Picture this. You're ready at the airport for your flight to a sunny vacation destination. Dropping off your luggage and going through customs goes smoothly, wonderful! Once behind customs, you spot the gate where you are supposed to be later. Exciting, traveling to an unknown country with new destinations. Daydreaming, you board the plane, where you receive a friendly welcome from the cabin crew. You are helped to stow your hand luggage and find out that you have been given a seat with extra legroom - yes! A few hours later, a soft landing of the plane wakes you up from your nap. You're already here! The sun is shining through the tiny windows, blue sky and palm trees in the distance. Time to start your journey! 

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The perfect start

Sounds like the perfect beginning, right? All the moments of this trip went smoothly and relaxed. However, reality sometimes looks different ;). We as passengers do not have full influence on the journey. But you (employer, team, People & Culture manager and colleague) do have 100% influence on the perfect start of a new employee within your organization. 

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Pre-boarding new employee

After all, that unknown destination is your organization. Switching jobs is always a gamble for your new employee: you don't know what it's really like over there. The time spent at the airport and during boarding can be compared to pre-boarding: the period between accepting the proposal and the first day at work. The new colleague is still searching and does not know exactly what to expect. What is the team like, what will a work week look like? Then it's time to onboard and the flight to the new challenge. All the impressions here are crucial to a new colleague's first experience. A warm welcome, help with pointing out the workplace, putting things away, a cup of coffee and time for a chat. The perfect onboarding of the new employee with a soft landing! 

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You may be thinking now, "nice metaphor though, but my flight rarely goes smoothly and yet I arrive at destination just fine. Why do I need to organize an extensive onboarding as an employer? If I let my new employee join the team quickly, surely that is more likely to lead to productivity?" Be sure to read on!

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The importance of onboarding for a new employee in an organization

In fact, the opposite is true. Both research and practice show that proper, comprehensive onboarding for a new employee leads to greater engagement, cost efficiency and a positive impact on culture. The first six months in particular are crucial. Recent U.S. research shows that 51% of new colleagues make a decision to stay or leave within six months. The likelihood of longer-term bonding is many times greater if the new employee's experience during this period is positive. Other research has shown that new employees with an improved onboarding program are fully productive two months faster than employees who follow a traditional one-week onboarding program. So, reason enough to work on your onboarding!

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Creating an enhanced onboarding experience for your new employee
But how do you create an enhanced onboarding for a positive first experience? As an employer, you have a huge impact on this. A tightly organized customized onboarding process creates trust and connection. In addition, it becomes clearer to the new employee faster how the race is on, what the big goal is and how to contribute to it. Some of VIE's views on the improved onboarding process:

• Start pre-boarding immediately upon signing the contract;
• Focus on a 30-60-90 day plan;
• Go for the buddy system;
• Surprise, inform and evaluate;
• Arrange a tight administrative process in the background;
• Take all the time you need for a warm welcome and introductions. 

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You are at the helm of the ultimate onboarding: a completely carefree, relaxing journey to a new destination. It's up to you to manage and meet expectations. Or can you exceed them? We challenge you! 

Need help or want to be completely unburdened in developing the perfect onboarding within your organization? Put our People Partners in the cockpit - they will ensure a soft landing for your new employees. Want to know more? Get in touch with us!