The critical onboarding mistake 67% of employers make
The vast majority of HR pros agree that a solid onboarding program that keeps employees engaged is essential to the success of new hires but, for most employers, a crucial piece is missing from their onboarding process.
That piece: recognition.
That’s according to a new poll by the folks at TLNT.
The Talent Management and HR website asked attendees at the 2017 SHRM Conference all about their onboarding and recognition programs.
Changes within the next 12 months
The poll revealed that an alarming 67% of employers don’t offer any type of recognition during onboarding. In terms of the recognition programs, 73% of respondents were planning on making changes to their recognition program in the next year.
When evaluating recognition program changes, employers should look for ways to incorporate recognition directly into the onboarding process.
Reason: There’s a direct link between early engagement for new hires and long-term retention and increased productivity. So recognition during the critical onboarding stage can leave a better first impression and bolster engagement right from the start.
The TLNT poll also uncovered gaps in how employers measure the success of their recognition programs. Turns out four in 10 employers don’t measure the success of their recognition programs at all.
Of the nearly 60% of employers that do, the majority (38%) rely on employee surveys to measure success.
5 or more initiatives
Finally, the poll asked about the types and amount of recognition programs employers had in place.
The two top program offerings were:
- daily “Above and Beyond” performance awards (cited by 38% of employers), and
- service awards (21% of companies).
Most employers also have multiple recognition initiatives in place. In fact, more than half (52%) of employers said they currently have five or more types of recognition in place.