Whether you’re refining your HR strategies, or a new hire seeking insights into the process, understanding good - and bad - onboarding is crucial to success.

Onboarding is more than just paperwork and job roles.

It’s a fully involved process that integrates new hires into a company’s unique culture, fosters immediate engagement and productivity, and sets the tone for their journey throughout their time at the organisation.

Research shows that 64% of new starters will leave within their first year if they have a poor onboarding experience. So a seamless onboarding process is not just something that’s nice to have, but a strategic imperative for organisations.

A well-crafted onboarding experience sets the tone for overall employee satisfaction, retention, and talent acquisition. Moreover, it is instrumental in driving better employee engagement and productivity, particularly within critical teams like IT.

In this article, we’ll delve into the importance of a strong onboarding process, illustrating how it can empower employee experience and serve as the cornerstone for fostering a positive organisational culture, primed for success.

We'll also provide insights from personal experiences of employees who’ve recently gone through Metomic's onboarding process, including a new member of the Sales team, a Product Marketing Manager, and myself, a freshly hired content creator joining Marketing.

Hopefully putting things into the context of actual employees can offer more context, and can let us see how Metomic’s onboarding process measures up.

The benefits of a good onboarding experience

A good onboarding experience has many benefits for both employees and organisations. It sets the stage for long-term success by laying a solid foundation for employees to integrate seamlessly into their roles and the company culture. Here are some key advantages:

• Higher employee retention rates: Organisations with a strong onboarding process retain their employees at a higher rate (at around 69% over three years). And with a price tag of replacing an employee being 1.5 to 2.0 times their annual salary, it’s obvious that employee retention should be a priority for your business.
• Improved productivity and performance: When new employees receive proper training, support, and resources during onboarding, they can be productive to the organisation from day one. In fact companies with a standardised onboarding process experience 50% greater new-hire productivity.
• Enhanced organisational reputation: A positive onboarding experience not only benefits individual employees but also enhances the organisation's reputation as an employer of choice. Word-of-mouth recommendations from happy employees can attract top talent and strengthen the employer’s brand.
• Increased job satisfaction and engagement: A well-executed onboarding programme helps employees feel valued, welcomed, and connected to their new workplace. This creates a sense of belonging and commitment, leading to higher levels of job satisfaction and engagement.
• Positive impact on company culture: Onboarding sets the tone for company culture by reinforcing values, norms, and expectations. A thoughtful onboarding process helps align new hires with the company's mission, vision, and values, fostering a cohesive and inclusive culture.

How is Metomic stacking up?

So now that we know what good onboarding is supposed to look like, and the positive effects it can have on employer and employee alike, how does Metomic’s onboarding process measure up?

Well, based on a recently conducted employee feedback survey, Metomic is performing well in terms of onboarding satisfaction.

The results of the 30-day and 90-day onboarding satisfaction surveys indicate high levels of satisfaction among new hires. The company received impressive ratings, with a 30-day satisfaction score of 9.3 out of 10 and a continued satisfaction rating of 9.2 out of 10 after 90 days.

Through the eyes of employees: Luan’s and Albane’s onboarding experience

Numbers are a good indicator of how well a company is performing any set task, but when it comes to onboarding, hearing from employees themselves can give you even more context, and a more human dimension.

I spoke to Luan McGrath, who joined Sales at Metomic at the same time as I did, and to Albane Tonnellier, a Product Marketing Manager who started a few months before both of us. Reflecting on their experience of onboarding, they shared insights into the positive aspects of their journeys.

Luan was complimentary, 'While there is obviously room for improvement in all things, the way in which everyone from the company has welcomed me has been nothing short of terrific.'

From the very first day, he noted, 'it was clear that this was a company which values inclusivity and making all new employees feel that they are truly part of both a wonderful team and a wonderful project.'

Luan emphasised that 'every day has been a learning curve,' yet he was encouraged by the support he received from his team.

Albane expressed appreciation for the buddy system implemented during onboarding. "Having a buddy assigned to me from day one really helped me get answers to all my questions and made me feel at home straight away."

Additionally, meeting various stakeholders right from the start left a positive impression on Albane. "Even though I'm all about remote work, getting to meet a big part of the team in person was really nice and helped me connect with them on a deeper level."

My own experience

I recognise a lot of what Albane and Luan have said in my own onboarding experience with Metomic, and definitely agree with both of them about the welcoming and inclusive nature of the company. Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect, so being welcomed in by so many folks was very reassuring.

While I didn’t make use of the buddy assigned to me via the buddy system, I’ve definitely had access to people who’ve been able to show me through all of the necessary tools and processes I need to do my job.

What I found particularly useful was the master onboarding resource page on Notion. This was incredibly well organised, with a clear roadmap of what I needed to do on my first day, then my first week, and so on.

I’m someone who likes a list, or a clear roadmap, and so being able to tick things off not only showed me I was doing what I needed to, but it let me get up to speed very quickly, so by the end of my first week, I was already working on content.

As someone who likes to feel useful straight away, this was just what I needed.

Tips for a successful onboarding experience

Reflecting on the experiences of Luan, Albane, and myself, as well as considering the broader context of successful onboarding practices, we've identified key lessons and tips to enhance the onboarding experience at Metomic.

• Clear communication is key: Luan and Albane's experiences highlight the importance of clear communication during the onboarding process.
• Supportive environment matters: Providing a welcoming and supportive environment, as experienced by Luan and Albane, fosters a positive onboarding experience.
• Consistent guidance is essential: Having consistent guidance, whether through a buddy system or accessible resources, helps new hires in navigating their roles effectively. Adaptability is crucial: Despite setbacks, such as changes in mentorship, Metomic demonstrated adaptability and collective support, ensuring a smooth onboarding experience for new hires.
• Providing comprehensive resources enhances productivity: Access to well-organised resources, such as the master onboarding page on Notion at Metomic, accelerates the onboarding process and enables new hires to contribute effectively from the outset.
• Establish clear expectations: Ensure new hires understand their roles, responsibilities, and expectations from the outset, as this will set them up for success.
• Provide supportive guidance: Assign a buddy or mentor to new hires to offer support, answer questions, and facilitate integration into the team. In fact, new hires with ‘buddies’ were 23% more satisfied after the first week on the job, with that number going up to 36% at the 90 day mark.
• Promote open communication: Encouraging open communication channels can address any concerns or questions new hires may have during the onboarding process.
• Build a positive company culture: Finally, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where new hires feel valued, supported, and motivated, creates the sort of company culture where they will be happy to work harder for you.

Conclusion

As organisations continue to learn and refine their onboarding practices, it's crucial to maintain a focus on creating a positive company culture, and to provide the necessary tools and support for new hires to thrive.

The success of Metomic’s, or indeed any company’s onboarding process is evident through the positive experiences shared by new hires. These can be measured with direct feedback, such as employee satisfaction surveys.

Direct feedback, such as the type Luan, Albane, and myself, provided can give organisations more context to those hard numbers, and give your HR team a clearer picture of what it is that they’re doing right or wrong.

By prioritising clear communication, supportive guidance, and comprehensive resources, you can create an environment where new hires feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed from day one.

Onboarding data can be just as sensitive as company or customer data. Book your personalised demo now to see how Metomic can help protect data at all stages of it and your employees journey.