Since the ‘Great Resignation’ began last year, new hires in the U.S. believe their onboarding process isn’t adequately covering many of the basics employees need to be successful, including their workplace benefits, according to a new survey by Eagle Hill Consulting.
The survey, which polled nearly 800 U.S. employees, found the main areas of concern were understanding relationship building (71 per cent), organizational culture (62 per cent), technology (54 per cent) and benefits (46 per cent).
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“Onboarding is so much more than paperwork and checklists,” said Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting, in a press release. “What you don’t want is for your company to become ‘The Great Regret’ for new employees because of an onboarding failure.”
About half (49 per cent) of employees who started a new job said they aren’t being trained in person — it’s either virtual (31 per cent) or hybrid (18 per cent). Sixty-three per cent of new hires said they want more guidance from their supervisor during onboarding, while just 30 per cent said they’re looking for more assistance from human resources.
In terms of employees’ wants during their first month on the job, the most pressing needs cited were more knowledge of how performance is measured (83 per cent), additional information on mental and physical health resources (76 per cent) and more guidance on how to be successful in the corporate culture (74 per cent).
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“What’s key for employers is to stop thinking about onboarding as just a short-term human resources function,” said Jezior. “Successfully folding new hires into your organization happens over time with many people involved, which is all the more complex given the growth of remote and hybrid work.”
The survey also found half (50 per cent) of employees said they expect to be at the same job three years from now.