First impressions in the workplace really matter — and not just to the employer. New employees can begin to formulate impressions about organizations from the get-go, influencing their decision to stay with the company in the long term. Poor onboarding experiences can lead to unnecessary and preventable turnover, the cost of which can be as much as twice the employee’s annual salary.
To Retain New Hires, Make Sure You Meet with Them in Their First Week
It sounds obvious, yet it’s often neglected.
June 14, 2018, Updated June 14, 2018
Summary.
Microsoft, which lacked a good way to measure the perceptions of its onboarding experience, conducted research to better understand what it thought of as “early attrition.” First, it created a survey to ask employees about their experiences. The most important factor of a good onboarding experience, it found, started with the simple things: making sure someone’s desk and computer were set up upon arrival. Delving deeper using people analytics techniques, Microsoft also learned that employees who met with their manager one-on-one during their first week were more likely to develop strong internal networks, had more-productive meetings, and were more collaborative than those who did not.
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HBR Learning
Attracting and Cultivating Talent Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Attracting and Cultivating Talent. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Discover how to attract, hire, develop, and keep talented people who will grow and thrive throughout their employee journey.