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Toronto, ON — The first days on a job aren’t always smooth sailing, suggests new research from global staffing firm Accountemps. While nearly all professionals surveyed (95 per cent) said their company has an onboarding process, and 76 per cent rated it as effective, more than half of employees (56 percent) have experienced a mishap when starting a position. The most common challenges included technology issues (43 per cent), not receiving an overview of the company and policies (22 per cent), and not being introduced to colleagues (19 per cent).
Workers were asked, “In your opinion, how effective is your company’s process for onboarding new employees?” Their responses*:
|
Very effective |
23% |
|
Somewhat effective |
53% |
|
Not very effective |
15% |
|
Not effective at all |
5% |
|
Do not have an onboarding process |
5% |
|
|
101% |
*Responses do not total 100 per cent due to rounding.
Workers were also asked, “Which of the following, if any, have you experienced when starting a new job?” Their responses:*
|
Technology (e.g. computer, phone, security access) wasn’t properly set up |
43% |
|
Didn’t receive an overview of the company and policies |
22% |
|
Didn’t get introduced to coworkers |
19% |
|
Necessary supplies were not provided |
18% |
|
Didn’t receive a tour of the office |
16% |
|
I haven’t experienced mishaps when starting a new job |
44% |
*Multiple responses were permitted.
“For organizations to establish dedicated, loyal teams, they need to engage their workers from day one,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, district president for Accountemps, a division of Robert Half. “A great onboarding process is one that goes beyond just providing the tools to do the job. In those crucial first days, managers should prepare a roadmap for the role that includes frequent check-ins, schedule meetings with supporting team members, and highlight unique aspects of the company culture so that employees feel confident and capable from the get-go.”
Vasilopoulos added, “Every touchpoint in the onboarding process adds to the new employee’s perception of the company; the smoother the introduction the more positive and lasting that impression will be.”
For more advice on onboarding new employees, visit the Robert Half blog.
About the Research
The survey was developed by Accountemps and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 500 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments in Canada.
About Accountemps
Accountemps, a Robert Half company, is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. The staffing firm has more than 300 locations worldwide. More resources, including job search services and the company’s blog, can be found at roberthalf.ca/accountemps.