A Warm Welcome: How Inclusive Onboarding Can Cut Turnover and Boost Belonging

Filling a team vacancy generates excitement and relief, both for the hiring manager and the new employee. In the glow of high expectations of what the individual will add to the organization, few leaders think about attrition. Yet, roughly 31% of new hires will leave their jobs within the first six months. To beat those statistics, effective leaders can create an inclusive onboarding process that sparks feelings of belonging in those crucial early weeks.

When you integrate empathy and wellbeing into your onboarding process, you do more than ensure your new employee’s first few months on the job are smooth. Creating a warm welcome directly affects the bottom line. Cutting turnover is the most obvious benefit, as replacement costs can be up to twice the employee's annual salary. Thoughtful and intentional onboarding generates feelings of trust and belonging, increases team cohesion and improves employee engagement, which drives worker productivity. 

Your organization’s commitment to people-first business practices are also on display in those first few months. In today’s talent marketplace, organizations with inclusive cultures have a competitive advantage, as younger professionals especially want a work environment that centers wellbeing and belonging. To attract and retain top talent, organizations must integrate care for their employees with business objectives.

An inclusive onboarding strategy isn’t difficult to execute, yet it does require intentional actions and mindful consideration of the new employee. 

Remember The Personal Touch

In today’s increasingly diverse workplaces, a people-first culture ensures that every individual has what they need to succeed and grow. But in the press of daily demands, leaders can forget that the human connection is still vitally important, especially as the orientation process becomes more automated. Whether their personal welcome is physical or virtual, inclusive leaders make time to connect with their new team members, because it shows they care. 

For example, a new employee reports for their first day of work, and discovers their direct supervisor is out of the office for the day. Or consider another employee, starting a fully remote job. As they log into their company email account, they find their orientation materials, benefits information and compliance training modules. However, there are no messages from their direct supervisor or any of their new colleagues.   

Like most new hires, these two employees spend their first day filling out forms and watching videos, but their busy schedules don’t excuse the absence of their managers. While each individual completed their tasks efficiently, a personal welcome from their manager would have laid the foundation for a trusted professional relationship. 

Best Practices for Inclusive Onboarding

In fact, inclusive leaders rely on relationship-building and clear communication to build high performing teams. These crucial skills play a vital role in successful onboarding; without them, managers risk alienating new hires and triggering a quick exit. For example, the following best practices for inclusive onboarding center personal connection and ensure mutual understanding.

1. Prepare your team

Long before the new employee’s first day, describe their role to your existing staff and explain how the new person will contribute to the organization’s overall business mission. Detail who they will report to and who they will work directly with. Set clear expectations about their responsibilities, whether they will absorb someone else’s work and what the handoff or training process will look like. 

Consider assigning a mentor or “office friend” to the new employee, a best practice that is even more important in remote or hybrid workplaces. While a direct supervisor should be the primary point of contact, a supportive peer can be a valuable resource, answering questions and making introductions to other coworkers. 

2. Ease the first-day anxiety

Starting a job can be a nerve-wracking experience, but clear communication and preparation can make a person’s first day easier and smoother. Before their starting date, ensure the new employee has an orientation packet that includes a schedule for their first day, a company handbook and any other helpful materials. The packet should also contain logistical information like the company street address and parking information. 

On or before their first day, schedule a one-on-one meeting, so the new employee can ask questions and discuss their expectations. During the conversation, explain the procedure for requesting accommodations, and let them know that your organization is fully committed to disability inclusion. By emphasizing inclusion in general, you open the door for people to ask for what they need. For example, written agendas and transcriptions for meetings, noise-canceling headphones, remote work, and flexible schedules are all productivity-enhancing accommodations. 

Also, pay special attention to the accessibility of your orientation materials. All emails, videos, presentations, employee manuals, hiring systems and onboarding documents should be fully accessible, yet many employers fall short on this requirement. Ensure printed materials are available in accessible formats, like large type or Braille. Include closed captions on all audio and video materials, and enable live captioning on virtual meetings. 

3. Create a warm welcome

While every orientation includes a certain amount of automated form-filling and video training, identify ways to infuse personality and warmth into the new employee’s first day. Greet them personally as they arrive, perhaps with a small gift or company-branded merchandise. If the person is working remotely, you can ship them a welcome gift and schedule a short video welcome at the beginning of their day. 

During the introductory team meeting, set aside time for an icebreaker activity so people can get to know their new colleague. And if your company has affinity groups, connect the new hire with leaders of your organization’s employee resource groups (ERGs), and/or business resource groups (BRGs). Share other ways to get involved with company-wide initiatives.

4. Maintain Ongoing Communication

While orientation can last a day or week, the onboarding process should take at least 90 days and up to six months. Set clear expectations by creating an onboarding checklist that includes tasks to be completed during the first six months, such as writing a user-guide or bio, reading company documentation or pursuing required certifications.

To gain insights that will strengthen your onboarding process, solicit feedback throughout the first few months. During your weekly one-on-ones, ask new hires how they’re settling in and managing their work responsibilities. Check if there’s anything you can do to ease the transition, and follow up promptly about any accommodations or adjustments they may need. Be open to candid feedback and ready to incorporate it into your strategy.

Because employee engagement is such a strong predictor of worker productivity and length of tenure, it makes sense for leaders to invest in an inclusive onboarding process that demonstrates a people-first workplace culture. These best practices will ensure the new hire feels calm and prepared, even as they tackle new duties and settle into an unfamiliar environment. And, as they move beyond their first six months on the job, employees will also be ready to contribute to company growth and profitability for the long term.Posts