ONBOARDING RESEARCH

 

 

Action: Let's start with the basics. Onboarding is important. Invest in a formal onboarding program. Only 20% of companies do this. If you invest in a formal onboarding program, you'll be ahead of 80% of the companies out there. 

 

• Source: Bauer, T. N., Bodner, T., Erdogan, B., Truxillo, D. M., & Tucker, J. S. (2007). Newcomer adjustment during organizational socialization: a meta-analytic review of antecedents, outcomes, and methods. Journal of applied psychology, 92(3), 707.

• Main Claim: Organizations that engage in formal onboarding are more effective than those that do not. 

 

 

Action: Design an employee-centric onboarding program to increase employee retention and customer satisfaction. During onboarding, don't just focus on the company mission, vision, and values. Make day 1 about your new hire and design a strengths-based, employee-centric onboarding program. Everything from name tags and personalized swag to group exercises that emphasize a new hires best self has an impact. 

 

• Source: Cable, D. M., Gino, F., & Staats, B. R. (2013). Breaking them in or eliciting their best? Reframing socialization around newcomers’ authentic self-expression. Administrative Science Quarterly, 58(1), 1-36.

• Main Claim: Socialization that focused on personal identity and emphasizing new hire's authentic best self led to greater customer satisfaction and employee retention after six months than socialization that focused on organizational identity. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action: Take a proactive approach to onboarding and cover all 4 C's: Compliance, Clarification, Culture and Connection. Only about 20% of organizations achieve this level.

 

• Source: Bauer, Talya, N. (2010). Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success. SHRM Foundation.

• Main Claim: The building blocks of a successful onboarding are called the 4 C's: Compliance, Clarification, Culture, & Connection.

 

 

Action: Enable social networks through the buddy system. Use programs like Spark Collaboration to connect team members in different departments and locations.

 

• Source: Wanberg, C. (Ed.). (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Socialization. Oxford University Press.

• Main Claim: Social networks are a source of important resources that enhance a focal person's learning on the job and related outcomes such as job performance.

 

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Action: Connect new hires both to their internal community and to their local community. Connect new hires internally through buddy programs, interest groups, and social events. Help new hires develop social ties to their specific work location as well. Local community service events and team offsites are a good place to start.  

 

• Source: Collins, Christopher. (2012) Building A Talent Management Culture. eCornell Class.

• Main Claim: People who have strong social networks both internally to the company and in the local community have low desire or willingness to leave.

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Action: Ensure managers meet with their new hire(s) on day 1.

• Source: Article: Mariko Hewer. Google Scientist Searches the Workplace. Association for Psychological Science. (Note: This study was conducted by Google's PiLab)