HR functions as the critical bridge to all parts of the organization. Yet, there is no organizational process more lacking in terms of cross functional linkages than onboarding. Onboarding mistakes occur in over 50% of new hires, are estimated to account for over 15 times the manager's total compensation, and have an extraordinarily negative impact on the organization's bottom line. While HR should not be wholly responsible for executing effective onboarding, they must successfully build the bridge by educating and leading key stakeholders within the organization to work together.

1. 1.
700 Godwin Avenue, Suite 230, Midland Park, NJ 07432
201-251-1229
www.ruef-associates.com
Onboarding Secrets
10 Steps to Effective Onboarding
&
Boosting Your Retention Metrics
presented by
Tim Ruef

2. JANET’S STORY
“I just wanted to feel more
welcome and important.”
“I wanted a signal that I was
appreciated and needed.”

3. AGENDA
• Strategic & economic need
• Onboarding defined
• Onboarding & retention
• 10 secrets for success
• Metrics: measuring impact
• Improving your program

4. WHY WE ARE HERE?
• Onboarding mistakes
common
• Onboarding mistakes
costly

5. WHAT IS ONBOARDING?

6. ONBOARDING DEFINED
Process of integrating new hires to maximize
individual & organization success
• Agree – agreement on need for role
• Recruit – identify, recruit & select
• Orient – provide tools / extend welcome
• Assimilate – help them join with others
• Accelerate – help them deliver results
faster

7. ASSIMILATION: JOIN WITH OTHERS /
ADJUST TO CULTURE
• How People Are: Underpinning of culture:
core values, assumptions, beliefs & intentions
• What People Do: Behavioral &
communication norms: way people dress, talk
to each other
• What People Say: Mission statements, vision,
beliefs & stories
Bradt, George & Vonnegut, Mary, “Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time,” 2009, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.

8. ASSIMILATION: JOIN WITH OTHERS /
ADJUST TO CULTURE
• Your Stories
• Marriott –The Spirit to Serve
• Disney
• Fed Ex
• Zappos
Bradt, George & Vonnegut, Mary, “Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time,” 2009, John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.

9. ONBOARDING DEFINED
Process of integrating new hires to maximize
individual & organization success
• Agree – agreement on need for role
• Recruit – identify, recruit & select
• Orient – provide tools / extend welcome
• Assimilate – help them join with others
• Accelerate – help them deliver results
faster
Bradt, George,& Vonnegut, Mary, “Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time”, 2009, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.

10. THE BREAKEVEN POINT

11. ONBOARDING
FROM GOOD TO GREAT
• Orient – provide tools for success
Compliance – basic legal & policy related rules
Clarification – understands job and expectation
• Assimilate – help them join with others
Understand culture – organizational norms,
informal & formal connection
• Accelerate – help them deliver results faster
 Personal Onboarding plans; goals
 Magic happens with productivity increases
93%
50%
20%

12. RETENTION CONTINUUM
Fully Engaged
Happy;
Maximum
Contribution
Disengaged
Almost Engaged
• New Hires
• Active/No
Results
Crash & Burners
Unhappy;
Maximum
Contribution
•Company Issue
•Search Targets
Happy;
No
Contribution
Janet
Unhappy;
No
Contribution

13. RETENTION DRIVERS
EMPLOYEES
Control over environment
Meaningful, purposeful work that contributes to
organizational success
Positive, regular, meaningful feedback
Appreciation & respect of individual differences

14. CONTROL OVER ENVIRONMENT
 Even doctors get nervous
 Famous Pro football coach, Bill Walsh
Understood: Script initial plays ahead of
time to make players comfortable

15. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
1. Implement basics prior to first day
2. Make the 1st day special

16. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
3. Persuade candidate & manager to
participate

17. THE RELUCTANT PARTICIPANT
Don’t Worry, I’ve Done This a Million Times

18. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
Assist Manager to…
4. Create a Personal
Onboarding Plan for
New Employee
- Use interview data

19. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
5. Ensure key events have clear,
measurable objectives
– Meetings should be content oriented,
not just “meet and greet”
– Provide sample questions for
employee

20. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
6. Appoint a “Buddy”
–One point access to
operationally necessary info
–Not a mentor (professional
and personal development)
–Not a coach (job related skills)
–Development of individual not
expected

21. APPOINT A “BUDDY”
ADVANTAGES
• Straightforward queries regarding basic
operational issues dealt with in timely/ non
bureaucratic manner
• New employee feels more at home
• Initial confusion and uncertainty lessened
• New employee feels in control
• Manager time freed up to deal with value added
issues
• Acknowledgement for “Buddy”

22. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
7. Use technology to facilitate process
BUT……
• Getting fully on line is not critical for all
• Not necessarily important if fewer employees
are undergoing onboarding at any given time
• Electronic onboarding is a passive process
• Just invest attention on your own strategic plan

23. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
8. Use milestones to check
employee progress
“Stay interviews” 1
Take action if a hiring mistake was
made
9. Engage key stakeholders in
planning & progress meetings 2

24. SECRETS TO SUCCESS
10. Create an environment where it is OK to
ask for help.
The Question is not “Can I help you, but,
What help do you need?
Provide support without removing
responsibility
Buddy program supports this
environment
*Scott Erker, PhD, SVP Selection Solutions, DDI; Presentation at SHRM National Meeting, 2011

25. SELLING THE PROGRAM
Background
• CFOs reject 90% of all HR proposals; 50% of decisions based on
financial impact (Gates Consulting)
• Onboarding has proven ROI, but solid numbers are key
• Measurement of onboarding easier than other measures
• Visibility for you; Value for the organization
Actions
• Establish clear benchmarks to judge performance
• Measure situation before program initiated (calls to IT Help Desk, HR
infractions, number of accidents, etc.)
• Provides baseline for comparing same measures after implementation
Robert C. Billotti, Managing Director Novita Training and Onboarding in Simms, Doris, “Creative Onboarding Programs,” pages 173 -175.

26. ONBOARDING METRICS
• Retention (opposite of turnover)
• Productivity of new employees
• Time to productivity
• Satisfaction (with job and decision to join org)
• Employee referrals
• Safety (can be costly in more ways that $)
• Innovation (capturing employees new ideas)
• Compliance (fewer violations)
Robert C. Billotti, Managing Director Novita Training and Onboarding in Simms, Doris, Creative Onboarding Programs, pages 173 -175.

27. HOW TO APPLY METRICS
• Retention (Turnover within 1st year)
• Productivity ( sales, customer complaints, production units,
reporting errors, incremental revenue, reduction of costs)
• Time to productivity (Time to first sale; time to full
productivity compared to veteran employee)
• Satisfaction (Before & after New Employee Survey; “Stay
Interviews”
• Employee referrals (Number from 1st year employees)
• Safety (# of accidents; medical expenses; safety fines)
• Innovation (# of suggestions/improved processes)
Robert C. Billotti, Managing Director Novita Training and Onboarding in Simms, Doris, Creative Onboarding Programs, pages 173 -175

28. IMPROVE YOUR ONBOARDING PROGRAM:
IMPLEMENT THE “10 SECRETS”
• Move beyond orientation (5 steps)
• Make first day special
• Persuade candidate & manager to participate
• Develop onboarding plan with measurable results
• Appoint a “buddy”
• Use technology where appropriate
• Check progress; “stay interviews” at 3 months*
• Create environment where OK to ask for help
• Develop metrics; measure results
* Dick Finnegan, Presentation, SHRM National Conference, 2011, Orlando, Fl

29. BACKGROUND MATERIALS
• Organization Checklist ( Basic work and personal needs
of employee)
• Hiring Manager Checklist (Prior to Day 1)
• Hiring Manager Checklist (Day 1)
• Announcement Cascade
• Personal Onboarding Plan Template
• Buddy Program Design Primer
• Conversation Guide for New Employees (For Discussion
with Cross Functional Colleagues and Stakeholders)
• Sample Metrics

30. SUMMARY
• Strategic & economic need
• Onboarding defined
• Onboarding & engagement
• 10 Secrets for success
• Metrics: How to measure impact
• Improving your program

31. 700 Godwin Avenue, Suite 230, Midland Park, NJ 07432
201-251-1229
www.ruef-associates.com

32. TIM RUEF
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ruef & Associates LLC
700 Godwin Ave, Suite 230
Midland Park, NJ 07432
email: truef@ruef-associates.com
Office: 1-201-251-1229
Mobile: 1-201-693-1983