3 Common Onboarding Mistakes and How to Prevent Them

Although workplace disruptions during the pandemic have highlighted the importance of effective onboarding, many HR departments are still struggling to provide a positive experience for new employees, especially when it comes to remote or hybrid roles. This issue is of great importance because if employees do not feel connected to their new company and are not adequately supported in their role, they are likely to look for another job in another company. Recent research found that 80 percent of new employees surveyed who said they were not adequately trained during onboarding were willing to quit.

The investment in recruiting and hiring is high - now that you've found the right people, you should focus on how to retain that top talent. High turnover is costly and can leave companies under-resourced and unable to execute their business strategy efficiently. Given the high stakes, talent doesn't want to start behind. To avoid this risk, they should at least review their onboarding process to ensure that it provides new employees with a high-quality experience while meeting current business needs. Below we'll highlight three common global onboarding mistakes that can leave new employees feeling unmotivated and disconnected from the company's mission, and provide tips on how to proactively fix these mistakes.

1.Insufficient onboarding program structure

Onboarding programs typically involve employees from multiple departments and can lack structure if there is no clear timeline and comprehensive training plan. A lack of structure can confuse new employees and leave them unprepared to carry out their tasks efficiently. The solution is a structured onboarding process that shows the new employee's path and defines training that prepares him for success.

It's best practice to set milestones along the way to becoming a new employee at 30, 60 and 90 days to create a clear onboarding plan. This plan should include training on the company's culture and values, what the company expects of all employees, and individual job responsibilities. Training should be offered in a variety of formats to suit learning preferences, and a dedicated HR onboarding team should coordinate implementation.

2.No clarity on how to access information and ask for help

Another issue many new employees face in remote and hybrid environments is the lack of clarity on how to get the support and resources they need needed to complete their tasks. When employees don't know how to access important information or don't know how to seek help, it can lead to a feeling of isolation that can quickly develop into job dissatisfaction.

You can address this issue by providing a communication and resource framework during the onboarding process. Within this framework, it should be determined which channels the new employees will use to access the information, resources and support they need. It is also important that managers regularly communicate with new employees and have personal conversations. Discussions about available communication tools and processes to receive support can help new employees feel connected and supported - even in a globally distributed workforce.

3.Failure to take cultural differences into account

Workplace cultures are very different; Companies should address cultural expectations during onboarding to avoid misunderstandings and promote integration. Considering cultural differences is particularly important for companies that hire employees worldwide to work remotely or in mixed teams. If you address cultural issues in advance during onboarding, new employees, colleagues and managers can work better together.
For example, the workplace culture in some countries may be more hierarchical than in North America or Europe, so a new employee may be hesitant to suggest a change to a process unless asked directly. If managers are aware of this, they can regularly solicit feedback from their employees to receive everyone's suggestions. Cultural sensitivity training can also raise awareness of differences, as can surveying employees from diverse backgrounds for their insights into areas for improvement.

Remember that consistency is an essential part of an effective onboarding process. The goal is to create a process that ensures a positive experience for every new employee, regardless of where they come from and whether they work on-site, remotely or in a mixed working relationship. Some companies are still operating with onboarding processes that were quickly adapted to remote work during the pandemic, resulting in the system not serving employees or the company today.

Tips by IceHrm, a promising digital HR software.