Most employers are now realizing that onboarding is not merely a formality but a strategic investment. More than 61% say they will invest heavily in improving onboarding this year, the Brandon Hall Group™ HCM Outlook 2024 Study shows.
Onboarding has now evolved from getting new hires acquainted with company policies and procedures to creating a holistic learning experience (LX) that accelerates their time-to-competency, fosters a strong sense of belonging, and ultimately, enhances employee retention.
A successful onboarding LX, like those designed by Brandon Hall Group™ Smartchoice® Preferred Provider AllenComm, should be continuous beyond the first few weeks or months. It should be a structured journey that evolves with the employee’s needs, providing ongoing support, mentorship and growth opportunities.
The Evolving Goals of Onboarding
The shift is driven by several factors:
- The war for talent has intensified, and companies need to differentiate themselves to attract and retain top performers. A well-designed onboarding program can make a significant impact on a new hire’s perception of the company and their decision to stay.
- The nature of work is changing, with a greater emphasis on collaboration, innovation and adaptability. This requires onboarding programs to be redesigned to foster these skills and mindsets from day one.
- Technology is enabling more personalized and interactive onboarding experiences, making it easier for companies to tailor the process to individual needs and preferences.
The Challenges of Effective Onboarding
The evolving nature of onboarding presents several challenges for organizations. One primary obstacle is the transition from traditional HR orientation to a more holistic onboarding learning experience. HR orientation often focuses on administrative tasks and compliance, while modern onboarding aims to create a more engaging and comprehensive learning journey. Bridging this gap requires a shift in mindset and a reimagining of the onboarding process.
Another challenge is personalizing the onboarding experience to cater to the diverse needs of new hires. Employees come from different backgrounds, possess varying learning styles and may require different levels of support. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work.
Additionally, measuring the effectiveness of onboarding programs can be difficult. While metrics like time-to-competency and retention rates provide some insights, they don’t capture the full picture. Organizations need to develop more sophisticated ways to assess the impact of onboarding on employee engagement, productivity and long-term success.
Finally, the rapidly changing nature of work presents a constant challenge. As new technologies emerge and job roles evolve, onboarding programs need to be agile and adaptable.
AllenComm’s Approach to Onboarding LX
AllenComm, a recognized leader in training and development, offers a comprehensive suite of solutions to help companies create impactful onboarding experiences. AllenComm’s onboarding solutions include:
- A focus on training effectiveness, beginning with performance mapping to identify business critical, measurable objectives for the program and align those objectives with personalized LX journeys.
- Dashboards that give visibility to learners on their progress and a path to proficiency.
- Data integration with HR and business systems for an integrated picture of the impact of the training.
- Enabling technologies that can be added onto legacy tech ecosystems to fill in gaps in the LX.
- Engaging instructional assets sequenced into powerful learning journeys. They include:
- Core, department and team-specific tutorials
- Cohort activities
- Manager check-ins
- Job shadowing
- Achievement portfolios
- Learner-generated content-sharing
- Project-based learning
- Internal networking
- Simulations
- Microlearning and other approaches to learning reinforcement.
This type of approach to onboarding drives significant results:
- With the help of AllenComm, Delta Airlines elevated customer experience through scaled Onboarding during times of major change in both the travel industry and global markets. Delta earned a Gold Brandon Hall Group™ Excellence Award.
- The AllenComm team created a digital learning solution for ADM, a leader in science-based nutrition. It included a 60-minute seat time for onboarding and systems training and included a short-looping video, a case study with instructional flow and 3D images integrated into the course. The program led to a 90% increase in engagement in the first month after hire and another Gold Excellence Award.
Key Metrics for Measuring Success in Learning Onboarding
To gauge the effectiveness of this type of enhanced onboarding learning program, you should go well beyond typical metrics like time-to-productivity and first-year retention rate. Here are several that can provide an understanding of the impact of learning in the onboarding process:
- Knowledge retention: Scores on post-training assessments.
- Manager satisfaction: Feedback from managers on new-hire performance.
- Cultural alignment: Assessment of new hire’s alignment with company values.
- Networking effectiveness: Number of meaningful connections made during onboarding.
- Error rates: Frequency of mistakes in early work assignments.
- Performance indicators: How quickly new hires meet key performance metrics. This would vary greatly by department or function.
- System proficiency: Time taken to master necessary software and tools.
- Time-to-innovation: Track how long it takes for new hires to contribute new ideas or improvements to processes.
- Mentor program effectiveness: If applicable, assess the quality and impact of mentor-mentee relationships established during onboarding.
- Cultural contribution: Evaluate how quickly and effectively new hires embody and contribute to the company culture.
- Confidence levels: Regularly survey new hires on their confidence in performing key job functions over time.
- Absenteeism rates: Compare absenteeism of new hires to tenured employees as an indicator of engagement and satisfaction.
- Quality of work: Track the quality of deliverables or outputs from new hires over their first few months.
- Time to promotion readiness: Measure how quickly new hires become eligible for increased responsibilities or promotions compared to historical averages.
By analyzing these metrics and others that may be more specific to your organization or functions within the organization, you can identify areas where their onboarding processes can be improved and make data-driven decisions to enhance the employee experience.
The Future of Onboarding
As the workplace continues to evolve, so will the expectations of new hires. Companies that invest in creating comprehensive, engaging and personalized onboarding experiences will be well-positioned to attract and retain top talent. The future of onboarding lies in leveraging technology, data and innovative learning methodologies to empower employees and drive business success.
Brandon Hall Group’s research and interviews with award-winning innovators show that the future of onboarding is likely to be shaped by several key trends:
- Personalization will become increasingly important as companies recognize the diverse needs and learning styles of their employees. Onboarding programs will leverage data and AI to tailor the experience to each individual, providing them with the most relevant content and resources.
- Rapid advancements in technology. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulations, gamification and microlearning modules will become more prevalent, offering immersive and engaging learning experiences.
- Intensive focus on soft skills and cultural fit. As automation and AI take over routine tasks, companies will prioritize onboarding programs that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration skills.
Improving onboarding now is essential for future success because it sets the stage for long-term employee engagement and productivity. A positive onboarding experience can significantly impact a new hire’s perception of the company, their job satisfaction, and their willingness to stay. By investing in onboarding today, companies can build a strong foundation for a thriving workforce in the years to come.
About AllenComm:
AllenComm is a trusted vendor in the corporate training industry because they understand digital learning, how to design and deliver innovative training solutions and know that brand and culture are at the heart of any training success. AllenComm has helped thousands of clients across a diverse range of industries — including financial services, healthcare, retail and manufacturing, to perfect, deploy and scale their digital learning strategies.
