For some employees, organizational loyalty can start in the first few weeks when you’re just finding your feet.
Starting a new job comes with mixed feelings. There is the anticipation of starting something unknown, the excitement of progress and, of course, a healthy dose of anxiety as you make a big change.
Often, the initial anxiety of starting new shifts is in those first few weeks, as you adjust to your surroundings and establish yourself, not just as a new hire but as a team member and an asset to the organization. But what if the boarding process creates more doubts?
That is the question asked by Robert Walters. The recruiting firm recently published the results of a report that examines the broader impact of onboarding strategies that fail to place the employee at the center of the process.
It was found that weak or negative knowledge in the workplace can lead to an employee having a negative perception of the organization, with the potential to limit long-term loyalty.
The Legend of Airy
Data from Robert Walters showed that 22pc of young contributors would consider themselves likely to leave their role, based on experience.
Less than 30pc felt they were adequately supported by their boss during this time and 45pc said it was more than six months before they started to feel successful in their role.
The survey also highlighted a significant disconnect in emotions, with 60pc of middle managers taking part believing they were supported by their boss during onboarding – however, only 34pc said they felt fully engaged in their roles after more than six months.
Commenting on the results, Andrew Powell, chief commercial officer at Robert Walters, said, “There is a lot of attention being paid to the challenges facing young talent in finding roles.
“They are often asked to contribute quickly, test AI developments and develop skills that were often associated with experienced professionals. Effective onboarding plays a key role in helping young people build confidence, understand expectations and be productive more quickly.”
For most employees, beyond junior employees, 33pc of all contributing professionals rated their onboarding experience as good or very good, but 26pc described it as poor or very bad. Less than half (44pc) said their boarding experience enabled them to stay with their employer, while 9pc said it enabled them to leave.
Powell added, “Onboarding is often seen as a management process focused on policies, programs and compliance. In fact, it is one of the most important stages of the work experience. The first few months in a role shape how employees feel about their manager, their team, future career opportunities and the organization as a whole.”
Where are the gaps?
But, for today’s workforce, what qualifies as a less than stellar onboarding experience? According to Robert Walters and the 1,000 Irish professionals who took part in the study, confusion about the role presented a major challenge.
41pc of junior professionals identified training and role clarity as a weak point in companies. This was followed by company culture (28pc), while 23pc pointed to a lack of clear role expectations.
This was supported by 50pc of middle managers who agreed that training and role clarity was lacking during onboarding, with a further 21pc of the opinion that communication before their first day could be improved. 15pc also experienced challenges accessing the tools and systems needed to perform their role effectively.
Powell noted, “Many organizations continue to focus too much on administrative tasks instead of seeing them as an opportunity to strengthen communication, development and support.”
So what does a good riding experience consist of? According to Robert Walters’ Complete Guide to Onboarding, recommendations include: keeping the process focused on new hires; equipping leaders with the tools, training and frameworks needed to effectively support new hires; creating systematic consistency; extension of the ride beyond the first week; and allowing for cultural immersion.
“Organizations that see strong onboarding results realize that onboarding isn’t a one-day thing or a first-week checklist. It’s a structured process that helps employees build relationships, understand expectations and develop confidence over time,” Powell said.
“At a time when many organizations are focused on building future talent pipelines and developing key skills, onboarding has become a more important business priority than many may realize.”
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