A new employee’s first few days and weeks on the job will determine just how long they stay with the company. A poor onboarding experience almost always leads to turnover within the first year. If you want to set up your employees for success, you must do so from day one. A comprehensive and organized onboarding process lays the foundation for loyalty and engagement. What is your onboarding process like?

Do You Have an Onboarding Process?

If you don’t have an onboarding process, your turnover rate is probably quite high – and that is no coincidence. A sink-or-swim approach leaves new hires flailing – they don’t know what to do, who to ask for help, or what is expected of them. If you don’t have an onboarding process, now is the time to start implementing one.

Is the Onboarding Experience Personalized?

Part of onboarding is about creating a welcoming environment and making the new employee feel comfortable. On a new employee’s first day, do something just for them. Post a sign welcoming them in the lobby or by their new desk. Place a welcome card at their workstation signed by everyone on the team, and perhaps even include a gift like a coffee mug with the company logo on it.

Does Your Onboarding Process Have Clear Goals?

If you don’t have goals for a new employee, you can’t expect to measure their success. Set clear goals for new hires for the following days: one, seven, 14, 30, 60 and 90. Hold regular check-ins with the employee to track progress for each milestone and find out what they need in order to achieve those goals.

Does Your Onboarding Process Include Role-Specific Training?

Many companies confuse orientation with onboarding. They believe by presenting the candidate with an overview of the company on day one, they’ve done their onboarding work. Not so. Onboarding should include formal training that teaches the new employee exactly how to do their jobs. That training process should be scheduled in advance and that schedule should be presented to the new hire so they know what they will be tackling each day of training. Setting expectations and sticking to a schedule shows you care about their success.

Are You Following up and Following Through?

Never assume onboarding is going smoothly. Managers should check in with their new employees regularly to see how things are going, offer constructive, actionable feedback and monitor progress. This allows managers to keep a handle on how onboarding is progressing and allows the employee the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback of their own.

Are You Ready to Improve Onboarding and Retention?

If you are looking for more ways to improve the onboarding experience and retention rate at your ag business, contact the agricultural industry staffing experts at Morris Bixby Group. Our proven strategies for success can help you achieve your goals.