Record high job turnover in the last two years has companies large and small running a relentless loop of recruiting and training. With managers and veterans repeatedly pulled away from their core work, productivity has dipped across industries. Turnarounds are especially costly when a new employee doesn’t stick around, and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some 20 percent of U.S. workers are leaving their jobs within 45 days of being hired.
Better training and optimized onboarding can slow the revolving door. From learning specialists, global companies, and small businesses, we’re seeing that some very basic steps are game changers for retention.
- Have a new-employee protocol before you bring on a new employee
- Begin onboarding before day one. Even reminding a new hire’s manager to think about logistics the day before the employee shows up will make a difference.
- Have technology set up before a new employee arrives.
- Assign a mentor, either peer or senior.
Two things that seem obvious but are often skipped:
- Discuss the role and its responsibilities with the new employee.
- Introduce them to the rest of the team and a selection of higher-ups.
- Discuss your company culture.
- Best question: “What questions do you have?”
- Let new employees work on a project soon after arrival.
- Schedule designated intervals to check in with new hires, and follow through!
These easy-to-implement tweaks to onboarding can help keep your output steady and your new talent yours.