We\u2019ve spent a bit of time exploring what an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is<\/a>, why it\u2019s important and how to write a compelling one<\/a>, and even some examples of great EVPs<\/a> to help get you started. All of which should mean you are now attracting amazing candidates to your business. But once you\u2019ve managed to get great people, how can you craft an incredible onboarding programme to make sure they stay with you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n How can organisations ensure their new employees do not join the 20% of people who decide to leave their brand-new job within the first 45 days<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no denying it: pre-life and early life experiences matter. Feeling like you don\u2019t belong and are left alone in a corner to just figure things out will always be a more powerful feeling than knowing you have great health insurance benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ve sold people the dream of working for you; now it\u2019s time to follow through and deliver an amazing first few months of their working life, starting from the moment they receive their offer letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Considering that a great onboarding experience can improve retention by as much as 82%<\/a>, it can have a considerable impact on the effectiveness of your recruitment efforts and budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Let\u2019s Talk Talent, we have a foolproof approach to creating a kickass onboarding programme that works. Only five key elements are required: we call them the 5Cs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Discover our checklist of the five components needed to shape your onboarding experience into something utterly irresistible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The issue with most onboarding initiatives is a universal one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many organisations focus solely on processes and compliance training and, from the day they arrive, new joiners often end up spending weeks in front of a computer screen trying to absorb an inordinate amount of information. It\u2019s no wonder most people dread it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBusinesses have to appeal to people\u2019s logic, of course, but also to their emotions,\u201d<\/em> says Jo Taylor, MD at Let\u2019s Talk Talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A successful onboarding programme has several objectives, the first of which is to reassure candidates they\u2019ve made the right decision. Then, it should get them excited about things to come. By the end of the process, the basics should have been covered, joiners should feel ready to get stuck in and motivated to be part of something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour onboarding should feel like a warm welcome into a new community, and it should start from the day candidates receive an offer letter,\u201d<\/em> adds Jo. \u201cSo if that\u2019s not the feedback you\u2019re getting, it may be time to review it, bearing the 5 Cs in mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n When asking a group of managers what the most important element of a successful onboarding programme is, we\u2019d bet our money on an answer along the lines of \u2018understanding how things work\u2019 or \u2018getting up to speed quickly\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n For us, it\u2019s care. We all want to work for organisations that care for us. It\u2019s the golden thread that should run through every single element of your employee experience (EE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n It will be the foundation upon which to build the rest of your onboarding approach, and will provide a unique selling point that makes you stand out from most competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Care also means adapting your onboarding to every person that joins the organisation and offering them an experience that will be personalised and unique to their needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n What does care look like for a new employee? A good manager who takes the time to ensure they are doing well and have everything they need, a good work-life balance, and the kind of working environment where they can perform well and feel like they belong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This element is about providing recruits with essential information and empowering them to do their job well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This could include anything, such as teaching them basic legal and policy-related rules and regulations (confidentiality requirements, and even fire safety training), as well as company policies and procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n You may think that there isn\u2019t a lot of room for creativity here, but think again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n To make it easy to absorb, consider reviewing the format in which this information is delivered. Could you move from a huge binder of forms to a series of short video tutorials? Or set up a mentoring scheme so colleagues can teach this information, creating opportunities for connections?<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This part of the onboarding experience is about making sure employees understand their new role and all the expectations attached to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n New starters should have a clear picture of where they fit in and what they are expected to accomplish during the first week, month, three-month, or six-month period. \u201cEmployees should understand what their first few months will look and, more importantly, feel like,\u201d<\/em> says Jo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This part should cover everything from performance management<\/a> and salary review criteria, to dress code and code of conduct, and everything else that can help them figure out how to get things done in the right way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nIn this article:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What makes an effective onboarding programme?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The 5 Cs of successful onboarding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Care is the Golden Thread of onboarding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Compliance: the legal and procedural stuff<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Clarification of the work they’ll do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n