Did you know that some new hires leave their jobs on the first day and resign within the first few months?
According to LinkedIn Talent Solutions, nearly 5% of newly hired employees don’t come back to work after a disastrous first day. Likewise, over 20% of them leave their jobs within the first 45 days of employment. The worst thing is that they cost at least three times the former workers’ salaries.
The biggest question is: How can you stop the scenarios above from happening? A streamlined preboarding process is key to employment success!
Fret not—This page tackles what preboarding is and why it’s important. Learn more about its key benefits and best practices to implement for your organization. Read on.
What Is Preboarding?
Preboarding is a crucial part of the entire employment journey. As the name suggests, it takes place before the actual employee onboarding. More importantly, it prepares the new hires for the actual job, which requires budget, assistance, and creativity.
However, there’s more to preboarding than you might think. What better way to deeply understand it than to differentiate it from onboarding? Take note of the difference below:
Onboarding is the time between your new employee’s first day of work and the end of their company induction. The period can range from a few weeks to a year, depending on your company. However, two in three companies don’t have a streamlined onboarding process in place.
- Preboarding starts when your new employee accepts the job offer and lasts until their first day of work. Obviously, it occurs before the onboarding process or the actual work. However, many tend to associate preboarding tasks with the onboarding process. But for the most part, it includes the following:
- Paperwork completion: You give newly hired employees enough time to submit and complete all the HR requirements.
- Initial introduction: You introduce the new hires not only to their immediate teams but to the entire organization.
- Workplace expectation: You set proper expectations about the job and even help create employee development plans.
- Logistical preparation: You allocate resources, whether human or material, to prepare new employees for the first day of work.
- Cultural orientation: You start exposing the new hires to the company culture so they won’t get culture shock, allowing them to adjust quickly.
- Early engagement: You let your new hires start interacting with their respective team members and other stakeholders—unofficially, though.
- Work setup: You allow employees to set up their workstations by providing them with the needed equipment, tools, and supplies.
Discover why it’s important to set a proper preboarding process in the next section.
Key Benefits of Preboarding
You might ask: Why is there a need to hold a preboarding process when most tasks can be accomplished during the actual onboarding?
It’s better to get things done before the first day of work. After all, preparation is key to a successful job. However, there’s more to preboarding benefits than meets the eye. Below are some:
- Better preparation: It prepares newly hired employees for their positions by giving vital information and resources ahead of time.
- Smooth transition: It enables new hires to adjust to their new work environment by introducing them to business culture, policies, and expectations before they start.
- Enhanced engagement: Engaging new employees before their start date through preboarding activities fosters a sense of belonging, developing passion and dedication.
- Boosted morale: A warm welcome during preboarding events can improve new hires’ spirits, making them feel appreciated and eager to join the organization.
- Increased productivity: Preboarding provides new employees with the essentials immediately, easing the transition and making them productive even during the first day.
- Turnover prevention: Preboarding has a long-lasting impact on new employees by making them feel engaged and appreciated. In fact, companies with a solid onboarding process have an 82% increase in retention.
- Fostered loyalty: Building a solid relationship with new workers during preboarding promotes a sense of loyalty and dedication, encouraging them to stay with the organization long-term.
In the next section, learn what best practices to implement for your onboarding process.
Six Best Practices for Preboarding
Companies with effective preboarding strategies can improve the onboarding experience, which provides the groundwork for long-term job success.
It’s best to employ best practices designed to educate, engage, and motivate new employees before their formal start date. Doing so can ensure a smooth transition and establish a productivity culture.
That said, here are some best practices to implement for your preboarding process:
1. Open lines of communication
Effective communication is almost always the key to organizational success. However, remarkable workplace communication should start as early as the preboarding stage. This lets you present new hires with clear information about their compensation, benefits, company policies, and culture.
Sturgeon Christie, CEO of Second Skin Audio, suggests asking questions and promoting transparency during preboarding.
Christie says, “Open communication has been a priority in our organization since the beginning. We prepare our new employees to succeed in our dynamic environment by encouraging questions and providing help throughout preboarding. That way, they become well-informed and feel supported at the outset.”
2. Personalize the experience
As every employee is unique, preboarding requires a tailored approach to each new hire. It takes reviewing their application details and designing preboarding strategies aligned with their individual needs and preferences. For example, your approach to introverts must differ from that of extroverted employees.
Tim White, Founder of Milepro, highlights the power of personalization during preboarding.
White explains, “We believe in the power of personalization. By tailoring the preboarding experience for each new team member, you can ensure they feel appreciated and engaged from the beginning. That lays the groundwork for success in our collaborative environment right at the onset.”
3. Highlight the value proposition
Emphasizing your value proposition during preboarding reinforces why employees choose your company in the first place. As such, use this moment to highlight your company’s benefits and perks. You want new employees to feel they made the right decision in accepting your job offer.
Bert Hofhuis, Founder of Every Investor, underscores the importance of value proposition in employment.
Hofhuis argues, “New employees can become your most valuable assets, but what do you offer as a company? In our organization, we understand the importance of demonstrating value from the beginning. During preboarding, we emphasize the unique benefits and opportunities that await our new team members.”
4. Provide clear guidelines
Clear rules during preboarding are necessary for newly hired employees to traverse the onboarding process confidently. Provide step-by-step instructions and clear expectations as much as you develop an onboarding checklist. By doing so, you can help new hires understand what they need to do and how to proceed effectively.
Tony Mariotti, CEO of RubyHome, recommends HR personnel draft clear and simple guidelines.
Mariotti says, “We understand the need to provide clear guidance to our new team members. Our preboarding process ensures that every employee understands their role and knows exactly what steps to take, preparing them for success from the start.”
5. Automate admin work
Automating administrative tasks during preboarding makes the whole process more efficient and organized. You can devote more time to meaningful discussions and preparations by automating activities like documentation and setup. Don’t worry, as digital tools and software applications, such as document scanning SDKs are readily available in the market.
Roman Zrazhevskiy, Founder & CEO of MIRA Safety, suggests leveraging software automation for the preboarding process.
Zrazhevskiy explains, “We believe in employing technology to optimize all aspects of business operations, including preboarding. It shortens the onboarding process by automating administrative duties, giving staff more time to make meaningful relationships and prepare for success.”
6. Offer company tokens
Offering business tokens during preboarding provides a personal touch that helps new employees feel welcome and appreciated. Use these onboarding gift ideas for your preboarding process. From employee handbooks to refreshments, goods, office supplies, and treats, these tokens improve the onboarding experience and foster a sense of belonging.
Ian Sells, CEO of Million Dollar Sellers believes that first impressions in preboarding last.
Sells continues, “We recognize the importance of making new team members feel valued and welcomed. Provide company tokens that prepare employees for success and show your commitment to their well-being as team members. That can make a world of difference in their employment journey.”
Final Words
Preboarding is vital for smoothly integrating new employees into your company. It should be a critical part of the employment journey before onboarding. A successful one can translate to several valuable benefits for your organization, from ample preparation to guaranteed loyalty.
As such, consider the best practices for preboarding shared above.
Start by fostering open communication among your newly hired employees. Customize the employee experience and reinforce your value proposition. Likewise, make sure to offer clear guidelines and automate admin tasks. Plus, don’t forget to hand them over some company tokens.
With all these best practices in place, your new hires will feel supported and valued. Ultimately, they will be thrilled about their employment from the get-go!
