Effective onboarding is a process that begins when a candidate enters the organization and ends when the new employee becomes independent and efficient. Onboarding doesn’t finish after a few days of training – it can take weeks or even months, depending on the complexity of the job and the company’s needs. Unfortunately, it is often reduced to a series of short, formal training sessions, which is a mistake.
What does effective onboarding look like?
Onboarding can be compared to retooling a machine. Retooling doesn’t end when parts are replaced, but only when the machine produces the first correct item. Similarly, onboarding concludes only when the employee reaches full efficiency in their role. Effective onboarding takes time and requires careful implementation.
Key benefits of onboarding
Professional onboarding directly impacts employee engagement and retention. It’s a powerful tool that can help organizations reduce turnover rates. In companies that struggle with high turnover, onboarding is often the solution.
Effective onboarding and retention
In one company I worked with, 40% of new employees resigned within the first month. This demonstrates the importance of onboarding. A well-executed process can not only reduce the number of departures but also increase employee engagement. Retention should be analyzed as carefully as the turnover rate, but unfortunately, not all companies pay attention to this.
How to increase engagement through effective onboarding?
The engagement of a new employee is key to success. A new employee is usually full of energy at the start of their career. However, poor decisions, such as ill-conceived recruitment, boring training, or lack of support, can quickly diminish their motivation. The result is a decline in engagement even before the onboarding process is completed. Onboarding should aim to increase the employee’s motivation and engagement.
Tools supporting effective onboarding
Companies that prioritize proper onboarding use tools like Job Skill Assessment or Smart Onboarding. Additionally, the TWI (Training Within Industry) methodology and Toyota Kata support the process through a structured approach to training. This makes onboarding not only more effective but also boosts employee engagement.
Conclusion
Effective onboarding is an investment in the future of the company. A well-executed process increases employee engagement and improves retention. It’s worth investing in tools that support onboarding to ensure that new employees stay with the company longer and perform their duties efficiently.
Dr. Bartosz Misiurek is a Lean Management, Training Within Industry (TWI) and Theory of Constraints practitioner, author and educator. He founded Lean Community to connect practitioners and share evidence-based knowledge across Lean, TWI, TOC, Toyota Kata, Six Sigma, Hoshin Kanri and operational excellence. His work focuses on developing people, improving management systems and translating practical experience into accessible learning.
