While onboarding processes vary from business to business and even between industries, several general guidelines can help improve employee engagement, retention, and the success of onboarding.

 

A standardized onboarding process increases new hire retention by at least 50%. And when a business provides a great onboarding experience, 69% of employees are more likely to stay for at least three years. But despite the benefits of an employee-focused onboarding process, many businesses fail to deliver a good experience. Most new hires expect to complete more than 50 tasks in their onboarding process—with a focus on new hire paperwork and administrative hurdles. This aligns with what 58% of organizations report—their onboarding programs are focused on processes and paperwork. And the length of most onboarding programs? Only 37% of businesses say their programs last for more than 30 days.

 

Developing an effective onboarding strategy and onboarding timeline takes time and effort. But retaining new hires and high-performing employees on your team is worth it. Read on to learn how long onboarding should take and ten tips for making it count.