According to IDC, US and UK employees cost businesses an estimated $37 billion every year because they do not fully understand their jobs. New employee misunderstanding not only causes monetary losses, but it can also have a negative impact on brand reputation and customer relationships. All too often companies will spend a large amount of time, energy, and money acquiring employees, but fall short when it comes to orienting them into their new position.
In Michael Watkins’ book, The First 90 Days, he offers professional advice on employee onboarding, and assures readers that “the orientation or mainstreaming process of a new position is a crucial element in both individual and organizational development and establishes a foundation for future success”. By creating a standardized employee orientation program, businesses can benefit from:
-Reduced costs associated with learning on the job
-Reduced management time spent on new employee training
-Enhanced management and new employee productivity
-Increased employee retention rates
-Increase in employee accountability
IDC’s white paper commissioned by Cognisco suggests that on-line new employee assessments, which employees can complete in their own time, can further improve employee onboarding by allowing managers to measure new-employee understanding and eliminate confusion. According to the organizations with this type of assessment in place, 60% reported fewer human errors, reduced employee churn, and reduced health and safety breaches.
Creating a Strategic Onboarding Process
Many aspects of the onboarding process are relatively standardized. Every new employee needs to complete general company paperwork, tax forms, and general training. Typically, most onboarding processes include:
-Company values, mission, and culture
-New employee paperwork
-General company policies and procedures
-Key business practices
Companies with large departments within the business may have more specific material, such as:
-Departmental processes
-Customized objectives and tasks
-Department location
-Measurable goals and expectations
-Employee introductions
After new employees participate in an onboarding program, whether it’s a general company orientation or department specific, some form of assessment should be given to ensure employees have understood the information provided. Ideally, this would be available online and could easily be accessed anytime by employees, allowing for measurable results.
Aberdeen Group found that some of the best employee onboarding programs:
-Align with the Business
-Extend the Length of the Program
-Consider the Full Picture
-Standardize/Customize
-Measure the Process
-Invest in Technology
How Comevo Helps With Employee Onboarding:
Comevo provides affordable, user-friendly online orientation and training software that will reduce employee misunderstanding and increase productivity. Through Comevo’s @work Online Training™ software service, companies can create standardized onboarding programs that can easily be adjusted to fit department needs. Comevo’s software also allows management to provide new employee paperwork online, assess new employee understanding, and measure program results. The online platform allows employees and management to access the program 24/7, so scheduling is no longer an issue.
To learn more about Comevo’s @work Online Training™ Software service, email sales@comevo.com or register for a free training webinar here.