You Never Get A Second Chance: Onboarding Your New Employees

By Robyn Porter, Human Resources Manager, The Heartland Companies 

You’ve hired a new employee: congratulations!  It took hours of work and lots of expense to make that happen, and your team is relieved to know help is on the way. The new employee is excited too. They show up on day one, ready and eager to begin the next chapter of their working lives. But there’s just one problem: nothing was prepared. The receptionist doesn’t know who they are; their manager isn’t at that location; and they have no desk, computer or phone. At this point they are beginning to think they may have made a bad choice. 

This is a scenario played out all-too-often across organizations both big and small. Setting the stage from the very first minute your new employee walks in the door (it actually starts before then) can ensure your relationship will last long beyond that first day, not to mention the impact it will have on your culture, your organization and even your EBITDA.  Here are some interesting statistics:

• On average it takes 20-30 hours to fill an open position and up to 60 days. That’s a lot of time and resources taken away from your operation.
• It can cost up to 150 percent to 200 percent of their salary to replace any employee.
• 20 percent of new hires quit within the first 45 days
• Those who have a positive experience onboarding are three times more likely to be satisfied with their job.

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