The key to increasing employee loyalty during onboarding
Have you received a job acceptance and so are able to fill a vacancy? Fantastic! But what now? At a time when competition for talents is more intense and the new generation's expectations are changing, rapid acquisition of employee loyalty is massively important. This is particularly relevant because successful recruitment not only includes the process up to offer and acceptance but also the following period, which we call the "onboarding phase". It is worth ensuring that resources are not only invested in attracting highly qualified talents but also in gaining their long-term loyalty. This blog will explain how to gain that key advantage for your employees in the midst of the «talent war».
Have you received a job acceptance and so are able to fill a vacancy? Fantastic! But what now? At a time when competition for talents is more intense and the new generation's expectations are changing, rapid acquisition of employee loyalty is massively important. This is particularly relevant because successful recruitment not only includes the process up to offer and acceptance but also the following period, which we call the "onboarding phase". It is worth ensuring that resources are not only invested in attracting highly qualified talents but also in gaining their long-term loyalty. This blog will explain how to gain that key advantage for your employees in the midst of the "talent war".
There was a time when companies had little cause to bother about employees' wellbeing or their induction. The supply of workers was so extensive that anyone in the company could be replaced without much effort. Those days are long gone. Demand for qualified workers exceeds supply. Workers search out the company, not the other way round. Employees are spoilt for choice and no longer hesitate to change company if employment conditions are better elsewhere. This effect is heightened during the onboarding phase.
As a rule, the onboarding phase is a time when organisations invest heavily. It is understood to be the time during which employees arrive at the company. There is some uncertainty and confusion on the part of both the company and new employees as they become acquainted. The company needs time to find out whether the person fits in with the corporate culture, and the new person needs time to assess whether the working environment suits them.
The shorter the period of service, the less of a connection the employees feels to the employer and, accordingly, the easier they find it to leave the company again. This is also reflected in the facts: managers considered that 46% of appointments in the last 18 months had failed. This may either be because the new person has already left the company or because the manager would not employ this person again.
An onboarding is successful if the person develops sufficient knowledge of, clarity about and confidence in their new role, their new team and their new organisation. As a result, they can perform their work effectively and develop a positive attitude to their work. In reality, however, integration does not always go as hoped.
A study published in 2020 (Woodrow, et al.) has identified the features that have a negative effect on employee integration. This revealed that the decisive factors are conflicts with colleagues, a shortage of staff on the team, and problems associated with a cultural mismatch. Another interesting result from the study was that explicit and/or implicit promises during the first year of service were often not fulfilled. These findings underline the need for businesses to build a long-term trusting relationship with their employees. The "Know Your Employee" (KYE) concept is becoming increasingly important in order to achieve a competitive advantage. If companies want to make a difference for their employees, it is worth addressing these factors in particular.
It is important to make a favourable impression from the very start in order to integrate new employees successfully, make them into ambassadors and thus promote the corporate culture. Here are a few key elements that you should include in your onboarding process:
1) Pre-boarding: Promote a welcoming culture
2) First day: Initial contact and first day at work
3) Joining the team: Mentoring and support
Nowadays, a secure job is not enough to gain employees' loyalty. There is much greater demand on companies today to take measures to win over workers, retain them and increase their commitment. Make your corporate values the centre of your onboarding process and create personal experiences (key moments). Such key moments increase loyalty and encourage your employees' commitment because dedicated employees work with greater passion and loyalty, which ultimately has a positive impact on the company's development.
In the next blog on the subject of learning and development (L&D), we will look more closely at the central aspects of this important corporate practice. In particular, we will focus on the significance of continuous learning for long-term employee loyalty and the competitiveness of organisations. At a time when competition for talents is becoming more intense, a focussed L&D strategy helps to motivate employees, retain them and counteract the skilled labour shortage.
To the blog:
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Cindy is passionate about interhuman relations and has worked in various roles in human resources. She has a sound grasp of the HR sector, from admin, talent and development, to recruitment, as well as HR business partners. She is now a consultant specialising in optimising HR processes and has a PhD in Management.
Published: 15. February 2024
