Spanish
By Carlos Pardo, CEO Iberia and Latin America Meta4
The first day of work is always hard. All newcomers tend to be eager and feel anxious, not only because they want to make a good impression or because they are afraid of making a mistake, but also due to what the process of joining a company entails for these workers that on average can last up to 90 days according to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). That’s why many companies start thinking about how to manage the new employee’s lifecycle, even before the moment they join the company. This welcome period, together with the newcomer’s assimilation is called onboarding and it is postulated to be one of the challenges for organizations in the coming months.
In today’s talent war in which companies struggle to attract the best workers, successfully executing an onboarding process will prevent the flight of newcomers, who have been hired after exhaustive and costly recruitment processes. Let’s not overlook the serious harm this talent drain does to the organization, such as high turnover rates, waning engagement or increased learning curves.
In this context, implementing technological processes and tools that enable the development of efficient onboarding programs increases by 58%, the likelihood that newcomers stay on in the organization after three years, according to The Wynhurst Group. Other than cutting costs and resources associated with the recruitment process, the automation of onboarding processes, hence contributing to improving employees’ experience right from the first moment. This leads to improved employer branding for companies.
Moreover, at one of the key moments for arousing a new employee’s interest and starting a long-term relationship with him or her in the stage prior to joining the company, technology enables the newcomer to speed up the administrative procedures required by the company, such as signing the job contract, academic qualifications, or acceptance of company policies. This technology also makes it easier for newcomers to access and edit their personal and professional information according to their needs, such as marital status, emergency contacts, bank account, academic record. Similarly, it also helps newcomers to get to know and interact with their future interlocutors, managers, colleagues and key people, undoubtedly making their first day of work easier and pleasanter.
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Furthermore, implementing a digital onboarding process does not just benefit new employees but also managers, who are the main actors when promoting or deterring the assimilation of new talent, by enabling direct contact with future newcomers and planning together actions for induction; training, development or socialization. Such aspects will provide newcomers with the security and assistance they need to gain self-assurance and autonomy as well as boost their efficiency and engagement right from the first day.
It is a fact that if the candidate’s first impression counts, then so too will the candidate’s experiences before, during and after joining the company, make a mark. Therefore, implementing a process that generates permanence, acceptance and trust, will be key to retain talent and increase performance. For as the French surgeon Victor Pauchet once said, “The most productive work comes out of the hands of a happy man.”
