Onboarding practices final
Transcript of Onboarding practices final
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices
April 13, 2011
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011 2
Key Findings
• Are employers providing onboarding programs and practices to their new hires? More than 80% of organizations reported that they have either formal (i.e., written, documented, standard) or informal onboarding programs and/or practices.
• At what point does onboarding begin for new hires, and how long does it last? Nearly one-third of organizations begin their onboarding activities upon offer acceptance, and an additional one-third begin onboarding on the new hire’s first day on the job. Almost one-half of organizations reported that the total cumulative duration of their onboarding programs for most new hires is less than eight days.
• What are the most crucial onboarding practices for ensuring the success of newcomers? The vast majority of organizations indicated that providing communication, training and resources is extremely important for the successful adjustment of new hires.
• What prevents organizations from formally offering more onboarding activities? More than one-half of organizations reported that time constraints and insufficient HR staffing are barriers to offering more formal onboarding activities.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Does your organization have formal (i.e., written, documented, standard) or informal onboarding practices and/or programs?
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Yes; 81%
No; 19%
Note: n = 475.
• Multinational organizations (92%) were more likely than organizations with U.S.-based only operations (78%) to report that they had formal onboarding practices and/or programs.
• Organizations with multiple units in the United States (85%) were more likely than single-unit U.S. organizations (71%) to report that they had formal onboarding practices and/or programs.
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How many different onboarding practices does your organization’s HR department formally provide in each of the following categories?
A guide: Practices that provide a personal guide for newcomers (e.g., a buddy, mentor or welcome coordinator) (n = 317)
Welcoming activities: Practices that provide opportunities for newcomers to meet and socialize with other organizational members and/or celebrate their arrival (n = 318)
Training: Practices that reflect planned efforts to facilitate the systematic acquisition of skills, behaviors, knowledge by newcomers (n = 319)
Communication efforts: Practices that facilitate communication with newcomers (e.g., one-way provision of information as well as opportunities for two-way dialogue) (n = 320)
Resources: Practices that make materials or assistance available to newcomers should they take the initiative to seek out those resources (n = 318)
35%
25%
8%
7%
7%
41%
34%
31%
33%
31%
17%
31%
34%
43%
17%
3%
6%
13%
9%
10%
3%
4%
13%
8%
9%
No formal practices 1 formal practice 2-3 formal practices 4-5 formal practices More than 5 formal practices
Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Data sorted in ascending order by “no formal practices” category.
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How many different onboarding practices does your organization’s HR department formally provide in each of the following categories?
Differences Based on Organization Staff Size
Differences Based on Organization’s Operations
Location
Differences Based on Union Status
Communication efforts: Practices that facilitate communication with newcomers (e.g., one-way provision of information as well as opportunities for two-way dialogue):
More than 5 formal practicesMultinational operations (12%) > U.S.-based only organizations
(2%)
Resources: Practices that make materials or assistance available to newcomers should they take the initiative to seek out those resources:
1 formal practice Non-union (33%) > union (17%)
More than 5 formal practices
Multinational operations (12%) > U.S.-based only organizations
(3%)
Welcoming activities: Practices that provide opportunities for newcomers to meet and socialize with other organizational members and/or celebrate their arrival:
4 to 5 formal practices25,000 or more employees
(31%) > 1 to 99 employees (3%), 100 to 499 employees (4%)
A guide: Practices that provide a personal guide for newcomers (e.g., a buddy, mentor or welcome coordinator):
1 formal practice Non-union (44%) > union (27%)
Comparison by Selected Organizational Demographics
Note: Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
To what extent is follow-up or monitoring done to make sure formal onboarding activities or programs are actually happening as designed in your organization?
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
17%
37%
31%
15%
Note: n = 320.
• Publicly owned for-profit organizations reported greater average degrees of follow-up or monitoring than privately owned for-profit organizations.
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In general, when do your onboarding programs begin?
Other
Only after successfully completing an initial probationary period
During the first few weeks of employment
On the start date
After acceptance but before start date
Upon offer acceptance
During recruitment
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
1%
1%
7%
32%
15%
31%
14%
Note: n = 323. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
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In general, what is the total cumulative duration of your onboarding program for most newcomers?
It depends on a number of factors
More than a year
More than 6 months, up to a year
4 to 6 months
2 to 3 months (90 days)
Between 8 days and a month
4 to 7 days
2 to 3 days
1 day or less
0% 10% 20% 30%
6%
1%
2%
6%
19%
17%
11%
20%
18%
Note: n = 322.
• Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Nonprofit organizations (14%) and government agencies (14%) were more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations (2%) to report that the total cumulative duration of their onboarding programs depends on a number of factors.
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Which of the following areas are specifically addressed by your organization’s onboarding programs?
Other
The newcomer's division
The newcomer's business unit
The newcomer's specific geographic location (e.g., branch or plant)
The newcomer's immediate workgroup
The newcomer's department
The newcomer's specific job
The organization as a whole
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
1%
27%
28%
39%
56%
64%
73%
81%
Note: n = 307. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Does your organization approach onboarding differently for different types of employees?
Yes No
Management vs. nonmanagement 63% 37%
Job or job family (e.g., KSAs, competencies, job requirements) 51% 49%
Employment status (e.g., full time vs. part time vs. contingent employees) 51% 49%
Employees vs. board members 49% 51%
Entry level vs. mid level vs. senior level 47% 53%
Recruitment source (e.g., new hires vs. internal transfer vs. re-hire vs. employees from a merger/ acquisition)
41% 59%
Functional or business unit 37% 63%
Hourly vs. salaried 30% 70%
Geographic location (e.g., different regions or countries) 29% 71%
New-hire personal characteristics (e.g., experience, expectations, potential, learning style)
23% 77%
Union vs. non-union 14% 86%
Other 7% 93%
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Note: n = 153-306. Table sorted by “yes” column.
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Does your organization approach onboarding differently for different types of employees?
Differences Based on Organization’s
Operations Location
Differences Based on Union Status
Differences Based on Industry
Differences Based on Organization Sector
New-hire personal characteristics (e.g., experience, expectations, potential, learning style) Multinational operations
(26%) > U.S.-based only organizations (10%)
Employees vs. board members Union (65%) > non-union (46%)
Government (71%) > privately owned for-profit
(40%)
Geographic location (e.g., different regions or countries)
U.S.-based only organizations (50%) >
multinational operations (23%)
Publishing, broadcasting, other media (67%) > health care and social assistance (8%)
Publicly owned for-profits (44%), privately owned
for-profits (33%) > nonprofits (11%)
Hourly vs. salariedManufacturing – other
(53%) > health care and social assistance (10%)
Publicly owned for-profits (37%), privately owned
for-profits (39%) > nonprofits (15%)
Union vs. non-unionU.S.-based only
organizations (23%) > multinational operations
(9%)
Union (48%) > non-union (5%)
Comparison by Selected Organizational Demographics
Note: Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
How has onboarding of new employees changed over the past five years in your organization?
Strongly disagree
Disagree AgreeStrongly
agree
Onboarding is longer and/or more intensive than before, with more done to help facilitate the adjustment of newcomers.
3% 23% 43% 30%
We use onboarding more now as a key part of our retention strategy. 4% 24% 48% 24%
Onboarding has become more engaging, interactive and individualized. 5% 27% 48% 20%
We now start onboarding earlier, with more attention to recruitment, providing information to ensure fit and set expectations.
5% 34% 44% 17%
Onboarding has a longer-term focus than before, with more emphasis placed on career paths, development and advancement opportunities early on in the process.
6% 37% 42% 16%
Onboarding has become much less personal, with greater use of electronic communications and delivery of material.
13% 59% 21% 7%
Onboarding has not changed much in our organization over the past five years. 25% 48% 22% 4%
Onboarding is shorter than before, with more responsibility given to newcomers to figure things out for themselves.
29% 57% 10% 4%
Onboarding has a shorter-term focus than before because expected tenure has declined.
20% 69% 10% 2%
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Note: n = 251-270. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Table sorted by “strongly agree” column. Excludes responses of “not sure/don’t know.”
• Compared with smaller organizations (those with 1 to 2,499 employees), organizations with 2,500 to 24,999 employees reported greater average levels of agreement that they use onboarding more now as a key part of their retention strategy.
• Compared with multinational organizations, organizations with U.S.-based only operations reported greater average levels of agreement that onboarding is shorter than before, with more responsibility given to newcomers to figure things out for themselves.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
To what extent is feedback collected from newcomers or their supervisors for the purpose of evaluating and revising your onboarding activities?
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
28%
39%
25%
8%
Note: n = 283.
• Compared with privately owned for-profit organizations, publicly owned for-profit organizations and nonprofit organizations reported a greater average extent of evaluation of onboarding activities.
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In your opinion as an HR professional, how important are the following activities for the successful adjustment of newcomers and for facilitating their performance, engagement and retention?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2% 1% 0% 0% 0%5% 5%
1% 1% 1%
35% 33%
15% 14%10%
59% 61%
84% 85%88%
Not at all important Somewhat unimportant Somewhat important Extremely important
Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
• Compared with HR professionals from organizations with U.S.-based only operations, HR professionals from multinational organizations reported greater average importance for onboarding activities that involve training.
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In your opinion as an HR professional, when are the following activities most useful for newcomers?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
1% 2%6%
1%
32%
5% 15%
31%
4%
32%
59%
48%
37%41%
17%
18%
26%
18%
32%
7%7% 7%5%
15%
4%1% 2% 2%
7%
1%
During recruitment Post hire, but before start On 1st day Later in 1st week Weeks 2-4 Months 2-3
Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
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In your opinion as an HR professional, when are the following activities most useful for newcomers?
Differences Based on Organization’s
Operations Location
Differences Based on Union Status
Differences Based on Organization
Sector
Differences Based on Region
Providing resources: Practices that make materials or assistance available to newcomers should they take the initiative to seek out those resources:
During recruitmentNonprofits (15%) >
privately owned for-profits (4%)
Post hire, but before start
Multinational operations (36%) > U.S.-based only
organizations (18%)
Nonprofits (41%), government (45%) >
publicly owned for-profits (15%)
Later in 1st week
Northeast (27%), Southeast (19%),
Midwest (23%) > West (3%)
Providing training: Practices that reflect planned efforts to facilitate the systematic acquisition of skills, behaviors, knowledge by newcomers
During recruitmentGovernment (6%) >
privately owned for-profits (1%)
On 1st dayNon-union (44%) >
union (28%)
Weeks 2 to 4
Publicly owned for-profits (26%), government (29%)
> privately owned for-profits (10%)
Welcoming activities: Practices that provide opportunities for newcomers to meet and socialize with other organizational members and/or celebrate their arrival
During recruitment
U.S.-based only organizations (5%) >
multinational operations(1%)
On 1st day
Publicly owned for-profits (68%) > privately owned
for-profits (45%) , nonprofits (43%)
Comparison by Selected Organizational Demographics
Note: Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Please rate the following areas according to their importance for newcomers to learn in order to facilitate their performance, engagement and retention.
Very unimportant
Somewhat unimportant
Somewhat important
Very important
The knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform required job tasks 9% 1% 6% 84%
The formal workplace rules, policies and procedures 8% 1% 11% 80%
What the organization offers to employees in exchange for their contributions, including pay, benefits, development opportunities and opportunities for recognition
7% 2% 16% 74%
The organization’s current product/market mix, competitive position, mission, goals and strategies
8% 5% 21% 67%
The formal structure, including the physical layout and where formal responsibility and authority is assigned
5% 5% 29% 61%
The unique technical language, acronyms, slang and jargon used at work 7% 4% 28% 60%
The organization’s culture, including values, customs, symbols and myths 6% 6% 32% 56%
Information about others necessary to establish effective working relationships (including the learning of colleagues’ expectations, needs, working styles, etc.).
8% 4% 35% 53%
The informal rules, norms and procedures of the workplace. 5% 2% 44% 49%
The informal power structure, including where actual control of resources, decision-making and influence over decisions reside
5% 9% 40% 46%
The organization’s history, traditions, origins and changes that have occurred. 3% 13% 53% 31%
Information about others necessary to develop a network of social relationships at work (e.g., common interests, family, etc.).
7% 27% 48% 18%
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Note: n = 298-318. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Data sorted by “very important” column.
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Please rate the following areas according to their importance for newcomers to learn in order to facilitate their performance, engagement and retention.
Differences Based on Organization Staff Size
Differences Based on Organization Sector
The organization’s history, traditions, origins and changes that have occurred. Nonprofit > government
The organization’s culture, including values, customs, symbols and myths. 2,500 to 24,999 employees > 100 to 499 employees
Comparison by Selected Organizational Demographics
Note: The table represents differences in average reported importance, in which larger numbers indicate greater average importance. Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Please rate the following areas according to the level of difficulty for newcomers to learn on their own, aside from being covered in an onboarding activity.
Very difficultSomewhat
difficultSomewhat
easyVery easy
The formal workplace rules, policies and procedures 7% 25% 40% 28%
What the organization offers to employees in exchange for their contributions, including pay, benefits, development opportunities and opportunities for recognition
9% 23% 42% 26%
The organization’s history, traditions, origins and changes that have occurred 8% 27% 42% 24%
The formal structure, including the physical layout and where formal responsibility and authority is assigned.
6% 27% 45% 22%
Information about others necessary to develop a network of social relationships at work (e.g., common interests, family, etc.).
4% 26% 55% 16%
The organization’s culture, including values, customs, symbols and myths 7% 32% 45% 16%
The organization’s current product/market mix, competitive position, mission, goals and strategies
12% 38% 36% 13%
The informal rules, norms and procedures of the workplace 7% 37% 46% 10%
The knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform required job tasks 13% 48% 32% 8%
The informal power structure, including where actual control of resources, decision-making and influence over decisions reside
15% 46% 33% 6%
Information about others necessary to establish effective working relationships (including the learning of colleagues’ expectations, needs, working styles, etc.)
12% 53% 29% 5%
The unique technical language, acronyms, slang and jargon used at work 17% 50% 28% 4%
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Note: n = 270-297. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Data sorted by “very easy” column..
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011 20
Please rate the following areas according to the level of difficulty for newcomers to learn on their own, aside from being covered in an onboarding activity.
Differences Based on Organization’s
Operations Location
Differences Based on Union Status
Differences Based on Organization Sector
The informal rules, norms and procedures of the workplaceNon-union > union
The organization’s current product/market mix, competitive position, mission, goals and strategies
Government > publicly owned for-profits, privately
owned for-profitsWhat the organization offers to employees in exchange for their contributions, including pay, benefits, development opportunities and opportunities for recognition
Multinational operations > U.S.-based only organizations
Comparison by Selected Organizational Demographics
Note: The table represents differences in average reported importance, in which larger numbers indicate greater average importance. Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.
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If your organization does not formally offer as many onboarding activities as you think it should, what are the reasons more activities are not offered?
Other
Activities are not valued by newcomers
Past history of breakdowns in execution
Systemic or bureaucratic impediments
Anticipated breakdowns in execution
Too few new hires to fully develop formal onboarding activities
Lack of senior management support
Financial constraints
Insufficient HR staff to implement
Time constraints (i.e., cannot spare workers from their on-the-job duties)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
8%
4%
13%
16%
17%
29%
30%
33%
52%
60%
Note: n = 226. Excludes responses of, “N/A, my organization formally offers all of the onboarding activities that we need.” Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.
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If your organization does not formally offer as many onboarding activities as you think it should, what are the reasons more activities are not offered?
Differences Based on Organization’s Operations
Location
Differences Based on Organization Staff Size
Differences Based on Organization Sector
Financial constraints Nonprofit (49%) > privately owned for-profits (27%)
Anticipated breakdowns in execution U.S.-based only organizations (29%) > multinational operations (14%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (35%) > 1 to 99 employees (8%)
Too few new hires to fully develop formal onboarding activities 1 to 99 employees (56%) > 100 to 499 employees (26%), 500 to 2,499 employees (25%), 2,500 to 24,999
employees (16%)
Comparison by Selected Organizational Demographics
Note: Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Demographics: Organization Industry
IndustryHealth care, social assistance (e.g., hospitals, clinics) 14%
Manufacturing–other 12%
Services–professional, scientific, technical, legal 11%
Financial services (e.g., banking) 7%
Educational services/education 6%
Government/public administration—federal, state/local, tribal 5%
Insurance 4%
Retail/wholesale trade 4%
Consulting 3%
Publishing, broadcasting, other media 3%
Transportation, warehousing (e.g., distribution) 3%
High-tech 3%
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Note: n = 320. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)
IndustryOther services (e.g., other nonprofit, church/religious organizations) 2%
Construction, mining, oil and gas 2%
Arts, entertainment, recreation 2%
Telecommunications 2%
Utilities 2%
Manufacturing—auto/auto-related 2%
Real estate, rental, leasing 1%
Services—accommodation, food and drinking places 1%
Biotech 1%
Pharmaceutical 0%
Other 7%
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Note: n = 320. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Demographics: Organization Sector
Other
Government sector
Publicly owned for-profit organization
Nonprofit organization
Privately owned for-profit organization
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
5%
9%
17%
22%
46%
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Note: n = 316. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Demographics: Organization Staff Size
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
21%
27%
30%
16%
5%
26
Note: n = 256
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
Demographics: Other
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Note: n = 324
U.S.-based operations 79%
Multinational operations 21%
Single-unit company: A company in which the location and the company are one and the same
28%
Multi-unit company: A company that has more than one location
72%
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies and practices
46%
Each work location determines HR policies and practices
1%
A combination of both the work location and the multi-unit headquarters determine HR policies and practices
53%
Is organization a single-unit company or a multi-unit company?
Are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each work location or both?
Does the organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only or does it operate multinationally?
Note: n = 323
Note: n = 232
• 16% of organizations indicated that employees at their work location were unionized.
Note: n = 319
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices | ©SHRM 2011
SHRM Survey Findings: Onboarding Practices
• Response rate = 18%.• Sample composed of 482 HR professionals randomly selected
from SHRM’s membership.• Margin of error is +/- 5%.• Survey fielded November 29 - December 20, 2010.• This poll was developed in conjunction with Howard Klein,
Ph.D., Chair, SHRM Foundation.
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Methodology
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