Why onboarding should start with a bang, not a form

2000. The year I started 'proper' work. The year the internet exploded. The .com bubble was expanding rapidly and yet onboarding for me consisted of a brown paper envelope containing my contract, an NI & bank details form, plus a cover letter - the main message being 'Turn up on 1^st April to 32 Farringdon Street'. 4 weeks later, that's precisely what I did.

If we jump forward to 2016, how many of us can actually say the process has changed that much? We might have moved our forms online (or into emails), but for most businesses onboarding is still seen as a process. A list of tasks that need to be completed before the new starter can join. These days that simply isn't good enough.

Onboarding isn't the end to the recruitment process, it's the beginning of a career.

So should that career start with a form or a bang? Should you be making talent feel like part of your company before day one, or making them fill in a next of kin form? Should their first week be exciting and inspiring journey or a tedious presentation about health and safety (not that we underestimate the importance of that 30 page slide deck). 

Process is, and always will be, a critical part of onboarding, but it should only be one part of a great experience. Only then, will your business begin to see the huge ROI onboarding can deliver.

If you'd like to find out more about creating that bang, do get in touch.