch
after he or she has accepted the position to answer questions. Make sure the new
person’s work area is ready for the first day of work.
Make sure that key coworkers know the employee is starting and encourage them to
come to say “hello” before orientation begins. A new employee welcome letter with an
agenda allows coworkers to stay in touch with the new employee and her schedule.
Assign a mentor or buddy, to show the new person around, make introductions, and start
training. Let the mentor have sufficient notice so that they can make preparations.
The mentoring relationship should continue for 90 days and may continue much longer if
the pair makes a great connection. Many relationships go on for years and may even turn
into a sponsorship.
Start with the basics. People become productive sooner if they are firmly grounded in the
basic knowledge they need to understand their job. Focus on the why, when, where, and
how of the position before expecting them to handle assignments or big projects. Don’t
overwhelm them with too much information.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-announcement-1917958
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/why-use-a-new-employee-welcome-letter-1918834
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/use-mentoring-to-develop-employees-1918189
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tap-into-the-power-of-mentoring-employees-1917661
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-a-sponsor-in-the-workplace-1917656
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 10/11
Provide samples about how to complete forms and the person’s job description with the
orientation packet.
Have some fun. Concentrate only on the very important topics of the handbook. Play
some games—this can help people learn.
Provide a list of FAQs with a contact person, and phone number or extension.
Plan to take the new employee to lunch, or ask others to join the new employee in the
lunchroom or in a conference room with other members of the department. The first day
on the job is not the day to leave the new employee alone during lunch.
This is a good time for the supervisor to take the employee to lunch, include other
coworkers, and make sure the employee is at ease. It’s also an excellent environment in
which employees can get to know each other and the new coworker.
Keep the new person’s family in mind. A new job means an adjustment for the entire
family, especially if they have relocated. Do what you can to ease the transition and help
them feel comfortable in the community.
Ask for feedback. Find out from former new hires how they perceived the orientation
process, and don’t be afraid to make changes based on those recommendations. You
can send an evaluation two to four weeks after the employee has started, and ask: Now
that you have been with the company awhile did the new employee orientation meet your
needs?
After the employee has worked for you for a while, and he finds out what he should have
learned but did not at the orientation. At Mecklenburg County, after their redesign
process, one of the trainers, Allyson Birbiglia said, “We recognize that we have to
continuously improve orientation to meet the changing needs of our customers. What
works now may not serve our employees well next month or next year.”
An effective orientation program—or the lack of one—will make a significant difference in how
quickly a new employee becomes productive and has other long-term impacts on your
organization. The end of the first day, the end of the first week, the end of each day in your
employment, is just as important as the beginning.
Help your employees feel that you want them to come back the next day, and the next, and the
next.
———————————————————-
2/2/2021 How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035 11/11
Dr. Judith Brown is a Program Manager for Policy and Performance Management at Naval
Intelligence.
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 1/8
Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee
Onboarding Experience
• • •
BY BRIAN PLATZ Updated July 13, 2019
In the talent management universe, the new employee orientation and mainstreaming process
are known as employee onboarding. Keeping in mind that you never get a second chance to
make a first impression, your business should make sure that new hires feel welcomed, valued,
and prepared for what lies ahead during your new employee orientation or onboarding process.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-talent-management-really-1919221
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 2/8
The onboarding process should help get your newest team members on track and up to speed
so they can start contributing to your success as soon as possible.
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 3/8
Watch Now: 9 Onboarding Techniques That Actually Work
2:02
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 4/8
Familiarity Breeds Contentment
A friend recently married into a large family and was overwhelmed with the sea of new faces,
names, and relationships. To ease her transition, a well-meaning uncle prepared a set of
flashcards, complete with photos, names, hometowns, and professions. Thanks to his efforts,
she knew that the woman making the tearful toast at the wedding was her mother-in-law’s first
cousin.
A similar approach will help familiarize new hires with the corporate family tree and could help
avert embarrassing situations such as the new hire who asks a stranger for help with the fax
machine, only to discover later that he was the CFO.
Rather than flashcards, a “who’s who” area with photos, names, and titles on your company
Intranet will do the trick. Offline, a simple bulletin board with staff pictures, names, and positions
will get the job done.
Make Onboarding Simple and Interesting
The employee onboarding period can be quite complex and uncertain. Consider the experience
from the employee’s perspective, and then make an effort to make it fun, interesting, exciting,
painless, and as simple as possible. If you do, you will make your new team member feel
valued, wanted, interested and excited. By engendering these positive emotions from the
word go, you make the new employee want to do great work and add great value to your
organization.
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 5/8
One easy solution is to post new employee orientation schedules, materials, benefits forms, and
an extensive FAQ about the company on an Intranet that is accessible to new hires from a link
in a welcome email before their first day on the job. By providing some information in advance,
you eliminate a common source of new hire angst and give them a better chance to start off on
the right foot.
Don’t Make New Hires Learn the Hard Way
Every workplace comes with its own set of rules and regulations, benefits, and bonuses,
nuances, and traditions. Don’t make your new employees learn these things the hard way. If
your company observes a “casual Friday” rule, make sure all new employees know this before
they show up at the office on their first Friday in a neatly-pressed suit.
Every company offers a range of benefits and perks. They’ll seem even more valuable if you
make sure your new employees know about them from the onset. Give new employees an easy
way to keep track of exactly what they’re eligible for, and how they can take advantage of these
benefits.
It applies to social functions as well as benefits packages. If your company plays in a corporate
softball league, let the new guy know right away. Welcoming the whole person, rather than just a
set of job functions, will help new hires more quickly assimilate into your corporate culture. And
you never know – maybe that unassuming new financial analyst will be the secret weapon that
your team needs to shut out your fiercest rival.
Again, post policies and procedures in writing somewhere convenient. Verbal mentions during a
marathon new employee orientation session can easily go unheard, especially on a new hire’s
first day in the office. Similarly, a stack of papers and reminders can easily get lost in the shuffle.
An online resource that is regularly updated, and always accessible, is the best practice when it
comes to information sharing.
Make New Employee Orientation Personal
Don’t make day one all about paperwork. Instead, prioritize interpersonal relationships with key
colleagues. Consider assigning welcome mentors to each new hire, so they can immediately get
a feel for the personality of your organization. This day of first impressions will have an
enormous impact on the employee experience, so make it a good one.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/most-of-employee-benefits-1917723
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-makes-up-your-company-culture-1918816
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 6/8
Of course, some paperwork must be handled on or before the start date. Keep in mind that
when your new hire goes home to tell his family about his first day on the job, he would rather
have something more exciting to report other than, “I filled out over 30 forms.”
When it comes to documentation, get the key documentation on file in advance or as quickly as
you can on day one. For everything else, create an online hub where new hires can find
materials as they need them. Once they’ve settled into their new job, send a reminder email that
certain materials are available online, and encourage them to visit the Intranet for information
frequently.
When it comes to onboarding new talent at your company, the Internet is the most powerful tool
in your toolbox. A web-based employee onboarding system will let you standardize, streamline,
track, and coordinate every step of the process, all while making your company’s most recent
hires feel valued and supported.
It’s been proven that happy employees are more productive employees. So, if you’re looking to
drive bottom-line results with state of the art talent management tactics, it’s time to get “on
board.”
Brian Platz is the Executive Vice President and General Manager of SilkRoad Technology, a
web-based talent management solutions provider. Using SilkRoad’s Life Suite™, an integrated
set of management solutions, companies are able to hire better employees, identify high and
low performers, drive a pay-for-performance culture, and improve employee tenure. Platz has
more than a decade of experience developing Internet products, e-business initiatives, and e-
commerce solutions.
How to Create a Superior Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/documentation-1918096
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/overhaul-employee-onboarding-process-with-software-4169954
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 7/8
Orientation Process
What Does a Hiring Manager Do in the
Workplace?
Two Sample Letters to Make Your New
Employee Feel Welcome
Why Orientation Is Key to Retaining
New Employees
How Employees Can Contribute to a
Positive Work Environment
You Can Quickly Integrate a New
Employee With a Successful Orientation
Here Are Sample Announcements That
Will Welcome a New Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/tips-for-a-better-new-employee-orientation-1916757
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-does-a-hiring-manager-do-1918147
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/sample-welcome-letters-1918923
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-orientation-keeping-new-employees-on-board-1919035
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-employees-contribute-to-positive-work-environment-5095977
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-announcements-simple-1917949
2/2/2021 Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830 8/8
Welcome a New Employee With an
Introduction Letter
Questions You Need to Ask to Succeed
at Your New Job
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/sample-new-employee-introduction-1918893
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/want-to-succeed-in-your-new-role-4025048
2/2/2021 How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829 1/6
How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
Successfully
• • •
BY Updated September 30, 2019SUSAN M. HEATHFIELD
What’s Involved in Welcoming a New Employee?
Welcoming a new employee is more than making a company announcement and a boss
assignment. Welcoming a new employee, to give the new employee the best possibility of
integrating successfully in your company, requires a series of steps that start after your job
offer is accepted.
Table of Contents
What’s Involved in
Welcoming an
Employee?
New Employee
Welcome Steps
Before the New
Employee Start Date
What to Do During the
Final Few Days
Welcome the New
Employee on Day One
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/susan-m-heathfield-1916605
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-announcements-simple-1917949
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-announcement-1917958
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-a-job-offer-1918166
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#whats-involved-in-welcoming-a-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#new-employee-welcome-steps
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#before-the-new-employee-start-date
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-during-the-final-days-before-you-welcome-your-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-to-welcome-the-new-employee-on-day-one
2/2/2021 How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829 2/6
Integration and retention of your new employee start during the hiring process, and they also
intensify when the new employee starts the new job. You have a lot at stake in how you
welcome your new employee. These recommendations will help you get it right.
Table of Contents
What’s Involved in
Welcoming an
Employee?
New Employee
Welcome Steps
Before the New
Employee Start Date
What to Do During the
Final Few Days
Welcome the New
Employee on Day One
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/keep-your-best-retention-tips-1916804
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-employers-hire-employees-1918954
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#whats-involved-in-welcoming-a-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#new-employee-welcome-steps
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#before-the-new-employee-start-date
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-during-the-final-days-before-you-welcome-your-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-to-welcome-the-new-employee-on-day-one
2/2/2021 How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829 3/6
These welcoming steps for the new employee continue right into his or her employment. If you
do these welcome and onboarding steps well, you will create a successful new employee.
Here’s how to make this happen.
Table of Contents
What’s Involved in
Welcoming an
Employee?
New Employee
Welcome Steps
Before the New
Employee Start Date
What to Do During the
Final Few Days
Welcome the New
Employee on Day One
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/overhaul-employee-onboarding-process-with-software-4169954
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#whats-involved-in-welcoming-a-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#new-employee-welcome-steps
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#before-the-new-employee-start-date
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-during-the-final-days-before-you-welcome-your-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-to-welcome-the-new-employee-on-day-one
2/2/2021 How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829 4/6
New Employee Welcome Steps
If you follow these recommended steps, your new employee is set up for success. You are also
most likely to gain the employee’s loyalty and thus, retain them.
Before the New Employee Start Date
Contact the new employee shortly after he or she signs and returns your job offer. The
purpose of the note or phone call is to express your excitement that the new employee
has joined your team. This call is best made by the hiring manager, the employee to
whom the new employee will report. Set up the expectation that the new employee will
hear from you regularly during the normal two-four weeks before the start day.
Send benefits information and the employee handbook early so that the new employee
may review them at his or her leisure and arrive for the first day with questions. You may
have other documents that are pertinent to your business to share as well. If these are
online, provide the employee with a link and early access. These actions contribute to the
trust you are establishing with the new employee.
If your organization has an online wiki or another intranet, provide the new employee with
early access. This is especially important if you have an online staff directory with photos
of employees. Your new employee will feel as if he or she is getting to know coworkers
early. Lacking an online photo album, consider setting up an employee bulletin board in
each department with employee photos and other business and employee information.
Or, do both.
Send an official company welcome letter from Human Resources. This welcome letter for
the new employee should contain a confirmation of such items as start date, start
time, work dress code, where to go, the first day’s schedule, and other details that the
new employee needs to know.
Assign the new employee a mentor, a more experienced employee with no reporting
relationship to the new employee. The mentor should call the new employee to get to
know him or her before the start date.
Table of Contents
What’s Involved in
Welcoming an
Employee?
New Employee
Welcome Steps
Before the New
Employee Start Date
What to Do During the
Final Few Days
Welcome the New
Employee on Day One
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/job-offer-letter-sample-for-employers-1916779
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-does-a-hiring-manager-do-1918147
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-s-in-a-comprehensive-employee-benefits-package-1917860
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/need-to-know-what-goes-in-an-employee-handbook-1918308
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-ways-to-build-trust-at-work-1919402
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/why-use-a-new-employee-welcome-letter-1918834
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/sample-welcome-letter-from-the-manager-1919324
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/work-dress-codes-and-image-collection-1919406
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-characteristics-of-a-successful-mentor-1917831
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#whats-involved-in-welcoming-a-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#new-employee-welcome-steps
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#before-the-new-employee-start-date
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-during-the-final-days-before-you-welcome-your-new-employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829#what-to-do-to-welcome-the-new-employee-on-day-one
2/2/2021 How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829 5/6
What to Do During the Final Days Before You Welcome Your New
Employee
Prepare for the employee’s first day by having everything ready for his or her arrival. An
earlier article stresses the ten best ways to turn off a new employee. Many of them have
to do with the organization’s failure to prepare to welcome the new employee from day
one. These items seem so simple. For example, don’t ask an employee to start during a
week when his or her new boss is out of town. Don’t schedule a new employee without
preparing their work area. Demonstrate respect for the new employee.
Develop a checklist for new employee preparation that includes assigning a computer or
laptop, installing software programs necessary, preparing a desk and cubicle or office,
providing mail access and an email account, and so forth. Every office needs a list and
an employee assigned to make the items happen before the new employee starts work at
their new job.
Decorate the new employee’s office area with welcome signs, flowers, and snacks. Let
the quirkiness of your employees and work culture shine through in the itemsthat you
provide to welcome the new employee. Company swag is appreciated, too. A mug with
the company logo and other items that welcome the new employee will make him, or her
feel quickly at home.
What to Do To Welcome the New Employee on Day One
Table of Contents
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-ways-to-turn-off-a-new-employee-1918833
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-demonstrate-respect-in-the-workplace-1919376
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-makes-up-your-company-culture-1918816
2/2/2021 How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-welcome-a-new-employee-1918829 6/6
Make sure that the first day’s schedule is full of meeting people and onboarding activities.
Schedule a good portion of the morning with the new employee’s boss and mentor. This
is your last chance to make a positive impression on your new employee. Don’t let the
day go to waste and contain nothing but paperwork and HR meetings. The day is for
bonding with the boss, the mentor, and coworkers not about filling in forms.
Prepare an onboarding schedule in advance that is customized to the needs of the
department and the new employee. Make sure that the onboarding schedule fills only
part of each day so that the new employee can feel productive immediately in his or her
new job. For example, one company required that the employee’s manager put together
a 120-day onboarding plan that provided something new for the employee to learn every
day. The employee’s boss and mentor were responsible for creating, sharing, and
monitoring the onboarding schedule.
Make sure that the new employee meets with Human Resources staff on the first day so
he or she can ask questions about benefits, policies, and compensation. HR cooperates
with the manager and mentor to tell the new employee what he or she needs to know and
to introduce the culture and the organization’s expectations of employees. This is also an
opportunity to begin communicating the value of your comprehensive benefits package.
Schedule lunch on the first day with the new employee’s coworkers and set up a
schedule to make sure that he or she has a coworker with whom to eat each day of the
first week. The new employee’s boss and mentor should also attend this lunch. The goal
is that the new employee has the opportunity to meet many new coworkers from across
the organization so they feel welcomed and part of their new workplace.
The Bottom Line
The impressions the new employee forms during the first few days and the onboarding
period will have an enormous impact on the new employee’s experience of your
organization. It is well worth your time and attention to make the new employee’s welcome
positive, affirming, and exciting.
Table of Contents
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/new-employee-orientation-employee-onboarding-1918195
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/employee-onboarding-positive-new-employee-experience-1918830
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-s-in-a-comprehensive-employee-benefits-package-1917860
University of Rhode Island
DigitalCommons@URI
Seminar Research Paper Series Schmidt Labor Research Center
2014
New Employee Onboarding Programs and Person-
Organization Fit: An Examination of Socialization
Tactics
Kaylee L. Pike
University of Rhode Island
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/lrc_paper_series
This Seminar Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Schmidt Labor Research Center at DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted
for inclusion in Seminar Research Paper Series by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact
digitalcommons@etal.uri.edu.
Recommended Citation
Pike, Kaylee L., “New Employee Onboarding Programs and Person-Organization Fit: An Examination of Socialization Tactics”
(2014). Seminar Research Paper Series. Paper 24.
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/lrc_paper_series/24http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/lrc_paper_series/24
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu?utm_source=digitalcommons.uri.edu%2Flrc_paper_series%2F24&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/lrc_paper_series?utm_source=digitalcommons.uri.edu%2Flrc_paper_series%2F24&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/lrc?utm_source=digitalcommons.uri.edu%2Flrc_paper_series%2F24&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/lrc_paper_series?utm_source=digitalcommons.uri.edu%2Flrc_paper_series%2F24&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/lrc_paper_series/24?utm_source=digitalcommons.uri.edu%2Flrc_paper_series%2F24&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
mailto:digitalcommons@etal.uri.edu
© Kaylee Pike, 2014
NEW EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING PROGRAMS AND PERSON-ORGANIZATION FIT: AN
EXAMINATION OF SOCIALIZATION TACTICS
KAYLEE L. PIKE
University of Rhode Island
The primary goals of new employee onboarding programs are to increase performance levels and
create higher levels of fit within both the job and the organization. Employee fit has been shown to
increase job satisfaction and organizational commitment while reducing turnover rates. As the United
States recovers from the economic recession, higher performing employees are placing a greater
emphasis on job satisfaction, and employers are seeking innovative techniques for increasing fit.
Onboarding programs have emerged as one of the leading measures for driving employee fit, but there
is a lack of research to support its effectiveness. This paper seeks to examine the effectiveness of
onboarding programs at creating person-organization fit through organizational socialization tactics.
By analyzing theoretical background and empirical research, I will evaluate the effectiveness of
onboarding at driving cultural assimilation and reducing turnover rates.
DRIVING COMMITMENT
New employee orientation programs, or “Onboarding” programs, have recently captured the
spotlight among employers across the United States. Onboarding programs are designed to help newly
hired employees learn about the business including daily functions and job responsibilities, as well as the
business’ culture and values. There are two central purposes for developing onboarding programs. First,
onboarding programs help new employees understand their specific roles in the job and in the company.
By knowing what to expect and what is expected of them, employees feel more comfortable in their
positions and will be more productive in a shorter amount of time. Additionally, onboarding programs are
designed to create better fit within the organization by aligning company culture with those of the newly
hired employees. This process known as organizational socialization facilitates a greater commitment to
the company by influencing a better person-organization fit among new hires (Cable & Parsons, 2001). It
is important to note here that for the purposes of this paper, I will focus on person-organization fit, rather
than person-job fit. While person-job fit is equally important to productivity and ultimately turnover, this
paper will only focus on the person-organization fit obtained through socialization in the onboarding
process.
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
A Recovering Economy
Research has shown that employee fit within an organization has an impact on turnover rates. For the
purposes of this paper, only statistics for voluntary employee turnover will be used for analysis, although
it is important to note that involuntary turnover such as layoffs due to changing economic conditions are
typically included in total turnover rates. Research has also shown that a large portion of employee
turnover occurs within the first year of employment. Table 1 demonstrates the average turnover rates
from 2009-2011 as recorded by the SHRM Human Capital Benchmarking Database (Jacobs, 2012).
Pike – New Employee Onboarding Programs 2
TABLE 1
All-Industry Average Turnover Rates for 2009-2011 by Type
Year
Average Annual
Turnover
Average Voluntary
Turnover
Average Involuntary
Turnover
2009 14% 8% 7%
2010 15% 13% 9%
2011 13% 9% 6%
Source: SHRM Human Capital Benchmarking Database (2010-2011, 2011-2012 & 2012-2013)
High turnover can be costly for employers due to a number of factors. For example, recruiting, hiring
and onboarding costs can be rather high. Also, when employees leave the organization, other workers
need to compensate for the decreased personnel resulting in lower productivity rates among remaining
workers. Further, remaining workers often need to take time out of their schedules to interview, train,
and assist new hires, taking away from normal daily productivity. This can often lead to a decrease in
customer satisfaction due to the lack of adequate personnel available to assist with customer service.
Finally, when employees leave the company, the company loses valuable historical knowledge about the
business as well as productivity from the vacant position (Jacobs, 2012).
Recent developments in economic conditions also play a major role in determining the significance of
onboarding. For example, according to a recent research report from the SHRM 2012 Employee Job
Satisfaction and Engagement study, job satisfaction rates have begun to trend downward from 2009-
2012. Rates significantly increased from 2008-2009 due to the economic recession; however, as economic
conditions improve, job satisfaction rates have been steadily decreasing towards pre-recession levels
(Jacobs, 2012).
Since job satisfaction and turnover rates move in opposite directions, a downward trend in job
satisfaction would result in an upward trend in voluntary turnover rates. As the economy slowly recovers
from the 2008 economic recession, the employment market is projected to improve conditions for job
seekers. As a result of these recent trends, voluntary turnover is projected to increase as higher
performing employees seek to find better organizational fit within a more hospitable employment market.
Therefore, HR professionals will need to focus on retaining top performers through employee fit (Jacobs,
2012).
The purpose of this paper is to research the effectiveness of onboarding programs at creating better
employee fit to ultimately reduce voluntary turnover rates within organizations. As a result of these
trends, I will seek to answer the question: Are higher-intensity onboarding programs more effective than
lower-intensity onboarding programs at creating better employee fit?
OVERVIEW OF THE ONBOARDING PROCESS
Onboarding programs are designed to drive faster time to productivity and reduce the various shock
factors among new hires, reduce turnover rates and in turn, turnover costs, and drive assimilation of the
organizational culture and values. Organizational socialization is key in the assimilation process because
it helps companies retain top performing talent and eliminate those that are not fit for the organization.
Typically, new hires will either assimilate to the culture and values of the organization or leave.
Onboarding speeds up the process and helps to eliminate those workers that are misfit in the company
within an earlier time frame. Stein and Christiansen (2010) explain the core elements of an Onboarding
program (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Schmidt Labor Research Center Seminar Series 3
Pre-Boarding
This element takes place primarily in the recruitment and selection stage but also includes all of the
administrative tasks leading up to day one at the company. An example of an important element in this
stage could include a welcome or greeting from the CEO of the company. This small gesture helps new
hires feel more important and welcomed within the organization when they receive a greeting from senior
leadership (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Organizational Socialization
As discussed above, socialization is an important driver of person-organization fit. It goes deeper than
the daily job functions and KSAs needed to complete the necessary tasks of the job. Socialization engages
new employees on a different level and helps foster higher job satisfaction rates. According to Stein and
Christiansen (2010), there are four key components of organizational socialization that need to be
addressed in some way in effective onboarding programs. These components speak to the primary needs
of new hires when entering a new organization (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Culture. It is important for new hires to understand the fundamental culture and values of the
organization. This helps new employees connect with the broader purpose of the organization and gives
them a better sense of fit within the company as a whole. This component also outlines clear performance
expectations, social norms, and “unspoken habits of thought and behavior” (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Network Development This element provides new hires with a network of resources and allows them
to interact both with other new hires and with their coworkers and teammates. It is important for new
hires to get to know the people that they will be working with to help them feel a sense of acceptance
and to learn about the different values, norms, and processes that they will encounter on a daily basis.
Further, networking gives new hires resources to help them with issues or questions that they may have
or develop along the way and throughout their careers (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Career Development. This element shows new hires a clear career path within the organization. New
hires typically value career development and often look for opportunities to grow in their careers within
their new company. If an organization shows new hires the potential opportunities for career growth early
on, they will likely feel more committed and motivated to work hard in the organization (Stein &
Christiansen, 2010).
Strategy. Finally, this element illustrates the significance of the new hire’s individual role within the
larger scope of the company. This helps show new hires how they can personally contribute to the overall
goals and objectives of the company and helps them see the significance of their daily job functions. This
provides new hires with a sense of purpose and fit within the organization and shows them that their role,
no matter how small, is important to the company’s success (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Follow Up
The final element in onboarding programs is continuous follow up with the new hire. This can last
throughout the entire first year at the organization. Follow-up helps keep the new hire engaged and
provides them with a resource for clarifying misunderstandings and answering questions that arise as
the new hire navigates his or her first year at the company. This element also allows the company to
obtain important feedback from the new hires on their overall experience and satisfaction. This can lead
Pike – New Employee Onboarding Programs 4
to opportunities for the company to make improvements to both the onboarding process and other
procedures within the organization (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Assimilation
Assimilation takes place when new hires are able to adopt the core culture of the company and accept
the common standards and norms of the organization. There are a number of important elements that
are included in a company’s culture that need to be articulated to new hires through onboarding and
socialization (Pellet, 2009).These factors make up the general culture of an organization and must be
clearly communicated to employees in order to ensure that expectations are consistent with reality. In
theory, as a result, new hires will either assimilate to the culture or leave the company (Pellet, 2009). For
the purposes of this paper, I will focus on the socialization aspect of Onboarding programs and use
socialization techniques as the basis for my research.
THEORETICAL
ANALYSIS
There are a number of key theories that are put into practice when analyzing the potential effects of
onboarding on person-organization fit. As a result of the major gap in empirical research regarding these
potential outcomes, there is a heavy reliance on theories and mental models to analyze onboarding
development. Organizational culture and commitment theories illustrate the importance of aligning a new
hire’s culture with that of the company to foster a greater commitment.
Maslow’s Hierarchy
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is one of the most widely used models in Human Resources and
behavioral analysis. In turn, the hierarchy of needs translates to each of the major components of a high-
intensity onboarding program. This analysis demonstrates how each socialization element, when
executed properly, caters to each level of need and can bring an employee to fulfillment through self-
actualization.
Physiological Needs. Physiological needs refer to basic human survival needs such as food, water,
and shelter. In regards to HR Management, these needs are achieved through the selection process. For
example, when a new employee is hired, he or she will receive a pay check and be able to obtain the
essential physiological needs for survival. Therefore, an employee enters the onboarding process with this
first level already fulfilled (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Safety and Security Needs. Safety and Security needs refer to human needs of order and stability.
Effective onboarding programs offer safety and security needs through structure and organization. For
example, onboarding programs that follow a structured agenda and execute formal, organized events and
activities will help fulfill new employees’ needs for safety and security. Onboarding programs that are
more unstructured and informal do not guide employees and set the proper limits to ensure that this level
is fulfilled (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Needs for Belonging. Needs for Belonging refers to the human need for interaction with and
acceptance by others. These needs are realized in onboarding through various opportunities for social
interaction with fellow new hires and co-workers, typically those who have the most in common. When
new employees have an opportunity to interact with peers, they will feel more comfortable and accepted
in their new setting. By gaining the acceptance of co-workers early on in their time with the company,
new hires are more likely to have a stronger connection to the company and feelings of anxiety and fear
regarding social acceptance are eased (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Needs for belonging are also realized through networking opportunities with various workers
throughout the company. Not only does this help new employees gain context and valuable resources,
Schmidt Labor Research Center Seminar Series 5
but it also allows them to experience acceptance at an organizational level as opposed to just within their
specific department or silo (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Self-Esteem Needs. Self-esteem needs refer to humans’ need to feel good about themselves. This
includes self-respect, achievements, status and importance. Onboarding fulfills a person’s self-esteem
needs by outlining how each individual employee fits into the larger organization as a whole. Effective
onboarding programs demonstrate to new hires why their individual role is important and how they
contribute towards the strategic goals and objectives of the organization (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Self-Actualization. Self-actualization is the highest level of fulfillment that a person can reach. It
includes the need for realizing one’s full potential and continuously seeking personal growth. Effective
onboarding processes include elements that help new hires see opportunities for potential career growth
within the company. If a new hire can see a path for career development within the organization, he or
she will be less likely to leave the company and seek other career opportunities. Showing new employees
how they can grow with the company will help them reach self-actualization within their work
environment (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Organizational Culture
Social Norms. Social Norms are behavioral expectations that are typically enforced by other members
of a group. Social norms can include peripheral, relevant, and pivotal norms depending on the severity of
consequences. In general, individuals comply with social norms if they are dominated by a self-concept
external motivation, identify with the group, or internalize the behavior (Scholl, 2003).
Social Values. Social values refer to private or internal values as well as public or espouse values.
Private values are important because individuals feel a sense of guilt when they act against private values.
In a more social, organizational setting, public values refer to the shared social values that individuals
adopt from the group. Individuals will act in ways that are consistent with communal values in order to
gain acceptance and support from the group, even though they may not hold those social values
personally (Scholl, 2003).
Social Identities. Social Identities refer to an individual’s identity with a particular group. An individual
will behave according to the group norms and values, and make their identities known to others. Role
expectations and status fall within a person’s social identity (Scholl, 2003).
Shared Mental Models and Cognitive Schema. Shared mental models and organizational social
cognition refer to how individuals “think about other people in social situations” (Sims Jr. & Lorenzi, 1992).
Specifically, organizational social cognition refers to the “study of human information processing (both
conscious and unconscious) as it influences, and is influenced by, the complex social and structural
phenomena within the modern organization… [or] how people think about people, situations, and people
in situations” (Sims Jr. & Lorenzi, 1992). Cognitive schema focuses on the way in which people think and
behave. There are different ways in which people process information, make decisions, and behave in
certain situations. Cognitive schema, or social learning theory examines this notion (Gibson, 2004; Scholl,
2002b). In regards to human resource development and the onboarding process, cognitive schema
demonstrates how new hires will behave in their specific role according to expectations, how they will
approach tasks and problems, and how they perceive themselves in regards to their own values and KSAs.
Additionally, cognitive schema helps new hires develop a sense of consensual schema with their peers
through the socialization process. This helps align their way of thinking with others in their peer group as
well as with the company as a whole. Furthermore, cognitive schema speaks to a new hire’s decision-
making factors. For example, according to cognitive theory, a person has either a flexible or rigid schema.
This means that a new hire is either set in his or her ways, or is willing to change and adapt. Therefore, if
a new hire has a flexible schema, he or she is more likely to assimilate to the culture of the organization.
Pike – New Employee Onboarding Programs 6
In contrast, if a new hire has a rigid schema, he or she is more likely to leave the organization if his or her
values do not align with those of the company (Gibson, 2004; Scholl, 2002b).
Organizational Commitment
A commitment based strategy within an organization can be built through an investment-based
approach, a reciprocity approach, by limiting alternatives, or by developing a social identity. Developing a
social identity through onboarding programs can help an organization build a commitment based strategy
as opposed to a control strategy. Helping employees develop a social identity can be achieved when the
employees identify with the company mission, build individual success within the larger organizational
goals, find security through a visible career path, receive skill validation from peers and leaders, and feel
a sense that the organization has trust in their judgment and abilities (Scholl, 2008). Companies typically
facilitate these perceptions through innovative group social activities (O’Malley, 2000).
Self-Concept – External
The self-concept external theory of motivation refers to motivation based on three external validation
factors. First, individuals motivated by self-concept external seek acceptance from members of their
workgroup. Individuals with a self-concept external motivation seek feelings of worth, or perceptions by
members of the group that his or her role in the team is important to the overall functioning of the
organization, and is therefore respected by members of the workgroup. Finally, individuals with a self-
concept external motivation seek status within their workgroups. For example, these individuals seek to
be perceived by members of the group as the best at their particular role and to be perceived as an
indispensable and irreplaceable member of the team (Scholl, 2002a).
In relation to new employee socialization, the self-concept external theory of motivation plays a
primary role in predicting newcomer information seeking. In theory, newcomers to an organization will
seek information from peers and supervisors, as well as through observations to help them adapt to their
new environment. Individuals that are motivated by self-concept external are more likely to take a more
in depth approach to newcomer information seeking, in order to gain acceptance, worth, and status from
their workgroup in a faster time period.
This concept was assessed in a longitudinal study conducted by Elizabeth Wolfe Morrison (1993) that
examined the effects of information seeking on facilitating the socialization process. The results of the
study demonstrated that newcomers sought technical information and performance feedback to facilitate
task mastery, referent information and performance feedback to facilitate role clarity, and normative
information to facilitate social integration. Morrison (1993) speculated that personality traits are
correlated to the frequency of newcomer information seeking measures (Morrison, 1993).
THE ONBOARDING SCALE AND HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT
The 6 Dimensions of Socialization Tactics
An organization’s approach to socialization can be broken down into six dimensions developed by Van
Maanen and Schein (1979). The six dimensions refer to methods that an organization can employ to
deliver the socialization content to newcomers in order to facilitate newcomer adjustment. Van Maanen
and Schein’s (1979) six dimensions of socialization tactics refer to the structure of the onboarding program
and include collective-individual, formal-informal, sequential-random, fixed-variable, serial-disjunctive,
and investiture-divestiture approaches (VanMaanen & Schein, 1979).
In order to simplify these six approaches to socialization, Jones (1986) categorized the six approaches
into three factors based on similar characteristics. The three factors included context, content, and social
aspects (Jones, 1986). Subsequently, researchers categorized the six dimensions into two clear tactical
Schmidt Labor Research Center Seminar Series 7
approaches: institutionalized and individualized. Institutionalized tactics include the collective, formal,
sequential, fixed, serial, and investiture approaches. On the other end, individualized tactics include the
individual, informal, random, variable, disjunctive, and divestiture approaches (Cable & Parsons, 2001).
Bauer et al (2007) expanded on these three factors by hypothesizing that newcomer adjustment is
based on role clarity, self-efficacy, and social acceptance. Bauer et al (2007) found that in addition to the
use of socialization tactics, these measures are also achieved through newcomer information seeking.
Together, newcomer information seeking and the six dimensions of socialization tactics yield the desired
outcomes of socialization, which typically include increased performance and productivity, higher levels
of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and lower turnover rates (Bauer, Bodner, Erdogan, &
Truxillo, 2007).
FIGURE 1
Antecedents and Outcomes of Newcomer Adjustment during Organizational Socialization
Newcomer Information
Seeking
Newcomer Adjustment
Role Clarity (+)
Self-Efficacy (+)
Social Acceptance (+)
Outcomes
Performance (+)
Job Satisfaction (+)
Organizational Commitment (+)
Intention to Remain (+)
Turnover (-)
Organizational Socialization
Tactics
Source: Bauer et al (2007)
Collective/Individual. The collective approach to socialization refers to group learning. New hires go
through the socialization process with peers in a group setting and bond through shared experience. In
the individual approach, newcomers gain experience within the organization separate from their peer
groups. Each individual’s experience is different and unique (Allen, 2006; Bauer et al., 2007; VanMaanen
& Schein, 1979). While the collective approach fosters a consistent message to all newcomers, the
individual approach opens the door to unique experiences and messages that come from a variety of
sources. Research suggests that by using social learning methods, the collective approach to socialization
provides a common message regarding the different aspects of the role and the organization, which
ultimately leads to shared values and reduced uncertainty (Allen, 2006; Bauer et al., 2007).
Formal/Informal. The formal approach refers to socialization that takes place separate from the job
setting. Newcomers participate in a program that is separate from the actual job and current employees,
and learn about role expectations and the organization through segregated activities. The informal
approach refers to on-the-job training that does not typically include any clearly defined socialization
activities (Bauer et al., 2007; VanMaanen & Schein, 1979). Similar to the collective approach, the formal
approach to socialization is thought to facilitate a more consistent message to newcomers, as well as
reduce uncertainty and foster shared values (Allen, 2006; Bauer et al., 2007).
Sequential/Random. The sequential approach to socialization provides newcomers with specific
information regarding the sequence of activities during the socialization process. The sequential approach
gives new hires the order in which they will experience different learning programs and participate in
activities, as opposed to the random approach, where the order of events is unknown (Allen, 2006;
VanMaanen & Schein, 1979). The sequential approach is thought to reduce newcomer anxiety associated
with new environment adjustment by establishing a routine and facilitating a sense of personal control
(Allen, 2006; Bauer et al., 2007).
Pike – New Employee Onboarding Programs 8
Fixed/Variable. A fixed approach to socialization gives newcomers a specific timetable of when
socialization events will take place and when each stage of the process will start and finish. In contrast,
the variable approach operates with an unknown timeline of events (Allen, 2006; Bauer et al., 2007;
VanMaanen & Schein, 1979). The fixed approach is similar to the sequential approach in that it develops
a sense of control in new hires (Allen, 2006).
Serial/Disjunctive. The serial approach provides newcomers with a role model or mentor that will
help guide the new hire through the socialization process. The disjunctive approach leaves new hires to
navigate their way without the help of an experienced peer (Allen, 2006; Bauer et al., 2007; VanMaanen
& Schein, 1979). Serial tactics have been shown to help new hires make better sense of the new
organization by helping them build relationships with experienced members of the group and by providing
them with a valuable resource within the company. Furthermore, by building these relationships,
newcomers tend to gain more confidence and competence in their roles (Allen, 2006).
Investiture/Divestiture. Similar to serial tactics, the investiture approach provides new hires with
positive feedback from more experienced peers. In contrast, a divestiture approach provides a newcomer
with negative feedback until he or she can fully adapt to the group (Bauer et al., 2007; VanMaanen &
Schein, 1979). Providing newcomers with positive feedback and support through the investiture approach
will help them to develop a key sense of confidence and competence in their new positions. In contrast,
providing little support and giving negative feedback through the divestiture approach may discourage
new hires (Allen, 2006).
Hypothesis 1. The collective, formal, serial, and investiture approaches to socialization will
have the highest correlation with increased organizational commitment.
The Onboarding Scale
For the purposes of this paper, I have developed a scale to measure onboarding programs based on
Van Maanen and Schein’s (1979) six dimensions of socialization tactics and the subsequent research that
followed. Similar to the continuum referenced by Cable and Parsons (2001) of institutionalized to
individualized socialization tactics, I have developed a scale that ranges from “high-intensity” onboarding
to “low-intensity” onboarding.
For the purposes of this paper, a high-intensity program incorporates more of the institutionalized
methods, where the highest-intensity program uses all of the institutionalized approaches to socialization
through a variety of activities and events. At the other end of the scale, a low-intensity program uses more
of the individualized approaches, where the lowest-intensity program covers the minimum basic
information and leaves the socialization process to newcomer information seeking methods.
Hypothesis 2. Higher-intensity onboarding programs that incorporate all six institutionalized
approaches to socialization create better person-organization fit than lower-intensity onboarding
programs that incorporate all six individualized approaches to socialization.
CASE STUDY – GOOGLE
In order to illustrate a high-intensity onboarding program, Johnson and Seges’ (2010) case study on
newcomer socialization at Google exhibits a model for the highest-intensity program based on the
guidelines previously described. The onboarding process at Google for incoming software engineers, or
“Nooglers,” incorporates all of the institutionalized tactics through a number of different activities over
the course of the Nooglers’ first three months at Google and beyond (Johnson & Seges, 2010).
Nooglers at Google participate in a collective, formal program that incorporates social learning that is
separate from the actual job setting. Nooglers are given check-lists that provide a timeline and description
of the different events and experiences that they will encounter throughout their first four weeks at
Schmidt Labor Research Center Seminar Series 9
Google. This exemplifies the sequential and fixed tactics. Nooglers also experience serial and investiture
methods through a formal mentoring program, the Noogler support community, the NEHEN (Noogler
Engineers Helping Engineering Nooglers) Society, and voluntary knowledge-sharing events called Tech
Talks. In addition to these tactics, Nooglers also experience a large amount of training through both off-
the-job simulations, and on-the-job introductory projects (Johnson & Seges, 2010).
Person-Environment Fit
There is a prevalent amount of evidence that shows that a person’s fit within his or her environment
is directly related to turnover. Person-environment (P-E) fit refers to the three key fit factors that an
employee will encounter at an organization. Person-supervisor (P-S) fit refers to the relationship between
an employee and his or her direct supervisor. This is typically measured through similar personality traits.
Person-job (P-J) fit refers to the relationship between the employee and his or her specific role and job
responsibilities within the organization. This is typically measured by KSAs, prior experience, and
education level. Person-organization (P-O) fit refers to the relationship between an employee and the
organization as a whole. This is commonly measured through shared culture and social acceptance (Tak,
2011).
Jinkook Tak (2011) examined turnover behavior in relation to these three elements of person-
environment fit among new employees in a longitudinal study across a number of different industries. Tak
(2011) collected data through two online surveys. The first survey gathered data from 901 respondents
whose current employer was their first and who had been with their respective organizations for less than
six months. The second survey was distributed six months after the first survey to the 901 employees that
responded to the first survey. Out of the 901 original respondents, only 297 individuals (33%) responded
to the second survey. The two surveys measured the employees’ perceptions of how well they fit with
their jobs, organizations, and supervisors, as well as their intentions to leave their organizations and
whether or not they actually left. Tak controlled for demographic information and job-related variables
(Tak, 2011).
The results of the study found that of the 297 employees who responded to the second survey, 80
respondents had left their organizations. There was a significant correlation between perceptions of
person-job fit and intention to leave the organization. There was also a significant correlation between
perceptions of person-organization fit and actual turnover. Person-Supervisor fit had a correlation with
both turnover intention and turnover behavior. Therefore, P-J fit has a direct effect on turnover attitudes
while P-O fit has a direct effect on turnover behavior. This is a logical conclusion because if a person does
not fit with his or her job, but fits with the organization, he or she could potentially transfer internally to
a different job within the organization that better fits his or her KSAs and experience level. In turn, if an
employee does not fit with the organization, he or she would likely seek employment at a different
organization where there is a better cultural alignment (Tak, 2011).
Hypothesis 3. Higher-intensity onboarding programs that incorporate the six institutionalized
approaches to socialization reduce turnover.
ANALYSIS
Person-Organization Fit
Cable and Parsons (2001) conducted a longitudinal study to examine the effectiveness of the six
socialization tactics at creating person-organization fit. It was predicted that each of the institutionalized
socialization tactics such as collective and formal (context), sequential and fixed (content), and serial and
investiture (social aspects), would be positively related to perceptions of person-organization fit among
Pike – New Employee Onboarding Programs 10
new employees. Data was collected in three waves over a two year period across a number of different
organizations (Cable & Parsons, 2001).
The first wave distributed a survey to 1,000 graduating students from a large southeastern university.
The survey was distributed to students as they were leaving an orientation at the career office, prior to
their interviewing for jobs. Of the 1,000 surveys distributed, a total of 461 students (46%) returned the
completed survey. The first wave survey measured personal values, prior work experience, and
demographic information (Cable & Parsons, 2001).
The second wave of data collection sent another survey to 420 of the 461 first wave respondents who
had permanent addresses on file with the university alumni office six months after graduation. In order
to increase response rates, if the respondents did not return the second survey within one month, a
reminder message and duplicate second wave survey was sent to those individuals. Of the 420 surveys
sent, 129 individuals (31%) responded to the second wave survey. In addition to pre-hire information such
as the number of job offers the individuals received, the second wave survey examined “their
organizational tenure, the socialization tactics that they experienced since joining their organization, their
perceptions of their organizations’ values, and their subjective P-O fit perceptions” (Cable & Parsons,
2001).
The third wave of data was collected one year after the second wave through a final survey sent to
the 129 respondents to the second wave survey. The same tactics were employed to raise response rates
as in the second wave, where participants were mailed a reminder letter and copy of the survey if they
did not respond within one month. Of the 129 surveys mailed, 101 individuals (78%) responded to the
third wave survey. This survey measured whether or not the respondents were still at the same
organization and reassessed their personal values (Cable & Parsons, 2001).
The results of the study found that sequential, fixed, serial, and investiture tactics were all positively
related to newcomer perceptions of person-organization fit. Collective and formal approaches did not
prove to have a greater impact on perceptions of person-organization fit than programs that used
individual or informal approaches. Therefore, the content and social aspects of onboarding had a greater
effect on person-organization fit than the context aspects (Cable & Parsons, 2001).
In a similar, prior study, Allen and Meyer (1990) conducted a longitudinal analysis of the effects of
socialization tactics on newcomer commitment and role orientation. Data was collected from recent
undergraduate business program and MBA graduates after their first six months and twelve months of
employment (Allen & Meyer, 1990).
Upon graduation, students provided information about jobs that they had accepted and when they
would start. After six months, 207 surveys were mailed to the students and 170 surveys (82%) were
returned. In order to ensure the most accurate results regarding socialization, Allen and Meyer (1990)
used 132 surveys out of the 170 returned because these individuals were not previously associated with
their employers, for example through a family business or through pre-graduation employment. Six
months later at the twelve month mark, a second wave of surveys were sent to the 132 individuals and
received 105 survey responses. The two surveys measured socialization tactics, role orientation measures,
and organizational commitment levels (Allen & Meyer, 1990).
The results of the study demonstrated that all six dimensions of institutionalized socialization tactics
significantly correlated with organizational commitment after six months. The investiture approach
proved to have the strongest correlation with organizational commitment after six months, and proved
to be the only approach that significantly correlated with commitment after twelve months. Since all six
institutional tactics correlated with commitment after the first six months, and only one approach
correlated after twelve months, it is possible that either the other approaches were no longer in place
after twelve months, or the newcomers’ anxiety or stress associated with entering a new environment
had already been alleviated at the twelve month point (Allen & Meyer, 1990).
Schmidt Labor Research Center Seminar Series 11
Therefore, there is evidence that the six institutional approaches to socialization have a significant
correlation to the desired outcomes of person-organization fit, with investiture, serial, fixed, and
sequential tactics having the strongest correlation.
Turnover
David G. Allen (2006) conducted a longitudinal study to examine the effects of organizational
socialization tactics on newcomer embeddedness and turnover rates. It was hypothesized that each of
the six institutionalized socialization tactics were positively related to organizational embeddedness and
negatively related to turnover (Allen, 2006). A negative relationship refers to outcomes that move in
opposite directions. For example, a negative relationship would show that increasing organizational
embeddedness results in decreasing turnover rates.
The sample included 259 employees at a large financial services organization who had been employed
at the organization for less than twelve months. The organization reported that there was no standardized
socialization program, and all newcomer onboarding approaches were left to the discretion of the
managers at each individual location across the country. Therefore, the sample of employees within the
organization experienced different socialization approaches based on their locations. Employees
completed an online survey that also recorded their names and employee identification numbers
separately to be compared to turnover research at a later date. Two hundred thirty two completed
surveys were received (Allen, 2006).
One year after the survey data was obtained, turnover data was collected from the organization. After
omitting ten employees who had been involuntarily terminated by the organization, the final sample
included 222 employees. Of this final sample, 55 employees (24.8%) left the organization voluntarily
(Allen, 2006).
The results of the study indicated that all six institutionalized socialization tactics are positively related
to on-the-job embeddedness, which was significantly negatively related to turnover. Collective, fixed, and
investiture approaches were the most significantly positively related to on-the-job embeddedness. Also,
investiture and serial tactics were significantly negatively related to turnover. Therefore, evidence
suggests that the social aspects of the socialization process have the most positive effect on reducing
turnover in organizations.
FINDINGS
Research shows that the six institutionalized approaches to organizational socialization are positively
related to person-organization fit, and negatively related to turnover. Hypothesis 1 is partially supported
because, while evidence shows that serial and investiture tactics are significantly correlated with
organizational commitment, Cable and Parsons’ (2001) research did not show that there was any
correlation between collective and formal tactics and person-organization fit. In addition, Allen and
Meyer’s (1990) research demonstrated that while all six institutionalized dimensions of socialization were
correlated with person-organization fit after six months, only the investiture approach was correlated
with P-O fit after twelve months (Allen, 2006; Allen & Meyer, 1990; Cable & Parsons, 2001).
Similarly, Hypothesis 2 was partially supported because Allen and Meyer’s (1990) research showed a
correlation between all six institutionalized dimensions of socialization and person-organization fit after
six months; however, Cable and Parsons (2001) showed that only the serial, investiture, sequential, and
fixed tactics were correlated with person-organization fit (Cable & Parsons, 2001). Hypothesis 3 was
supported because Allen’s (2006) findings show that all six institutionalized approaches to socialization
are negatively related to turnover. Therefore, incorporating these six tactics effectively reduces turnover
rates (Allen, 2006).
Pike – New Employee Onboarding Programs 12
RECOMMENDATIONS
Needs Assessment
As in any effective training program, it is important to conduct a needs assessment to determine the
central areas that are in need of focus and development. This could include modifications to an existing
onboarding program or developing a new onboarding program from scratch. When completing the needs
assessment, it is important to consider the following:
Internal needs for development
External benchmarking
Opportunities for improvement
Organizational validation and buy-in
These four considerations will assist in determining the proper elements necessary to get the most
out of an onboarding program. Since not all companies are the same, not all onboarding programs will fit
at all companies. Therefore, it is important to determine which elements will work best according to the
unique features of each individual company (Stein & Christiansen, 2010). Furthermore, conducting a
needs assessment allows an organization to address specific needs and concerns in its approach to
onboarding.
Case Study – US Libraries
Recent research predicts that 60%-70% of librarians will retire within the next ten years. As a result,
libraries across the United States are faced with the task of replacing more than half of its workforce. One
of the most prevalent problems associated with this task is the libraries’ failure to attract younger
generation librarians, and the even bigger problem of their inability to retain the ones that they can
attract. In an attempt to solve this problem, libraries across the United States are turning to onboarding
programs to help retain young librarians. In order to develop the most effective program possible, the
library system needed to conduct a needs assessment to determine why younger librarians are leaving
the field (Chapman, 2009).
The results of the needs assessment showed that there was a generational gap between the older
veteran librarians and the new younger librarians. This fostered a disconnect in ideology, values, and role
expectations. The younger generation library staff felt isolated from the current workforce because there
was a strong divestiture approach employed by the veteran staff towards the new staff. The older
generation librarians provided negative feedback to the younger generation librarians until they could
adapt to the current culture. However, due to the generational gap, newcomers were not adapting or
assimilating to the expected culture, getting frustrated, and leaving the field (Chapman, 2009).
In order to remedy these findings, the libraries determined that serial and investiture tactics would
work best for newcomers to help them create better connections with the older generation library staff.
Direct supervisors will act as mediators between the two generations and facilitate positive social
interactions to help newcomers feel more welcome in the environment. Additionally, a mentor program
will be set up so new hires are assigned to a veteran member of the staff who acts as a connection
between the newcomer and the older group of employees. The libraries also determined that the
collective and formal approaches would work best at introducing new hires to the company, job,
expectations, and culture prior to entering the job setting (Chapman, 2009).
Recommended Best Practices
In general, there are a number of important considerations that must be taken into account when
developing an effective onboarding program. First, there is a time element associated with learning. For
Schmidt Labor Research Center Seminar Series 13
example, it is important to consider a phased out approach to onboarding so that employees are not
receiving a multitude of information in a short amount of time. Too much information at once creates a
disconnect with the employee and leads to early burn out and a lack of knowledge retention (Sims, 2011).
Another important consideration is overselling the company. While onboarding is meant to engage
the employee and create a higher level of commitment to the company, it is still important to be honest
and realistic about expectations and job functions. If the onboarding process oversells the company, the
new hire will be disappointed and disconnected once he or she experiences what the daily functions and
company is really like. Therefore, it is important to outline the realistic elements of the company and job
early on to ensure that there are no surprises when the new hire dives into his or her daily job functions
(Sims, 2011).
Furthermore, it is also important to provide employees with a context for the information that is given
to them through onboarding. If employees do not have the proper context, it is harder for them to absorb
and fully understand the information that is given to them in the onboarding process. Even though they
have the information needed, without context, they may not understand how to apply the information
properly (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
Finally, it is important to have buy-in at all levels of the organization when developing an effective
onboarding program. In order to get the most return on onboarding development, it is essential to have
full commitment to the process from the CEO and senior leadership team, to direct line supervisors, to
peers and co-workers. This ensures that new hires receive a consistent message and feel a sense of
acceptance and fit throughout the entire organization (Stein & Christiansen, 2010).
DISCUSSION
Limitations and Opportunities for Further Research
One of the key limitations of the research involved a lack of detail regarding some of the specific
elements or events involved in the onboarding programs that were evaluated. While all of the research
studies examined the structural aspects of onboarding programs, none went into detail about how those
approaches were translated into activities. On the other hand, this could also be considered a key strength
of the research because in focusing on the structural design of the program as opposed to the specific
events, the results of the research can be better generalized across different organizations, industries,
and job classifications. Regardless, future research could examine the most effective onboarding program
activities in particular organizations or groups.
Furthermore, the research did not examine the effectiveness of using a needs assessment to
determine any gaps that could be filled or remedied through onboarding. As in any training and
development program, a needs assessment is a key factor in determining which approaches will work best
and which aspects need the most improvement. None of the studies that examined onboarding programs
researched the effectiveness of conducting a needs assessment. This could be a highly effective tool in
tailoring an onboarding program according to the most prevalent needs of the organization or the
program that is currently in place.
Finally, another opportunity for further research involves the role of newcomer information seeking.
While there is a small amount of research that examines newcomer information seeking, none of the
studies that researched onboarding practices looked at information seeking at an in depth level in their
assessments. Further research could examine the role that newcomer proactivity plays both with higher-
intensity onboarding programs in place and with lower-intensity onboarding programs in place.
Pike – New Employee Onboarding Programs 14
REFERENCES
Allen, D. G. 2006. Do Organizational Socialization Teactics Influence Newcomer Embeddedness and
Turnover? Journal of Management, 32(2): 237-256.
Allen, N. J., & Meyer, J. P. 1990. Organizational Socialization Tactics: A Longitudinal Analysis of Links to
Newcomers’ Commitment and Role Orientation. The Academy of Management Journal, 33(4): 847-
858.
Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan, B., & Truxillo, D. M. 2007. Newcomer Adjustment During
Organizational Socialization: A Meta-Analytic Review of Antecedents, Outcomes, and Methods.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(3): 707-721.
Cable, D. M., & Parsons, C. K. 2001. Socialization Tactics and Person-Organization Fit. Personell
Psychology, 54(1): 1-23.
Chapman, C. 2009. Retention Begins Before Day One: Orientation and Socialization in Libraries. New
Library World, 110(3/4): 122-135.
Gibson, S. K. 2004. Social Learning (Cognitive) Theory and Implications for Human Resource
Development. Advances in Developing Human Resources(6): 193-210.
Jacobs, E. 2012. Executive Brief: Tracking Trends in Employee Turnover, Vol. 2014: Society for Human
Resource Management.
Johnson, M., & Seges, M. 2010. Learning to be a Programmer in a Complex Organization: A Case Study
on Practice-Based Learning during the Onboarding Process at Google. Journal of Workplace
Learning, 22(3): 180-194.
Jones, G. R. 1986. Socialization Tactics, Self-efficacy, and Newcomers’ Adjustments to Organizations.
Academy of Management Journal, 29: 262-279.
Morrison, E. W. 1993. Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Information Seeking on Newcomer
Socialization. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(2): 173-183.
O’Malley, M. 2000. Creating Commitment: How to Attract and Retail Talented Employees by Building
Relationships That Last. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Pellet, L. 2009. The Cultural Fit Factor: Creating an Employment Brand that Attracts, Retains, and
Repels the Right Employees. Virginia: Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Scholl, R. 2002a. Motivation Overview, Scholl WebNotes: The University of Rhode Island.
Scholl, R. 2002b. Social Cognition & Cognitive Schema, Scholl Webnotes: The University of Rhode Island.
Scholl, R. 2003. Organizational Culture, Scholl WebNotes: The University of Rhode Island.
Scholl, R. 2008. Organizational Commitment, Scholl WebNotes: The University of Rhode Island.
Sims, D., SPHR. 2011. Creative Onboarding Programs: Tools for Energizing Your Orientation Program.
New York: McGraw Hill Education.
Sims Jr., H. P., & Lorenzi, P. 1992. The New Leadership Paradigm: Social Learning and Cognition in
Organizations. Newbury Park: Sage Publications.
Stein, M., & Christiansen, L. 2010. Successful Onboarding: A Strategy to Unlock Hidden Value Within
Your Organization. New York: McGraw Hill/ Kaiser Associates, Inc.
Schmidt Labor Research Center Seminar Series 15
Tak, J. 2011. Relationships between Various Person-Environment Fit Types and Employee Withdrawal
Behavior: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 78: 315-320.
VanMaanen, J., & Schein, E. H. 1979. Toward a Theory of Organizational Socialization. Research in
Organizational Behavior, 1: 209-264.
2/2/2021
https://trainingmag.com/new-hire-onboarding-as-a-driver-of-employee-engagement/ 1/5
New Hire Onboarding as a Driver of Employee
Engagement
The most effective employee onboarding programs share several
essential elements—Momentum, Enablement, Collaboration,
Assimilation, and Connection.
Many organizations recognize the bene�ts that result from a highly engaged workforce—
improved retention and employee and team performance, to name just a couple. But few
organizations have strategies in place that foster engagement in a signi�cant and
sustainable way.
A growing number of leading organizations are systematically fostering engagement
through new hire onboarding. Having implemented a more robust onboarding program,
they are seeing improvements in key talent metrics and are consistently winning the war
for talent.
As the point at which new hires are introduced to company policies and procedures,
performance expectations, and workplace culture, onboarding presents a unique
opportunity to set the stage for the rest of an employee’s lifecycle. However, very few
organizations consider their onboarding programs to be particularly effective. Brandon
Hall Group’s 2014 State of Talent Acquisition Study shows that 40 percent of
organizations rated their onboarding programs as less than moderately effective.
But those organizations that have invested time and resources to improve the quality and
scope of their onboarding process—the 27 percent that rated their onboarding process as
more than moderately effective—are consistently outperforming the rest:
78 percent saw increases in revenue in the last �scal year (1 in 3 saw increases of more
than 10 percent).
64 percent saw positive gains in the majority of their organizational KPIs.
54 percent saw signi�cant gains in employee engagement metrics, including employee
turnover, absenteeism, productivity, and employee satisfaction.
Although even small improvements in onboarding can yield big wins, for any overhaul
initiative to be successful in the long-term, a few key questions must be answered �rst.
These include:
By Kyle Lagunas, Talent Acquisition Analyst, Brandon Hall Group – November 25, 2014
Attend Training 2021
Virtual Conference: Feb 8-
Learn More
https://trainingmag.com/author/kyle-lagunas-talent-acquisition-analyst-brandon-ha/
2/2/2021 New Hire Onboarding as a Driver of Employee Engagement – Training
https://trainingmag.com/new-hire-onboarding-as-a-driver-of-employee-engagement/ 2/5
What are your goals? Ask yourself, your executives, and your business unit leaders
what talent outcomes are most important—and how a better onboarding program
could drive them.
When does onboarding begin? In truth, onboarding begins much sooner than an
employee’s �rst day. Throughout the selection and hiring stage, employees glimpse the
inner workings of the organization—including HR process, organizational transparency,
and levels of communication. Organizations that struggle to manage the transition
from hire to onboarding risk loss of momentum and engagement.
How long does onboarding last? HPOs are taking a different approach to performance
—one of enablement rather than enforcement. They are providing new employees with
ample opportunity to master the necessary skills and knowledge required for a long
and successful career with the organization. While this may delay the time before
employees enter the operation, it ensures that they will hit the ground running once
they do.
Who are the key players in onboarding? From HR to IT to Operations, new-hire
onboarding tasks rely on several parties to complete. And from an administrative and
compliance perspective, it’s crucial that you assign clear ownership to onboarding
processes and tasks.
Essential Elements
As presented in the Brandon Hall Group report, High-Performance Onboarding: A New
Model for Excellence, the most effective employee onboarding programs share several
essential elements—Momentum, Enablement, Collaboration, Assimilation, and
Connection—that breathe life into traditional administrative processes.
Momentum. Momentum isn’t a word you often hear in the realm of people process, but it
is a major component of onboarding success. At high-performing organizations, pre-
boarding—wherein new hire forms and paperwork are completed and workstations are
ready before employees’ �rst day—is standard practice. New hires’ �rst days are well
organized and orchestrated, and often spent learning about the company and workplace.
For example, DeVry Education Group, one of the largest publicly held, international,
higher education institutions based in North America, regularly onboards upward of 120
new employees every month in various institutions around the world. DeVry’s program,
built on a technology solution, automates much of the administrative work typically
associated with onboarding.
After that, new colleagues take part in a highly immersive, virtual reality environment
called Virtual Day 1. Here they are introduced to the DeVry Group culture and values, as
Attend Training 2021
Virtual Conference: Feb 8-
Learn More
http://go.brandonhall.com/high_performance_onboarding
2/2/2021 New Hire Onboarding as a Driver of Employee Engagement – Training
https://trainingmag.com/new-hire-onboarding-as-a-driver-of-employee-engagement/ 3/5
well as company objectives, resources, colleagues. They also can chat live with the
moderator and their colleagues as they work their way through a timed, multi-venue
experience.
From there, communications are paced on Day 1, Day 3, Day 7, Day 14, Day 30—all the
way through their �rst year. By maintaining momentum throughout new hires’ �rst days
and months through regular check-ins, DeVry Group is able to ensure things are going
smoothly or to make adjustments as needed if there are signs employee concern or
disengagement.
Collaboration. Collaboration is increasingly important in an integrated talent
management process. The goal is to show new hires how your company works, how it
makes money, and how the different parts �t together. Cross-instruction, often in groups,
is a widely popular method of fostering collaboration in onboarding. Many invite
individual department heads to give a presentation of their role and expertise, and give an
overview of the products and services they oversee. Not only does this approach to
onboarding deepen new hires’ understanding of the disparate parts of the organization—
and their role in it all—but it also builds a sense of camaraderie from their �rst day.
DeVry Group leverages a combination of social media tools (i.e., new hire community) and
real-time consultation (AskHR live chat) to support collaboration within its various
onboarding phases—starting before the employee’s �rst day and extending through their
�rst year of employment.
Enablement. Employees need to know explicitly how their jobs make the organization’s
mission and vision possible. Enablement focuses on providing new hires with the
knowledge they need to get started, and connecting them to resources they need for
long-term effectiveness.
To drive engagement and knowledge retention, Travelport, a leading travel commerce
platform that operates in 70 countries, deployed a “gami�cation-like” approach to its
onboarding portal. Travelport devised a clever strategy of leveraging a passport concept.
New hires virtually collect “stamps” for their online passport as they interact with the
varied information and activities on the site. They can view an interactive map that shows
the progress of their onboarding journey demonstrated by the various stamps they have
collected.
Assimilation. Often, the only way new hires learn about the nuances of a company and its
culture is after they have done something wrong (or not quite right). Failure to assimilate
isn’t just frustrating for new hires; a poorly assimilated employee places stress on an
entire team.
Attend Training 2021
Virtual Conference: Feb 8-
Learn More
2/2/2021 New Hire Onboarding as a Driver of Employee Engagement – Training
https://trainingmag.com/new-hire-onboarding-as-a-driver-of-employee-engagement/ 4/5
Zions Bancorporation, one of the premier �nancial services companies in the United
States, operates 500 banking of�ces in 10 Western states under local management teams
and community identities. Therefore, it is important for employees to feel connected to
the company as a whole, as well as the speci�c location where they work. Through role-
based work�ow in their onboarding process, Zions has the ability to automate not only
the collection of key new employee data, but also direct resources and policy
acknowledgements at a corporate level, and to branches/divisions/locations. Employees
also are presented with branding that is re�ective of the bank at which they work.
This is why the best onboarding programs take care to provide new hires with clarity on
many levels—clarity of responsibilities, clarity of individual and team goals, clarity of the
roles of other business units—all to ensure new employees can focus on reaching a point
of pro�ciency.
Connection. Establishing meaningful connections with the people your new employees
are working with serves two purposes: It reinforces a sense of belonging and gives them
access to subject matter experts who can guide them through the �rst months of their
tenure. Employees who are connected to the greater organization (its culture and
purpose) are far more engaged than those who are not.
For this reason, every new employee at California Pizza Kitchen, which struggles with
turnover in the early stages of employment, participates in a “Be Our Guest Day.” New
employees sit down together for a meal at their restaurant, and are encouraged to order
several things as an introduction to the food. “We encourage them to be adventurous, try
new things. If more than one new employee starts on the same day, they order family style
and share a meal together,” says Cassidy Prideaux, senior manager of People,
Communications and Culture. “For your �rst 90 days, you can’t order the same thing
twice.”
All told, connection is arguably the most important piece of our model, as it has the single
largest impact on employee tenure. Employees who have a strong connection to the
organization and good relationships with their colleagues are more likely to stay beyond
their �rst year.
Kyle Lagunas is Talent Acquisition analyst for Brandon Hall Group, an independent HCM
research and advisory services �rm. BHG provides insights around key performance areas,
including learning and development, talent management, leadership development, talent
acquisition and HR/workforce management.
Kyle Lagunas, Talent Acquisition Analyst, Brandon Hall Group
Attend Training 2021
Virtual Conference: Feb 8-
Learn More
http://www.brandonhall.com/
https://trainingmag.com/author/kyle-lagunas-talent-acquisition-analyst-brandon-ha/
2/2/2021 New Hire Onboarding as a Driver of Employee Engagement – Training
https://trainingmag.com/new-hire-onboarding-as-a-driver-of-employee-engagement/ 5/5
Attend Training 2021
Virtual Conference: Feb 8-
Learn More
2/2/2021 Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for Retention
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-experience-key-retention.aspx?version=print 1/5
Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for
Retention
“Rock Stars Wanted” might not be the job-posting headline, but it’s the underlining
message companies communicate during the recruiting process.
Most companies want the best talent, and they do not shy away from making that
perfectly clear. Slackers need not apply.
So they woo candidates with promises of unique cultures, perks and opportunities
during the recruitment phase. And the company’s employee value proposition (EVP)
becomes a distraction meant to lure top talent and set the stage for what’s to come if
you’re one of the fortunate few — one of a kind — who receives the coveted offer letter.
A company’s EVP sets the stage and expectations for the rest of the new hire’s
employee experience.
Unfortunately, many organizations fail to deliver on the promises they make during
recruitment, resulting in a poor onboarding experience and a setback to the connection
they initially established with the new star.
Gallup finds that only 12% of employees strongly agree that their organization does a
great job onboarding new employees. This failure gets in the way of the formation of an
emotional bond between the new hire and the company — a connection that can make
or break retention.
https://news.gallup.com/reports/199961/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx
2/2/2021 Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for Retention
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-experience-key-retention.aspx?version=print 2/5
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employee turnover
can be as much as 50% in the first 18 months of employment. Employees leaving the
workforce can be expensive and put pressure on highly burdened resources as well as a
company’s financial bottom line.
SHRM estimates that it will cost a company six to nine months of an employee’s salary
to identify and onboard a replacement. Others in the field believe the cost to be much
higher.
How to Avoid New Hire Turnover and Disengagement by Understanding the Journey
The decision to join a new organization is often accompanied by leaving another, and
new hires are placing bets that their new role will be better than the last, fulfilling a need
the previous employer was not. It is a decision that starts with rational considerations
but is ultimately decided based on emotions.
Applying for a new job is a decision that people make after asking for opinions from
friends, family and colleagues. It’s a choice they make after searching online for ratings
and reviews from current and past employees, and after listening to the company’s
promises during recruitment.
After making this decision, all future interactions people have with their new employer
shape their perceptions of what it is like to be on the “inside” — to be an integral member
of the organization.
From an employee perspective, onboarding involves a series of firsts: first day on the
job, first time meeting a manager and coworkers, first work projects and tasks, and first
opportunities to share their talents with the organization.
Eager about their new role, enthusiastic about how they will contribute and anxious
about how their colleagues will receive them, new hires head off to their new position
with visions of what it will be like when they arrive.
This anticipation is accompanied by high levels of adrenaline as the excitement — and
nervousness — builds for that first day, week and month.
http://www.shrm.org/foundation/ourwork/initiatives/resources-from-past-initiatives/Documents/Onboarding%20New%20Employees ?utm_source=link_wwwv9&utm_campaign=item_235121&utm_medium=copy
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-kantor/high-turnover-costs-way-more-than-you-think_b_9197238.html?utm_source=link_wwwv9&utm_campaign=item_235121&utm_medium=copy
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/215378/gallup-employer-brand-employee-value-proposition.aspx
2/2/2021 Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for Retention
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-experience-key-retention.aspx?version=print 3/5
With all of this in mind, companies should make sure new hires feel welcomed and
immediately appreciated, quickly developing a sense of purpose and belonging.
From an employer perspective, onboarding is the best time to deliver on the EVP and
other promises made during the job-seeking and candidacy stages.
Define and create your ideal culture.
Gallup helps you differentiate your culture and achieve true transformation.
Learn More
Rock Star Employees Wanted but Not Truly Welcomed
The transition from candidate to employee should feel like a natural handoff that
continues the momentum and fuels the excitement for the new job.
Deviating from the energy generated during the hiring phase to treating the phase of
onboarding as a one-day — or one-week — event, or as an administrative process
focused on paperwork, orientation manuals and supply cabinet shopping, puts an early
strain on the employee-employer relationship.
Throwing new hires into work immediately without training or context, not socializing —
or even introducing — them to the rest of the team, focusing on tactical work too early, or
not meeting and receiving feedback from managers early and often are more the norm
than the exception.
But this isn’t how it should be. Companies should treat onboarding with the appropriate
amount of enthusiasm equal to or greater than that of the new hire’s. The time leading up
to and extending beyond the first day on the job is all part of onboarding.
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/229424/employee-engagement.aspx
http://workplace.gallup.com/215933/culture.aspx%20
2/2/2021 Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for Retention
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-experience-key-retention.aspx?version=print 4/5
Don’t lose the momentum you’ve gained during attraction and recruitment by failing to
deliver during the onboarding process. Welcome new hires like they are the rock stars
you diligently selected.
If you don’t welcome new employees like rock stars, the experiential disappointment
could start them off on an emotionally slippery slope, leading to low engagement and
seeking out a new opportunity.
Learn more about how you can create emotional connections with your employees
during hiring and onboarding:
Read the first article in this series on how to hire and onboard star employees.
Download our State of the American Workplace report to gain an in-depth
perspective on what employees want most out of a job and company.
Inquire about our solutions for creating a compelling employment brand and
employee value proposition.
Create a better employee experience from start to finish with Gallup Access, our
online survey and management platform.
RELEASE DATE:
SOURCE: Gallup https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-experience-key-retention.aspx
CONTACT: Gallup World Headquarters, 901 F Street, Washington, D.C., 20001, U.S.A
+1 202.715.3030
Copyright © 2016 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.
Gallup, Inc. maintains several registered and unregistered trademarks that include but may not be limited to: A8,
Accountability Index, Business Impact Analysis, BE10, CE11, CE11 Accelerator, Clifton StrengthsExplorer, Clifton
StrengthsFinder, Customer Engagement Index, Customer Engagement Management, Dr. Gallup Portrait, Employee
Engagement Index, Enetrix, Engagement Creation Index, Follow This Path, Gallup, Gallup Brain, Gallup Business
Journal, GBJ, Gallup Consulting, Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, Gallup Management Journal, GMJ, Gallup
Panel, Gallup Press, Gallup Tuesday Briefing, Gallup University, Gallup World News, HumanSigma, HumanSigma
Accelerator, ICE11, I10, L3, ME25, NurseInsight, NurseStrengths, Patient Quality System, Performance Optimization,
Power of 2, PrincipalInsight, Q12, Q12 Accelerator, Q12 Advantage, Selection Research, Inc., SE25, SF34, SRI, Soul of
the City, Strengths Spotlight, Strengths-Based Selling, StatShot, StrengthsCoach, StrengthsExplorer,
StrengthsFinder, StrengthsInsight, StrengthsQuest, SupportInsight, TX(R+E+R)=P3, TeacherInsight, The Gallup Path,
The Gallup Poll, The Gallup School, VantagePoint, Varsity Management, Wellbeing Finder, Achiever, Activator,
https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/233873/hire-onboard-engage-star-employees.aspx
https://news.gallup.com/reports/199961/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx
http://workplace.gallup.com/215378/gallup-employer-brand-employee-value-proposition.aspx
https://my.gallup.com/
2/2/2021 Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for Retention
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/235121/why-onboarding-experience-key-retention.aspx?version=print 5/5
Adaptability, Analytical, Arranger, Belief, Command, Communication, Competition, Connectedness, Consistency,
Context, Deliberative, Developer, Discipline, Empathy, Fairness, Focus, Futuristic, Harmony, Ideation, Includer,
Individualization, Input, Intellection , Learner, Maximizer, Positivity, Relator, Responsibility, Restorative, Self-Assurance,
Significance, Strategic, and Woo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. These materials
are provided for noncommercial, personal use only. Reproduction prohibited without the express permission of
Gallup, Inc.
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 1/14
H U M A N R E S O U R C E S
How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire Managers are
often so driven to recruit talented workers that they neglect to think about what
will happen once the new hire arrives ready to work. Big mistake.
B Y P E T E R V A N D E N B O S
iStock
With the economy on the upswing, many growing companies are starting to
go after talented new employees. That means a lot of �rst days on the jobs,
and lot of time and money to spend while new sta�ers get up to speed. What if you
could shrink the time it takes for an employee to reach his or her full potential?
N E W S L E T T E R S S U B S C R I B E
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/human-resources
https://www.inc.com/author/peter-vanden-bos
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/subscribe
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 2/14
That’s the promise of a growing trend in human-resources management called
onboarding; its advocates describe it as a comprehensive approach to bringing on new
hires that goes beyond simple orientation. Onboarding plans are intended to make
new employees familiar with the overall goals of a company and support them as they
embark on early projects all in an e�ort to achieve the perception of success (and
productivity) quickly. The ultimate payo� is to reduce turnover and encourage
workers to stay with an organization for a longer tenure.
‘It’s really about calculating the cost of hiring new workers to the business,’ says John
Sullivan, former chief talent o�cer for Agilent Technologies and a professor of
management at San Francisco State University. ‘Companies need new hires to be
productive and, at a small company especially, every employee counts.’
Here’s a look at how your company can set up an onboarding process to shorten the
learning curve for new hires.
Article continues after video.
F E A T U R E D V I D E O
Wake-Up Call: ‘Commitment Will Always Beat Out Talent’
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 3/14
Onboarding a New Hire: Plan Ahead
Think onboarding begins on an employee’s �rst day? Wrong. A successful onboarding
program actually begins during the recruitment and hiring process, says Erin
Perry, director of client solutions at Pinstripe, a recruiting company based in
Brook�eld, Wisconsin. An onboarding process is linked to and in some ways starts
with the employer brand that you create to attract people who are the right �t for
your company’s overall goals. ‘If you’re a high tech organization that has a cool brand
and that uses social media and talks about innovation when you’re advertising to
attract new associates, that’s great,” Perry says. “But if on a new hire’s �rst day you
hand them 15 di�erent forms to �ll out, your employment brand message has just
died.”
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/magazine/20071101/help-wanted-meets-buy-it-now.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 4/14
Experts suggest you begin the orientation process before a candidate is formally hired
by including ample information about your workplace and your culture in the
Careers section on your website. ‘The orientation should begin at the �rst click of the
mouse when someone �rst goes on the company’s website, so by the time the person
comes in for the interview, they already know quite a lot about the organization,’
says Richard Jordan, a business coach who has been responsible for reshaping the
recruiting and orientation process at a number of technology �rms. That way, you are
more likely to attract candidates who are more engaged with your company’s goals
and culture and are more likely to become highly productive employees.
Editor’s Note: Looking for Health Insurance for your company? If you would like information to help you
choose the one that’s right for you, use the questionnaire below to have our partner, BuyerZone, provide
you with information for free:
Do you currently offer group health insurance
coverage?
Yes No
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 5/14
A new hire will surely be required to �ll out a lot of new paperwork, so why not get a
head start? Many companies choose to send necessary legal forms along with a formal
o�er letter. You can also send an employee handbook ahead of time, so that new sta�
members aren’t overwhelmed with information on the �rst day.
HR software and other related applications can also be deployed ahead of time.
Automated systems are especially useful because onboarding requires the
involvement of multiple departments within a company, all working together to
welcome and engage a new employee, to make him or her feel as comfortable as
possible from Day One. The right technology can help coordinate various individuals
and tasks by taking care of paperwork electronically, or sending noti�cations alerting
IT support sta� to con�gure a new hire’s laptop and BlackBerry.
Technology can also be an e�ective way to socialize your new hire into your
company’s organizational culture, Perry says. On a company Intranet, you can make
available to a new hire multimedia such as video and podcasts that state your
company’s overall strategic goals, talk about your company’s values, and provide
employee testimonials. As a bonus, these videos can feature company leaders, which
will help introduce key players, cutting down on the endless name game that typically
happens on an employee’s �rst day.
Dig Deeper: How to Improve Your Hiring Practices
NEXT ▷
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/improving-hiring-practices.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 6/14
Onboarding a New Hire: On the First Day, Nail the Details
The prospect of the �rst day on the job is nerve-wracking. New hires are eager to
impress their new bosses. So, if they don’t know where the photocopier is or how to
use it, chances are they aren’t going to ask, and will waste time trying to �gure the
little things out for themselves. And if you throw a bunch of information at them,
chances are they’re not going to remember most of it. With an e�ective onboarding
program, you should aim to present basic information in an easy-to-digest fashion, so
that a rookie can turn to the more demanding aspects of his or her job.
The way to do that is to consider the small, logistical details that add up to a sense of
comfort and familiarity one has in a workplace. This is good not just for a new hire’s
peace of mind, but also for the overall health and well-being of your business. ‘If a
person is new and doesn’t know how to use the phone system and accidentally hangs
up on a potential client, that client is not going to care that they were new,’ says John
Sullivan. ‘They’re just going to be angry.’
Here’s a list of things you should have ready by the time your new hires walk in the
door:
Send out an e-mail to everyone in the o�ce so they’re prepared to welcome a
new employee.
Get the new worker a security badge if he or she needs one.
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 7/14
And here’s a list of questions you should answer for the new employee voluntarily:
A new employee’s immediate supervisor should also be present on the �rst day. ‘The
worst thing you can do is have new hires show up when their immediate supervisor
isn’t there for three or four days,’ Sullivan says. ‘It’s like getting married and not
having your spouse on your honeymoon.’
Provide a name plate on his or her desk or o�ce door as a tangible sign that
you’ve prepared the space.
Set up the computer.
Con�gure the new employee’s e-mail accounts.
Provide guides for any necessary software he or she will be using.
Set up his or her phone system, and provide instructions for using voicemail.
Have a stack of business cards waiting.
What should he or she bring? (Telling them to bring two forms of ID to verify
paperwork is a good idea.)
Where should he or she park?
Who should he or she ask for in the lobby?
Where are the restrooms?
Where is the copy machine? (And how does it work?)
Where is the cafeteria?
Who should the employee talk to if he or she has additional questions? (It’s a
good idea to assign a co-worker or a hiring manager as a mentor to check-in
with the new hire throughout at least the �rst week.)
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 8/14
Dig Deeper: Mastering a New Employee’s First Day
Onboarding a New Hire: Individualizing the Process
Unlike a traditional �rst-day orientation, where an employee generally spends a good
chunk of time signing forms for Human Resources and reviewing the policies of the
organization, onboarding is intended to be a multi-faceted approach. And while the
list of things to consider for a new hire’s �rst day applies to pretty much any
employee, that doesn’t mean you should forget about the unique needs of each
individual. Quite the opposite, in fact.
For example, di�erent people prefer di�erent management styles, so why not ask a
new employee from the start how he or she wants to be managed? ‘Onboarding is a
performance-based, customized approach,’ Sullivan says. ‘Why don’t ask you upfront
what is the best way to manage you?’
A more personal element to the process can engage new employees, giving them the
ability to identify their personal goals with the overall success of the organization. Ari
Weinzweig, CEO of the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, a group of food
specialty businesses in Ann Arbor, Michigan, still personally teaches an orientation
class to new sta�ers. ‘By taking the time to teach the orientation, the clear message
that comes across is that we value them and their work so highly that the head of the
company is willing to sit with them to go over things,’ he says.
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/magazine/19860601/8052.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 9/14
Make sure a new sta� member understands how he or she can individually contribute
to the company. Explain to the employee how your performance appraisal system
works, so he or she won’t waste time on things that don’t matter, and can quickly
begin to work on key objectives. If you make a custom onboarding plan, ‘you’re
leaving the individual with the impression that employees are very important assets
to the organization, chosen from among many candidates, and that their talent and
potential is recognized,’ Jordan says. ‘You want to make sure you develop their career
path within the organization.’
How vested an employee feels to a company also has to do with the social
relationships he or she makes with co-workers. An onboarding process should
consider those relationships and facilitate them from the very beginning. Organize a
lunch on the �rst day with the new employee’s team or department the new
employee. Or try giving your new employee a week’s worth of gift certi�cates for
lunch, so he or she can take a colleague to lunch each day.
Dig Deeper: How Hiring Rituals Build Company Culture
Onboarding a New Hire: Following Through on Your Plan
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/magazine/20100301/bizarre-hiring-rituals.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 10/14
On-boarding doesn’t end on the Friday of a new employee’s �rst week on the job. The
process should continue over the span of several months and, during that time, it is
essential to solicit feedback from all constituents. A good way to do that is to assign a
recruiting manager to keep track of the new hire’s �rst few months on the job, Jordan
says, because that individual will already have developed a relationship with the
employee.
‘I’m a big believer of surveying at every step of the process,’ Perry says. She suggests
surveying at the end of the �rst week and at the close of each of the employee’s �rst
three months, asking di�erent questions at each stage. Begin with questions about the
recruiting process, how the �rst day met the employee’s expectations, and whether
they are struggling with any issues related to technology. Then, start asking whether
the employee has the necessary tools to complete his or her job and, �nally, begin
asking about an employee’s strategic goals. You want to learn how engaged or
connected the new hire feels to the organization.
You also want to make sure someone is accountable, preferably a line manager who
realizes the cost savings to the business if a new employee gets up to speed quicker.
You want managers to be very aware that you are measuring productivity through
metrics. Make sure employees actually are becoming productive and, if they are not,
�gure out what is going wrong. Continually �ne-tune how you onboard employees to
make sure you can maximize the bene�ts of the process.
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 11/14
Once you’ve done that, you can begin to establish a general checklist of what you
want to cover when you’re onboarding. Even within that structured plan or process,
make sure you leave room for those personal touches. ‘Your employees are going to
get orientated whether you plan for it or not,” Perry observes. “But if you do plan it,
it’s a lot more likely to be successful.”
Dig Deeper: How to Improve Employee Retention
Editor’s Note: Looking for Health Insurance for your company? If you would like information to help you
choose the one that’s right for you, use the questionnaire below to have our partner, BuyerZone, provide
you with information for free:
Editorial Disclosure: Inc. writes about products and services in this and other articles.
These articles are editorially independent – that means editors and reporters research
and write on these products free of any in�uence of any marketing or sales
NEXT ▷
Do you currently offer group health insurance
coverage?
Yes No
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/employee-retention.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 12/14
UPDATED FEB 6, 2020
departments. In other words, no one is telling our reporters or editors what to write
or to include any particular positive or negative information about these products or
services in the article. The article’s content is entirely at the discretion of the reporter
and editor. You will notice, however, that sometimes we include links to these
products and services in the articles. When readers click on these links, and buy these
products or services, Inc may be compensated. This e-commerce based advertising
model – like every other ad on our article pages – has no impact on our editorial
coverage. Reporters and editors don’t add those links, nor will they manage them.
This advertising model, like others you see on Inc, supports the independent
journalism you �nd on this site.
Inc. helps entrepreneurs change the world. Get the advice you need to start, grow, and lead your business today.
Subscribe here for unlimited access.
M O R E F R O M I N C .
T E C H N O L O G Y
Tim Cook May Have Just Ended Facebook
R E S E A R C H I N G T H E C O M P E T I T I O N
The Daring Gmail Strategy That Bombas Used to Get Ahead
S E C U R I T Y
The 5 Best Cybersecurity Tips for Small Business for 2021
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://inc.com/subscribe?cid=dan905:660:s00:CTA_&utm_source=paidDisplayOn&utm_medium=edit%20article%20footer&utm_campaign=dan905:660:s00:CTA_
https://www.inc.com/technology
https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/tim-cook-may-have-just-ended-facebook.html
https://www.inc.com/researching-the-competition
https://www.inc.com/magazine/202102/lindsay-blakely/startup-competitive-advantage-gather-information-intelligence.html
https://www.inc.com/security
https://www.inc.com/amrita-khalid/cybersecurity-tips.html
https://www.inc.com/amrita-khalid/cybersecurity-tips.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 13/14
C O V I D R E S O U R C E C E N T E R
Cash, Comps, and Time O�: How Small Businesses Are Encouraging Covid Vaccinations
B U S I N E S S M O D E L S
Robinhood Struggles With the Monster It Created
Top Stories
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/covid-resources
https://www.inc.com/brit-morse/cash-comps-time-off-how-small-businesses-are-encouraging-covid-vaccinations.html
https://www.inc.com/business-models
https://www.inc.com/diana-ransom/robinhood-gamestop-amc-freemium-sequoia-business-model.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/diana-ransom/robinhood-gamestop-amc-freemium-sequoia-business-model.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html 14/14
N E W S L E T T E R
Today’s 5 Must Reads
These are the Inc. posts you can’t miss before the day is done
Type your email Sign Up
I N C . T O P A R T I C L E S
Mercury is in Retrograde. Here Are 39
Crazy Things HR Departments Can Expect
Read More
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/39-crazy-scary-things-employees-have-said-to-hr-managers.html?traffic_source=Connatix
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 1/14
H U M A N R E S O U R C E S
How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days
Successful Onboarding is vital to the success of the new employee and your
business itself. Here are specific steps to make an employee’s first three months
fruitful.
B Y L O U D U B O I S @ L O U _ D U B O I S
When a new employee reports to their �rst day on the job, the feeling is
quite similar to those �rst day of the school year jitters we all had as kids.
And while it’s a challenge for the employee to familiarize him or herself quickly with
the o�ce, the job responsibilities, new co-workers and more, it’s just as important and
N E W S L E T T E R S S U B S C R I B E
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/human-resources
https://www.inc.com/author/lou-dubois
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/subscribe
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 2/14
stressful for their managers. Making a new hire feel comfortable and a part of the
team from day one is imperative to make the employee a successful and productive
member of your business.
“Most companies drop the ball early on,” notes Jon Picoult, founder and principle of
Watermark Consulting, a Connecticut-based consultancy that helps businesses inspire
their employees by making them brand advocates. “Imagine you’ve been wooed
throughout an entire recruiting process, and then you show up on your �rst day and
the receptionist isn’t even expecting you or your o�ce isn’t set up. What are you
going to tell your spouse when you go home and they ask ‘How was your �rst day?'”
This process, de�ned by human resources experts as onboarding, is a crucial element
in both individual and organizational development and establishes a foundation for
future success. So what exactly is employee onboarding, why should you focus on it
early, and how exactly do you assess it throughout the �rst 90 days? In this guide, we’ll
explore all those questions to get your next new hire on track.
How to Make An Employee’s First 90 Days Successful: What is Onboarding?
You might associate onboarding with human resources jargon for an employee’s �rst
90 days. But onboarding, the technical terminology for an employee’s familiarization
with a new organization, is de�ned di�erently by nearly everyone you talk to. Its
advocates describe it as a comprehensive approach to bringing on new hires that goes
beyond simple orientation. Onboarding plans are intended to make new employees
familiar with the overall goals of a company and support them as they embark on
early projects all in an e�ort to achieve the perception of success and productivity
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 3/14
quickly. The ultimate payo� is to reduce turnover and encourage workers to stay with
an organization for a longer tenure.
“Transitions are periods of opportunity, a chance to start afresh and to make needed
changes in an organization,” writes Michael Watkins, a professor at the International
Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland and author
of The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels. “But they are
also periods of acute vulnerability, because you lack established working relationships
and a detailed understanding of your new role.”
Dig Deeper: How To Build An Onboarding Plan for a New Hire
How to Make An Employee’s First 90 Days Successful: Why Focus on Employee
Orientation Early
According to Ron Thomas, an HR strategy consultant and blogger at
StrategyFocusedHR who developed a highly successful talent management strategy
while at Martha Stewart Living and IBM, employee retention and success is the
ultimate goal. But companies today are dealing with a challenging environment
regarding employee satisfaction. In short, Thomas notes that employees no longer
have loyalty to one employer and are looking for organizations that can build their
skills and experience and make them more valuable resources. In turn, managers are
pressured to maximize the return on talent more quickly and more e�ciently than
ever before, and as a result, managers must balance leadership with management,
creativity with control and the needs of people with productivity.
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/building-an-onboarding-plan.html
http://www.strategyfocusedhr.blogspot.com/
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 4/14
“When we’re talking about onboarding and an employee’s �rst ninety days on the
job, what we’re really talking about is employee retention,” Thomas says. “Without a
proper plan for bringing new employees on board, managers run the risk of
miscommunication of goals and expectations, sub-par performance, lower morale,
bad decisions and potentially �nancial loss in the form of employee turnover.”
The amount of time you have as an employer to motivate a new employee and make
them a successful team member is quite limited. Many past studies indicate that the
�rst ninety days are the most important in a new job, but for many, it’s a process that
starts long before the employee is even in the building. You can do a lot of di�erent
things to increase an employee’s comfort level and productivity in the �rst ninety
days, from lunches to meetings to introductions and more. But an individualized
program shows them that you truly do care about their success within your business.
There is no hard and fast way to do it, but some combination of emails, meetings,
events and more can make the di�erence.
Article continues after video.
F E A T U R E D V I D E O
Wake-Up Call: ‘Commitment Will Always Beat Out Talent’
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 5/14
“When you do it right, you accelerate these new team members’ time to productivity
or help them to deliver better results faster,” says George Bradt, the managing
director of PrimeGenesis, a Connecticut-based executive onboarding and transition
acceleration group he founded in 2002. “And when you do it wrong, they are less
productive and they most often fail. According to a study done by the Center for
Creative Leadership, forty percent of executives hired at the senior level are pushed
out, fail or quit within the �rst eight months. So if you don’t do it right, you have this
extremely high failure rate. That’s why you need to be focused.”
Dig Deeper: New Employee Orientation Guide and Checklist
How to Make An Employee’s First 90 Days Successful: Managing the First
90 Days
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/tools/new-employee-orientation-guide-and-checklist.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 6/14
Before They Start: Small things should be your focus before the employee starts. Send
a welcome note sharing your excitement for them to join the team, send the �rst
week’s orientation schedule and new hire paperwork, involve HR and other team
members (this isn’t just a responsibility of the manager), set up the employee’s work
station (phone, computer, etc.) and more. Getting a head start before the employee is
in the building goes a long way to building trust and excitement with the new hire.
Day One: As you manage the message on day one, it’s really important to make the
new employee feel welcome. This is the most important day of their employment,
Bradt says. Simple steps to ensure an employee’s satisfaction early include greeting
them, physically being there as the boss, informally introducing them to the internal
team, which includes everyone they’ll need to work with to be successful. Setting up
onboarding conversations early on where you are assimilating the employee and
making active introductions rather than just sharing names and emails is vital. The
activities you have the employee participating in the �rst day should follow the job
details from day one; so if you’re in customer service, get them on the phone with a
customer.
“At the end of day one, have a debrie�ng with the boss to make sure that the
employee had a good day,” Bradt adds. “That shows that you care about them and you
want to hear their opinions. And then include a take-home package, which could vary
by organization. If you’re a soap company, give them soap samples, if you’re a
�nancial services company, a one-page guide to household �nances. Really anything
that they can take home and share with people at home to answer that question
about how the �rst day was.”
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 7/14
According to Thomas, day one is also a good time to begin setting both short- and
long-term goals, whether they are professional (actual projects the new hire will be
working on) or personal (regarding familiarization with the organization, contacts
made, etc.).
“It’s a great idea to give them a project early on so they really feel like they’re
contributing,” Thomas says. “It doesn’t have to be the most in-depth work, but it will
be good to get their feet wet and they won’t feel like they’re simply getting oriented.
From there, start thinking about the bigger project at hand, which should have been
something you addressed with the candidate before you even made the hire.”
Week 1 Assessment: After one week on the job, the employee should begin to feel
comfortable with their responsibilities, should have met at least one (ideally more)
new business contacts each day, should be familiar with their team members (in their
department and out) and should be able to walk into your o�ce with any questions.
A good idea, according to Picoult, is to o�er up an informal session of drinks, cake, or
something similar with the other team members at the end of week one so that the
new hire can assess their learnings, ask any questions to the group and hang out in a
less formal setting.
According to Thomas, it might be a good idea to set up a questionnaire for the
employee to complete after week one. Issues you want them to address (perhaps with
a 1-5 point scale, 1 being a minimum explanation and 5 thorough) are their
orientation, objectives set, motivation from the manager, assimilation, adaptation,
mentor, organizational philosophy, feedback, facility tours and more. This is a very
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 8/14
simple way to address your onboarding policies throughout the process to see when
and how progress is made.
15 Day Follow Up: “During the follow-up stage, the manager should check in on the
employee’s progress toward the goals discussed in the departmental orientation,” says
Thomas. At this time the manager can help the employee identify and resolve any
issues/challenges and therefore, increase the potential for good performance.
30 Day Check In: The important thing to note in the �rst 30 days is to familiarize the
new employee with the company through recruiting and introductions. You
shouldn’t expect the new hire to make extreme strides from a business perspective
during this time, but you should make them feel welcome as a person so that they can
then dig in.
“It’s important for any employee, but especially for new ones, to give them a
combination of smaller and larger projects,” Bradt says. “You don’t want somebody to
come in and think only about one big project, so start them o� with something a
little less intensive to get them started.”
45 Day Benchmark: Many outlets state that it takes 45 days to get the new employee
fully acclimated and acquainted with their new business, and HR industry studies
show that a signi�cant amount of sta� turnover – as high as 20 percent – typically
occurs in the �rst 45 days of employment. So this is a great time to sit down with the
new hire not only to assess their familiarity with the organization and their role but
also to see how happy they are. You can assess their performance to this point on
some of the shorter projects you assigned while also �guring out where their mind is
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 9/14
regarding the bigger picture projects you hired them for. This meeting could go a long
way in retaining the employee.
90 Day Review: Typically the amount of time it takes for an employee to fully be
accepted into an organization (in terms of health coverage, bene�ts, sick days, etc.),
the ninety-day mark is when you should start seeing serious results from your new
hire. Anything faster can mean that the employee hasn’t been analytical enough in
their assessment of the business, and by this time they should have a thorough
understanding of what will need to be done.
Dig Deeper: The 60-Day New Employee Survey
How to Make An Employee’s First 90 Days Successful: The Real Focus of the First
90 Days
Depending on your business and the job you’ve recently hired for, these policies can
obviously vary. But in short, there are four items you as a company and as a manager
you need to focus on in the �rst three months for your new employee.
1. Engaging the new employee by communicating and asking how things are going
and by taking them to lunch or co�ee, even if it’s just in the o�ce.
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/tools/2001/02/22153.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 10/14
DEC 13, 2010
2. Maintaining an open-door policy as a manager and ensure that this is
communicated to every employee, not just the new hire. This exudes that if they have
questions, you’ll be there for them.
3. Include both short- and long-term projects for the new hire from an early stage.
New employees feel an inherent desire to contribute to the business right away. You
don’t want them working on the big projects, though, until they’re really up to speed
on the way your company works.
4. In addition to a regular meeting that managers should set up, ensure that the new
employee’s direct manager conducts a review at the end of the �rst 90 days that
actually involves the employee (make it two-way feedback).
5. Sponsoring and organizing company get-togethers, formally or informally—
anything from co�ee and donuts in the conference room to a happy hour or a retreat
can bring the sta� together and encourage a team atmosphere.
Dig Deeper: What to do to make a new employee feel welcome
Inc. helps entrepreneurs change the world. Get the advice you need to start, grow, and lead your business today.
Subscribe here for unlimited access.
M O R E F R O M I N C .
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
http://ask.inc.com/what-do-you-do-to-make-a-new-employee-feel-welcome
https://inc.com/subscribe?cid=dan905:660:s00:CTA_&utm_source=paidDisplayOn&utm_medium=edit%20article%20footer&utm_campaign=dan905:660:s00:CTA_
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 11/14
T E C H N O L O G Y
Tim Cook May Have Just Ended Facebook
R E S E A R C H I N G T H E C O M P E T I T I O N
The Daring Gmail Strategy That Bombas Used to Get Ahead
S E C U R I T Y
The 5 Best Cybersecurity Tips for Small Business for 2021
C O V I D R E S O U R C E C E N T E R
Cash, Comps, and Time O�: How Small Businesses Are Encouraging Covid Vaccinations
B U S I N E S S M O D E L S
Robinhood Struggles With the Monster It Created
Top Stories
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/technology
https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/tim-cook-may-have-just-ended-facebook.html
https://www.inc.com/researching-the-competition
https://www.inc.com/magazine/202102/lindsay-blakely/startup-competitive-advantage-gather-information-intelligence.html
https://www.inc.com/security
https://www.inc.com/amrita-khalid/cybersecurity-tips.html
https://www.inc.com/covid-resources
https://www.inc.com/brit-morse/cash-comps-time-off-how-small-businesses-are-encouraging-covid-vaccinations.html
https://www.inc.com/business-models
https://www.inc.com/diana-ransom/robinhood-gamestop-amc-freemium-sequoia-business-model.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/amrita-khalid/cybersecurity-tips.html
https://www.inc.com/diana-ransom/robinhood-gamestop-amc-freemium-sequoia-business-model.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 12/14
N E W S L E T T E R
Today’s 5 Must Reads
These are the Inc. posts you can’t miss before the day is done
Type your email Sign Up
I N C . T O P A R T I C L E S
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 13/14
S P O N S O R E D B U S I N E S S C O N T E N T
S M A R T A S S E T
7 Mistakes You’ll Make When
Hiring a Financial Advisor
S C H W A B A D V I S O R
S E R V I C E S
What does �duciary mean?
S T A N S B E R R Y R E S E A R C H
Finance PhD: “Dump your
cash Now”
A L L I A N C E B E R N S T E I N
AB 2021 Equity Outlook:
Should Equity Investors
Change Course?
Skip Ad
N E W S L E T T E R S L E A D I N N O V A T E G R O W
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://www.dianomi.com/click.epl?pn=67559&offer=15662097&savid=168604&said=5985&adv=8198&cf=1063.185.Inc&unique_id=YBnrlsXia–AxmbXaUk-hQAAAAg&smartreferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inc.com%2Fguides%2F2010%2F12%2Fhow-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html
https://www.dianomi.com/click.epl?pn=76078&offer=17110156&savid=194769&said=5985&adv=8198&cf=1063.185.Inc&unique_id=YBnrlsXia–AxmbXaUk-hQAAAAg&smartreferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inc.com%2Fguides%2F2010%2F12%2Fhow-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html
https://www.dianomi.com/click.epl?pn=77094&offer=17263247&savid=197868&said=5985&adv=8198&cf=1063.185.Inc&unique_id=YBnrlsXia–AxmbXaUk-hQAAAAg&smartreferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inc.com%2Fguides%2F2010%2F12%2Fhow-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html
https://www.dianomi.com/click.epl?pn=77073&offer=17258239&savid=197771&said=5985&adv=8198&cf=1063.185.Inc&unique_id=YBnrlsXia–AxmbXaUk-hQAAAAg&smartreferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inc.com%2Fguides%2F2010%2F12%2Fhow-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html
https://www.inc.com/
https://www.inc.com/newsletters
https://www.inc.com/lead
https://www.inc.com/innovate
https://www.inc.com/grow
2/2/2021 How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful | Inc.com
https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/12/how-to-make-an-employees-first-90-days-successful.html 14/14
P R I V A C Y P O L I C Y
N O T I C E O F C O L L E C T I O N
D O N O T S E L L M Y D A T A
A D V E N D O R P O L I C Y
T E R M S O F U S E
A D V E R T I S E
H E L P C E N T E R
S I T E M A P
C O P Y R I G H T 2 0 2 1 M A N S U E T O V E N T U R E S
We updated our Privacy Policy as of February 24, 2020.
Learn about our personal information collection practices here.
https://incmagazine.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
https://www.mansueto.com/vendor-policies.html
https://www.mansueto.com/terms-of-service
https://mediakit.inc.com/
https://incmagazine.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
https://www.inc.com/sitemaps
https://www.mansueto.com/vendor-policies.html
2/2/2021 Employee Orientation and Training | Principles of Management
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/ 1/7
Employee Orientation and Training
2/2/2021 Employee Orientation and Training | Principles of Management
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/ 2/7
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Describe employee orientation approaches.
Describe employee training approaches.
Before any employee can get to work, he or she must go through a process of onboarding that
includes:
Filling out legal and financial paperwork
Learning about and signing up for eligible benefits
Reviewing the employee handbook and policies
Receiving any necessary training in job-specific technology, procedures, etc.
Sometimes, corporations believe that they can hand new employees a stack of paperwork and
assume they will fill it out correctly and figure out how to fit in with their new employer. This is rarely a
good idea, as every employer has its own systems and expectations—and being the “new kid on the
block” is tough enough without adding a laundry list of do-it-yourself tasks.
Why Orientation and Training Are Important
When a new employee arrives, he or she is likely to have preconceived ideas about what is expected
of him or her, and are likely to be anxious about making a good impression. Often, those ideas are
based either on prior experience, on word of mouth, or on information the new employees have
gathered through the media. None of these sources will help a new employee if his expectations don’t
match reality.
Orientation and training can serve many positive purposes. For example, they can:
1. Lower costs by helping the employee get up to speed quickly and avoid time- or money-
consuming mistakes.
2/2/2021 Employee Orientation and Training | Principles of Management
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/ 3/7
2. Help the employee to gain confidence and feel valued because he or she knows the company’s
system, people, and expectations.
3. Improve the employee’s performance by helping him or her to build skills and relationships
quickly.
Employees who know what they’re doing can save their employer a huge amount of money. Almost
half of Walmart’s workers turn over each year,[1] which could be why it often scores poorly for
customer service. Walmart said inept shelf-stocking cost $3 billion in 2014.[2] Costco pays more to
have happier staff who quit less and build up skills. Margins are higher as a result.[3]
Even an employee who makes $8 per hour can end up costing a company around $3,500 in turnover
costs, both direct and indirect.[4] Some studies have put the costs of employee turnover in certain
industries even higher—one report from Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research estimated
an overall turnover rate of 120 percent in the quick-service restaurant industry, with turnover costs
averaging $5,864 per employee.[5]
How Human Resources Onboards Employees
Human resources professionals are usually in charge of ensuring new hires have completed all
necessary paperwork, signed up for benefits, reviewed safety and ethics policies, and received a
comprehensive tour of the workplace. Before getting into the details of the workplace, most HR
managers will ensure that employees have filled out and signed paperwork that proves their eligibility
to work in the United States, as well as tax forms and other important documents.
Together with the hiring manager, HR may also set up and implement training, introduce new hires to
key staff, provide keys or codes, and explain (for example) how mail is sent and received, when and
where to get lunch, where to park, and whether it’s okay to use social media during work hours.
How Managers Welcome New Employees
Even though HR will (or should) walk a new employee through necessary paperwork and training, it’s
important for managers to make their new hires feel welcome. It’s equally important to help new hires
acclimate to a new work setting. To do this, many managers will:
Send a welcome letter to their new hire before they arrive, providing information about what to
expect on their first day at the new job. Sometimes this letter will include suggestions for
2/2/2021 Employee Orientation and Training | Principles of Management
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/ 4/7
appropriate attire, parking information, and other key details.
Meet with HR to discuss exactly when and how the new hire will learn about company policies
and benefits.
Meet with team members to set up the new hire’s work space, passwords, telephones, and
access to necessary systems.
Assign one individual to serve as the new employee’s mentor or buddy (usually someone who
knows the ropes and can provide answers to most reasonable questions).
Plan for the new hire’s schedule and initial set of tasks, as well as a process for helping the new
hire to ask questions, review procedures, and ensure that he or she is off to a good start.
Plan for any training the new hire will need (in collaboration with HR and department members).
Set up a lunch with the new hire and other members of the working team as a way to get to
know one another, answer questions, and make personal connections.
Options for New Employee Training
Training can take many forms, depending upon the type of work for which the employee is hired and
the employee’s existing level of skill. Training may be more critical if the company uses proprietary
2/2/2021 Employee Orientation and Training | Principles of Management
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/ 5/7
software or systems that don’t exist in other locations or if procedures or policies are unusual, involve
industrial or official secrets, require specialized knowledge, or are legally complex.
Some types of training techniques include:
Self-paced online training in areas such as software skills, safety procedures, or other technical
skills.
Hands-on training in the use of equipment or machines ranging from copiers to heavy
equipment.
Leader-led group training programs to teach “soft” skills such as coaching, team-building,
customer service, client management.
Formal business courses through outside vendors.
“Shadowing” or following a skilled employee to observe and learn skills and procedures.
Mentoring or one-on-one meetings to review work, discuss options, and provide feedback.
The key to successful training is to ensure that the employee truly understands and can use the
information provided. Evaluation can involve formal testing or informal conversations. It’s important to
let the new hire know that questions are welcome—and there is no such thing as a “dumb question.”
1. Rachel Abrams, “Walmart Worker Advocates Express Skepticism Over Raises,” June 3, 2016,
accessed July 27, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/business/walmart-worker-
advocates-express-skepticism-over-raises.html. ↵
2. “Serfs up,” The Economist, March 26, 2015, accessed July 27,
2017, https://www.economist.com/news/business/21647320-american-firms-are-having-
get-back-habit-granting-pay-rises-serfs-up. ↵
3. Wayne F. Cascio, “The High Cost of Low Wages,” December 2006, accessed July 27,
2017, https://hbr.org/2006/12/the-high-cost-of-low-wages. ↵
4. The Build Network, “Try Fixing the Problem Before Replacing It,” Inc., Feb. 27, 2014, accessed
July 27, 2017, https://www.inc.com/the-build-network/turnover-costs.html. ↵
5. J. B. Tracey and Timothy R. Hinkin. “The Costs of Employee Turnover: When the Devil Is in the
Details.” Cornell Hospitality Report 6, no. 15 (2006), 6,
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/business/walmart-worker-advocates-express-skepticism-over-raises.html
https://www.economist.com/news/business/21647320-american-firms-are-having-get-back-habit-granting-pay-rises-serfs-up
https://hbr.org/2006/12/the-high-cost-of-low-wages
https://www.inc.com/the-build-network/turnover-costs.html
2/2/2021 Employee Orientation and Training | Principles of Management
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/ 6/7
8. http://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1148&context=chrpubs. ↵
http://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1148&context=chrpubs
2/2/2021 Employee Orientation and Training | Principles of Management
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/employee-orientation-and-training/ 7/7
2/2/2021 Council Post: Seven New Onboarding Strategies
You’ll See This Year
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/01/30/seven-new-onboarding-strategies-youll-see-this-year/?sh=4cc048957b4d 1/4
Leadership
POST WRITTEN BY
Forbes Coaches Council
Top business and career coaches from Forbes Coaches Council offer �rsthand insights
on leadership development & careers.
Seven New Onboarding Strategies
You’ll See This Year
Jan 30, 2017, 09:00am EST
Forbes Coaches Council COUNCIL POST | Membership (fee-based)
According to a study from Equifax, more than half of all employees who left
their job in the past year did so within the first 12 months.
To counter this problem, more and more companies are turning their efforts
toward retention, and that starts with onboarding. Recently, we asked
members of Forbes Coaches Council to describe new onboarding strategies
companies will be using this year. Here’s what they said.
https://www.forbes.com/leadership
http://forbescoachescouncil.com/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/
http://www.equifax.com/business/workforce-insights/turnover
https://forbescoachescouncil.com/
2/2/2021 Council Post: Seven New Onboarding Strategies You’ll See This Year
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/01/30/seven-new-onboarding-strategies-youll-see-this-year/?sh=4cc048957b4d 2/4
1. Purposefully Introducing Candidates To Workplace Culture
New employees are often unfamiliar with the cultural nuances of a novel
workplace environment. Companies now realize providing clear guidance on
culture and how to maximize an employee’s success within it as a strategic
priority. Also, because many “rules of the road” are often policy-based and
not found in a handbook, discussions on culture will likely escalate to
enhance the onboarding process. – Karima Mariama-Arthur,
Esq., WordSmithRapport
2. Mentorship Programs
Companies have just invested a lot of time and talent on culture and training
this past year. Their teams are moving in one direction and now someone
new will be added to the mix, how do you integrate this new person?
Establish a mentorship program where new employees have someone that
will walk them through the soft skills of how things work. Mentors step up,
lead and integrate. – Dina Simon, Simon Says Lead
3. Follow-Up
The key factor in successful onboarding will be following up throughout the
process to be sure that the new employee is assimilating into the culture and
is obtaining the support and education they need to be successful in their
new position. – Lynda Foster, Cortex Leadership Consulting
4. Clear Goals And Objectives
Nestled between talent acquisition and talent development, onboarding is
the backbone of bench strength. New employees are successful right out of
the gate when they are given the best-engineered equipment: clear goals and
objectives; the right tools and equipment to achieve the goals; honest and
From left to right: Karima Mariama-Arthur, Esq., Dina Simon, Lynda Foster, Stacy Feiner, Mark S.
Babbit, Sharon Hull, Edyta Pacuk. All photos courtesy of the individual members.
http://www.wordsmithrapport.com/index.html
https://twitter.com/lfosterva
http://www.cortexleadership.com/
2/2/2021 Council Post: Seven New Onboarding Strategies You’ll See This Year
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/01/30/seven-new-onboarding-strategies-youll-see-this-year/?sh=4cc048957b4d 3/4
regular feedback for career development; and sincere, consistent
acknowledgment of a job well done. – Stacy Feiner, PsyD, BDO USA
5. Onboarding As A Team Sport
In 2017, more companies will onboard using a “First 90 Days” mindset.
From Day 1 to Day 90, a new employee will be walked through every detail
that affects their job, their fit within company culture and the organization’s
mission. The “First 90 Days” is not an HR function. From colleagues to the
CEO, many people will be responsible for making sure those first 90 days set
a positive tone and precedence. – Mark S. Babbitt, YouTern
6. Welcome Buddies
Assign a veteran employee to plan a welcome event and to introduce the new
employee to the office. Ask the “buddy” to connect with the new employee
weekly for the first month to see what their needs are, and at least monthly
during the first six months. Reward the veteran with protected time from
her duties in order to complete this task. It’s legitimate work on behalf of the
organization. – Sharon Hull, Metta Solutions, LLC
7. More External Support
While organizations are more aware that onboarding is a critical success
factor when bringing a new person in, the overworked management group
has currently less time than ever to meaningfully integrate the new
employee. I anticipate 2017 will bring more external onboarding
coaching/support to help the individuals hit the ground running as soon as
possible. – Edyta Pacuk, MarchFifteen Consulting Inc.
Forbes Coaches Council
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only, fee-based organization comprised of
leading business coaches and career coaches. Find out if you qualify at Forbes
Councils.… Read More
http://www.stacyfeiner.com/
http://youtern.com/thesavvyintern
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/
https://councils.forbes.com/forbescoachescouncil?utm_source=forbes.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=forbes-links&utm_content=archive-homepage-link
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/
https://www.parsintl.com/publication/forbes/
2/2/2021 Council Post: Seven New Onboarding Strategies You’ll See This Year
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/01/30/seven-new-onboarding-strategies-youll-see-this-year/?sh=4cc048957b4d 4/4
ADVERTISEMENT
Reprints & Permissions
https://www.parsintl.com/publication/forbes/
2/2/2021 Reinvent Your Onboarding Process
https://www.hrci.org/community/blogs-and-announcements/hr-leads-business-blog/hr-leads-business/2017/06/01/reinvent-your-onboarding-process 1/3
Reinvent Your Onboarding Process
At Cirrus Logic, ranked eighth on the 2015 Great Place to Work Best Medium Workplaces
list, new hires are immersed in a culture camp called the School of Cirrus Rocks. At the
camp, participants first learn about company values through storytelling. They then break
into groups and create a story in the form of a song about working at the company. Later,
they meet at a local bar with local musicians to perform their songs and get cheered on by
their teams and supervisors.
While many organizations prefer more structure to onboarding programs, others follow a
sink-or-swim approach, where new employees must figure out on their own what the team
and the organization expects from them. Whatever form onboarding takes in your
workplace, it is one of the most important contributions a hiring manager or HR professional
can make to talent retention, employee engagement and organizational performance.
What Is Onboarding and Why Does It Matter?
Onboarding is the process of getting new hires adjusted, quickly and smoothly, to the social
and performance aspects of their new jobs. The more prepared new hires are, the faster
they’ll be able to connect and contribute to an organization’s mission and values. While
most organizations do some type of onboarding, few do it well. For example, studies show
that:
Nearly 1-in-3 of new hires leave the company, voluntarily or involuntarily, before the
end of their first year. And this number has been increasing steadily for the last four
years, finds PwC Saratoga.
Bradford D. Smart, Ph.D., estimates that 50 percent of all senior outside hires fail
within 18 months on the job.
22 percent of staff turnover occurs in the first 45 days of employment, finds
the Wynhurst Group.
The cost of new-hire turnover is significant, with PwC Saratoga estimating that costs can be
50-to-150 percent of the annual salary for the job.
Onboarding Best Practices
There are several things organizations can do to improve onboarding and reduce the risks
of turnover:
Commit to a formal orientation plan. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for onboarding,
but best-in-class organizations often have formal programs that are strategic, consistent
and integrated. Of course, not all organizations can commit to a culture camp like the one at
Cirrus Logic. But it’s essential for an organization to be “all in” with an onboarding program
when it comes to time and resources.
Jun 1, 2017 | Holly Burkett, Ph.D., SPHR, HRCI Guest Blogger
®
https://www.mindjet.com/blog/2012/04/top-tips-to-assimilate-new-workers-into-your-company-culture/
2/2/2021 Reinvent Your Onboarding Process
https://www.hrci.org/community/blogs-and-announcements/hr-leads-business-blog/hr-leads-business/2017/06/01/reinvent-your-onboarding-process 2/3
Make the first day special. It may be just another day for you as an established employee,
but for the new employee, the first day on the job is special. In some companies, the CEO
takes every employee to lunch within the first month. At Cirrus Logic, participants are given
a special memento to remember their experience ― a miniature guitar. Since the trajectory
of a new hire’s success is set as early as the first two weeks, it pays to make the first day a
special one.
Foster connections. The New Flyer Orientation & Assimilation program at Radio Flyer is a
six-month onboarding process with a distinct connections phase. This is where new hires
meet with their team and various groups within the organization to learn about products and
customers, and the company’s mission, vision and values. Employees act as coaches and
the CEO facilitates two courses in the series.
Involving management and peers in onboarding is particularly important. A major reason
why newly hired employees struggle and ultimately leave employers is because they fail to
build key connections and strong interpersonal relationships within the company.
Leverage technology. Many organizations use technology to complement the social
aspect of onboarding. This includes streaming videos of employees that explain what a
typical day at the company is like, talking about what their first days and months on the job
were like, and offering up words of advice for the new employees. Online social networks
for employees ― like Facebook ― can link new workers with veterans. Many companies
use technology to post welcoming messages from the CEO and other members of the
senior leadership team.
The Importance of Follow Up
It’s important to recognize that effective onboarding take place over time. Best practices
include using milestones such as 30, 60, 90 and 120 days to follow-up and check in on
progress, concerns and suggestions. Radio Flyer’s onboarding process incorporates five
yearly check-ins. Sample follow-up questions are:
Was it clear to you what to do once you received your offer letter?
Is your job as it was described to you during the hiring process?
Did you feel welcome on your first day?
Did your managers take the time to coach you?
Were you provided the tools to do your job effectively?
Other leading companies survey hiring managers monthly or quarterly to gauge their
satisfaction with the hiring and onboarding process.
Benefits of Effective Onboarding
At Radio Flyer, turnover rates have decreased and employee satisfaction with the
organization has significantly increased since the inception of the program. In general,
companies with well-designed and well-integrated onboarding processes can improve
organizational performance. Specific benefits include:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-radio-flyer-improved-its-first-year-turnover-lauren-dixon
2/2/2021 Reinvent Your Onboarding Process
https://www.hrci.org/community/blogs-and-announcements/hr-leads-business-blog/hr-leads-business/2017/06/01/reinvent-your-onboarding-process 3/3
• Increased time to new-hire productivity and proficiency.
• Improved retention rates through better employee assimilation.
• Reduced turnover costs.
• Increased efficiencies.
• Improved service levels for hiring managers.
Finally, research from the Wynhurst Group shows that new employees who go through a
structured onboarding process are 58 percent more likely to stay with the company for more
than three years. So, what are you waiting for? Take some of these examples and best
practices and pledge to rock your new hires’ experience by reinventing and reinvigorating
your own onboarding process.
Holly Burkett, Ph.D., SPHR, is an accomplished talent builder, strategic change agent,
HRD consultant, speaker, coach, trainer and award-winning author of Learning for the Long
Run. Her Twitter handle is @evalworks. Portions of this article are excerpted from her book.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2015/05/29/how-to-get-employee-onboarding-right/#30cfe65f407b
https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-burkett-phd-sphr-cpt-2672062
2/2/2021 What is Employee Onboarding — And Why do You Need It? | Blog.SHRM.org
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/what-is-employee-onboarding-and-why-do-you-need-it?_ga=2.110698565.1743394787.1542496676-1232592599.15056004… 1/5
By Sean Little (/Author/782) On February 26, 2019
0 Comments (/Blog/What-Is-Employee-Onboarding-And-Why-Do-You-Need-It#Comments)
What is Employee Onboarding —
And Why do You Need It?
Finding the best candidates for positions in your organization is only part of building an effective team. The process of
onboarding new employees can be one of the most critical factors in ensuring recently hired talent will be productive,
contented workers. However, in some organizations, onboarding is often confused with orientation. While orientation might
be necessary — paperwork and other routine tasks must be completed — onboarding is a comprehensive process involving
management and other employees that can last up to 12 months.
Goals of an Effective Onboarding Process
Overall, effective onboarding should acclimate the new employee to allow him or her to become a
contributing member of the staff in the briefest period possible, while engaging the employee to
enhance productivity and improve the opportunity for the company to retain the employee. A better
understanding of the concept can perhaps be gained by examining certain key words individually.
Acclimate — Acclimating a new employee is far more than just pointing out the location of the
break room or explaining the parking situation. Every workplace has its own personality, and
every company has its own goals and philosophies. Newly hired employees need to understand
what the company expects from them and the specific role they will play in achieving team or
company goals. At the same time, new hires need to be made aware of what they can expect
from the company, such as management support, availability of resources or performance
reviews.
Engage — A Gallup study (http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/163130/employee-
engagement-drives-growth.aspx) showed a correlation between engaged employees and a
company’s profitability, turnover rate, safety record, absenteeism, product quality and customer
ratings. An effective onboarding plan offers an ideal opportunity to boost employee
engagement, such as fostering a supportive relationship between a new hire and management,
reinforcing the company’s commitment to helping employees’ professional growth or proving
that management recognizes the employee’s talent.
Retain — According to an article in ‘Inc.” about the costs of employee turnover,
(http://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/why-employee-turnover-is-so-costly.html) monetary costs to
replace an employee can be as much as 150 percent of the annual salary. Most of these costs
are hidden, reflected in lower productivity, reduced morale among remaining employees who
are asked to do more and special knowledge or experience that only the departing employee
20 (https://blog.shrm.org/flag/flag/blog_likes/5372?
destination=node/5372%3F_ga%3D2.110698565.1743394787.1542496
1232592599.1505600439&token=78a4767ed629ec5e55133df7ed0ee641
https://blog.shrm.org/author/782
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/what-is-employee-onboarding-and-why-do-you-need-it#comments
http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/163130/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspx
http://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/why-employee-turnover-is-so-costly.html
https://blog.shrm.org/flag/flag/blog_likes/5372?destination=node/5372%3F_ga%3D2.110698565.1743394787.1542496676-1232592599.1505600439&token=78a4767ed629ec5e55133df7ed0ee641&has_js=1
2/2/2021 What is Employee Onboarding — And Why do You Need It? | Blog.SHRM.org
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/what-is-employee-onboarding-and-why-do-you-need-it?_ga=2.110698565.1743394787.1542496676-1232592599.15056004… 2/5
possessed. Quantifiable costs can include fees to recruiters, interviewing costs and the cost to
train a new employee.
Tips for Effective Employee Onboarding
Effective employee onboarding requires good prior planning. Ideally, the onboarding plan should be
integrated with the recruitment plan. In other words, as soon as the decision is made to hire an
employee, the plan to onboard the new hire should at least be outlined although specific details, such
as the current employee who will assist with acclimation, may be added later. The following tips can
help onboard a new employee successfully.
Prepare a comprehensive, written statement of the new hire’s responsibilities and objectives. If
possible, have this available during the interview process to reduce the potential for
misunderstandings.
No later than the day before the new employee is to report for work, send an email or memo to
all current employees. A new hire can be especially unsettled if, when he or she arrives to start
work, no one seems to know who this person is or who to notify.
Choose an employee — ideally a peer of the new hire — to assist with orientation and
acclimation. Pay careful attention to the selection of this employee. Be sure to choose someone
who would be a good role model for the new hire and who will have a good attitude about the
assignment.
Supervisors and managers need to play a significant role in the onboarding process. It is during
the early days that the future tone of the relationship can be established. As repeated studies
have shown, the leading factor in employee dissatisfaction is a negative relationship with his or
her immediate manager. Onboarding is an excellent time to convince new hires that they are
respected, valued and appreciated. As the onboarding process continues, managers should
offer encouragement, review the employee’s progress and provide feedback.
If possible, make lunch the first day a group event, with the entire department or office treating
the new hire. This is a good way to socialize and allow the new employee to get to know co-
workers. Consider asking one or more co-workers to be the new hire’s “lunch buddy” for the
first week or two to give the new employee a chance to learn the best options for lunch in the
area.
When new hires arrive for their first day on the job, they have the right to have their work area
ready to go. Make sure the phone is working, the computer is functioning and that the area is
clean. If the area has been used for staging files bound for the archives or excess office
supplies, have them removed.
Get feedback from current employees to help create an onboarding plan. Ask them how their
first weeks or months could have been improved or what they wish managers had done during
that time. Ask them to think of things that they wish they had known during their early days.
Their experiences can help ensure that new hires get the information and assistance they truly
need, rather than just what a specific manager feels they should want.
Be willing to be creative with onboarding. Mohit Garg wrote an interesting article on
using gamification during onboarding (http://www.mindtickle.com/blog/3-examples-of-
gamification-in-new-employee-onboarding-and-why-this-works/) and the reasons that it works.
http://www.mindtickle.com/blog/3-examples-of-gamification-in-new-employee-onboarding-and-why-this-works/
2/2/2021 What is Employee Onboarding — And Why do You Need It? | Blog.SHRM.org
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/what-is-employee-onboarding-and-why-do-you-need-it?_ga=2.110698565.1743394787.1542496676-1232592599.15056004… 3/5
TAGS: ONBOARDING (/TAGS/ONBOARDING)
Onboarding is not a one-day, one-week or one-month event. It is an ongoing process that starts with
the decision to hire an employee and continues until the new hire is a productive member of the
team. Although this might sound like a great deal of effort, the rewards can make it worth every
minute invested.
Originally published in February 2015.
(/author/782)
WRITTEN BY Sean.Little (/author/782)
Sean Little is the VP of Marketing for FirstJob.com (http://FirstJob.com). FirstJob matches
current students and recent college graduates with internships and quality career opportunities. Sean
also runs FirstJob’s campus ambassador program at campuses across the country, helping students
learn marketing topics while connecting them with top brands and job opportunities. When not busy
trying to help recent grads find their dream job, Sean can be found out in San Francisco partaking in
live music.
The SHRM Blog does not accept solicitation for guest posts.
COMMENTS
Name
Please enter the text you see in the image below:
Comment
ADD YOUR VOICE
https://blog.shrm.org/tags/onboarding
https://blog.shrm.org/author/782
https://blog.shrm.org/author/782
http://firstjob.com/
2/2/2021 What is Employee Onboarding — And Why do You Need It? | Blog.SHRM.org
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/what-is-employee-onboarding-and-why-do-you-need-it?_ga=2.110698565.1743394787.1542496676-1232592599.15056004… 4/5
captcha
SUBMIT
The Better Workplaces Challenge Cup — Intersection of HR and Tech to Create Better Workplaces
(/blog/the-intersection-of-hr-and-tech-to-create-better-workplaces)
February 2, 2021
6 Steps to implementing a Workforce Planning Change Process (/blog/workforce-planning-is-a-big-
change-process)
February 1, 2021
Terms of Engagement (/blog/terms-of-engagement)
February 1, 2021
Why Does Belonging Matter at Work? (/blog/why-does-belonging-matter-at-work)
July 3, 2020
8 Workplace Guard Rails for a Happy #ValentinesDay (/blog/8-workplace-guard-rails-for-a-happy-
valentinesday)
February 14, 2020
RELATED CONTENT
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/the-intersection-of-hr-and-tech-to-create-better-workplaces
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/workforce-planning-is-a-big-change-process
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/terms-of-engagement
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/why-does-belonging-matter-at-work
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/8-workplace-guard-rails-for-a-happy-valentinesday
2/2/2021 What is Employee Onboarding — And Why do You Need It? | Blog.SHRM.org
https://blog.shrm.org/blog/what-is-employee-onboarding-and-why-do-you-need-it?_ga=2.110698565.1743394787.1542496676-1232592599.15056004… 5/5
Contact Us (https://www.shrm.org/about/pages/contactus.aspx) | (800) 283.SHRM (7476)
© 2021 SHRM All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy
(https://www.shrm.org/about/copyrightpermissions/pages/privacy.aspx) | Your California Privacy Rights
(https://www.shrm.org/about/copyrightpermissions/Pages/privacy.aspx#calif-policy) | Terms of Use
(https://www.shrm.org/about/copyrightpermissions/pages/terms_agreement.aspx) | Site Map (/sitemap)
SHRM provides content as a service to its readers and members. It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the
accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Disclaimer
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
(https://www.facebook.com/societyforhum
(https://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=42596&trk=anet_ug_h
(https://www.instagram.com/s
(https://www.youtube.c
(http://feeds.feed
(http://twit
https://www.shrm.org/about/pages/contactus.aspx
https://www.shrm.org/about/copyrightpermissions/pages/privacy.aspx
https://www.shrm.org/about/copyrightpermissions/Pages/privacy.aspx#calif-policy
https://www.shrm.org/about/copyrightpermissions/pages/terms_agreement.aspx
https://blog.shrm.org/sitemap
https://www.facebook.com/societyforhumanresourcemanagement
https://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=42596&trk=anet_ug_hm
https://www.instagram.com/shrmpress/
https://www.youtube.com/user/SHRMofficial
http://feeds.feedburner.com/weknownext
- HRMN 400 – Week 4 Citations
- New Employee Orientation_ Employee Onboarding
- New Employee Onboarding Programs and Person-Organization Fit_ An
- How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire _ Inc.com
- How to Make an Employee’s First 90 Days Successful _ Inc.com
- Employee Orientation and Training _ Principles of Management
- Council Post_ Seven New Onboarding Strategies You’ll See This Year
- What is Employee Onboarding — And Why do You Need It_ _ Blog.SHRM.org
Bibliography
New Employee Onboarding
Tips on How to Provide a Better New Employee Orientation
How to Provide Effective New Employee Orientation
Steps for Creating a Positive New Employee Onboarding Experience
How to Welcome and Onboard a New Employee
University of Rhode Island
DigitalCommons@URI
2014
New Employee Onboarding Programs and Person-Organization Fit: An Examination of Socialization Tactics
Kaylee L. Pike
Recommended Citation
tmp.1486066354 .8EOVa
New Hire Onboarding as a Driver of Employee Engagement – Training
Why the Onboarding Experience Is Key for Retention
Reinvent Your Onboarding Process
Expert paper writers are just a few clicks away
Place an order in 3 easy steps. Takes less than 5 mins.