Good onboarding and induction practices for SMEs

Your new recruit has signed the contract. It might feel like the hard part is over, especially in today’s challenging recruitment market. But now the clock is ticking. Attrition rates remain quite high, with some industries seeing nearly one-fifth of new hires quitting in the first 45 days. And while there are many reasons for talent leaving so soon (inaccurate job description, mismatch of expectations etc), the first few weeks in a job are critical to help ensure your new recruit stays on. Getting induction and onboarding right can not only improve retention rates, but can have profound benefits for the company and the employee.

Here’s how to get your onboarding and induction programme right for your SME and why it’s an important part of the recruitment process.

Onboarding vs induction

First, what’s the difference between onboarding and induction? Most commonly, onboarding refers to the lengthy process (three months or more) of providing the new employee with the information and resources they need to get to know the company and perform their role. It helps them to understand company culture, processes, policies and practices, and gives them structure while they settle in. Onboarding starts before the new hire steps foot inside the workplace.

Generally speaking, induction takes place in the first few hours of the first day on the job. It might involve getting a name badge, clock-in card, a tour around the site, an introduction to coworkers and a quick run-down of health and safety information. It’s a small but important part of the onboarding process.

What makes a good onboarding programme?

Here are some useful tips to enhance your onboarding programme to help you get it right from the start.

Start early and plan – Onboarding begins the moment your new recruit signs the contract. Make sure you have a clear programme in place starting with the information they need before their first day and ending with a schedule of ongoing support.

Make it interactive – No matter how exciting it is to work for your company, your new hire will not be impressed if they have to sit through hours of presentations and days of reading materials. Keep things fresh by changing up how you provide key information about the workplace and their role. Make sure there’s a good mix of in-person and online training and introductions, shadowing, reference materials etc.

Keep it real ­– Company induction and onboarding can be a very transactional process, involving a heavy two-way flow of information between employer and employee. It would be too easy and very off-putting for all this information to be exchanged over a series of automated, standard emails. Make sure you involve line managers and HR representatives in as many of those transactions as possible, to help the new hire feel connected to the people they’ll be working with.

Make it the right length – Too short a programme and the new starter will be left to their own devices too soon, which could lead to poor performance, low confidence and disengagement. Too long and they might not feel trusted to get on with the job. Have a set programme length that covers all requirements, but allow for some flexibility to react to the needs of the individual.

Keep talking – Once the onboarding programme has come to an end, reassure your new employee that the process and conversation doesn’t end there. You could check in with them on a regular basis at scheduled 1-2-1s, send them an onboarding survey to keep the feedback loop open and help to improve your onboarding process for future recruits.

Why are onboarding and induction important for SMEs?

Good onboarding and induction programmes are mutually beneficial to the employee and the employer, regardless of the size of company. By making new starters feel welcome and valued, and helping them adjust to their new role, feel engaged in their work, be productive from the start, and feel like they’re part of a team, it can make them less likely to want to start looking for another job. Some 86% of new hires decide whether to stay or leave within six months of starting, so getting onboarding right is critical for staff retention in those first few months.

Avoiding another lengthy and potentially costly recruitment drive is only one reason to get onboarding right. There are plenty more benefits to employers and employees alike.

What are the benefits of a good onboarding and induction programme?

Benefits to the company/employer include:

• Keeping recruitment costs lower and retention rates higher, as a good, structured onboarding increases the likelihood of the new starter staying on.
• Increasing productivity and commitment to the job from week one – a new recruit who feels well adjusted to the new workplace and knows their role and responsibilities can hit the ground running.
• Managing expectations – a well-informed new starter will know what is expected of them from the outset in terms of company values, punctuality, workload, behaviour etc.
• Understanding the product and services – your new starter needs to develop a good knowledge of what your company is offering in order to do their job and know how they fit in with the rest of the workings of the company, so a solid onboarding programme will help to ensure this key information is developed and accurate from the start.

Benefits to the new hire include:

• Feeling welcome and developing a sense of belonging when their managers and team dedicate time to helping them become familiar with the workplace, coworkers and responsibilities.
• Feeling valued from the start when the company invests time and energy into helping them settle in.
• Developing an early sense of job satisfaction and engagement from receiving the appropriate amount of information and training from the outset.
• Boosting their confidence to overcome new job nerves by their supervisors and coworkers taking the time to help them adjust, giving them the support they need to feel equipped and ready to start doing their new role.

If you need help with recruitment, call Key Appointments on 0844 504 4666 or drop us a line at info@key-appointments.co.uk