Two of the long-term outcomes for employees that result from onboarding are job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Bauer, 2010). These are both necessary for every business to reach their full potential and be as productive as they can possibly be. Employers need to consider the long list of paybacks of onboarding when deciding whether or not to perform this activity. For example, improving retention rates (52 percent), overall customer satisfaction (53 percent), and increased time to productivity (60 percent) can be achieved from onboarding (Bauer, 2010).
One productive practice used by IBM is the three-step “assimilation process.” Affirming is the first step, which happens before employees begin and includes welcoming the new person, preparing a workstation, and assigning a coach to them (Bauer, 2010). The Beginning step comes next, which takes place over the first 30 days (Bauer, 2010). There are very specific and firm guidelines set up for this step. This is to guarantee that the new hires will be met in person and introduced to the team, are introduced to an intranet onboarding platform which is identified as “Your IBM,” and they are also provided a functional area to work (Bauer, 2010). The last step, Connecting, is throughout the first year of employment (Bauer, 2010). The first phase of Connecting consists of an “ask coach” that checks on things, and later in the year the focus is placed on the employee’s accomplishments and understanding of IBM’s strategies (Bauer, 2010). By doing these activities, this can show that the company actually cares about their new hires, and wants them to know more about the company than they might not have if these extra measures had not been taken. It can also keep people’s attention if they are doing something more interesting than simply filling out forms and reading monotonous papers about their positions.
Another company that performs onboarding is the makeup giant L’Oreal. Their onboarding process is fairly long compared to other companies, which some people agree is a good idea. The reasoning for this is that the people working for L’Oreal will not forget that their employer wants them to be content at work. They will also be able to fully understand any new activities they must perform by receiving training at these meetings. L’Oreal’s onboarding program, “L’Oreal Fit,” uses a six-part integration program which lasts two years and is structured and systematic (Bauer, 2010). This program provides training and discussions, permits meetings with key insiders, on-the-job learning which is supported by line management, individual mentoring and human resources support, as well as field and product experiences including site visits and shadowing (Bauer, 2010). Employees are able to feel more self-confident when provided with these options, as these programs can be more illustrative and descriptive of what is expected of them while they are on the clock.
I think that the “L’Oreal Fit” onboarding program is more effective and creative. The main reasoning for this is the strong amount of emphasis that is placed on working together on the spot with the new employees. For example, shadowing is an activity that can be productive in getting newcomers more aware of what expected of them. However, I also think it is very useful that IBM uses coaches, just as L’Oreal uses mentors. Providing employees with mentors not only helps them when they have various questions, but also just knowing that this assistance is available if needed can relieve unnecessary stress. While there are a number of practices that can be used during the onboarding process, it is essential to choose ones that work together to make the program successful, which I think L’Oreal has done.
References
Bauer, T. (2010). Onboarding new employees: Maximizing success. SHRM Foundation
Investing in the Future of HR. Retrieved from: http://www.shrm.org/about/foundation/
products/documents/onboarding%20epg-%20final.pdf
Biro, M. (2014). The onboarding experience matters to your future employees. Forbes. Retrieved
matters-to-your-future-employees/
