Research suggests orientation and onboarding are often confused, and companies aren’t prepared to transboard internal appointees
HR leaders believe they lack the technological resources to properly handle comprehensive onboarding programs — which can cause enthusiastic workers to disengage during their crucial first weeks, according to a new study.
More than three-quarters (76 percent) of HR leaders say onboarding practices are underutilized at their organization. Thirty-nine percent feel they don’t have the correct technology to reduce administrative error, ensure consistency and improve accountability; 36 percent say they lack the technology to automate and better organize employee onboarding programs.
The study’s recommendations about how to improve onboarding include making the process longer — at more than a third of businesses, it lasts from just few hours to only one week — and acknowledging the difference between orientation and onboarding.
Paperwork-related orientation tasks often take precedence over preparing new hires for long-term success. Seventy-five percent of HR leaders ranked reviewing rules and regulations as one of the most important aspects of employee onboarding programs.
Fewer respondents (32 percent) mentioned matching an employee with a peer mentor — or said they considered having new hires meet with key stakeholders and teams (47 percent) to be a top onboarding activity.
In addition, about a quarter (24 percent) of organizations have no strategy to transboard employees — a process that’s also referred to as onboarding internal hires — into managerial and non-managerial positions.
For more on the research, conducted by Kronos and the Human Capital Institute, view this information about the study.