Building the Workplace: Onboarding Staff for Success

Quitting a new job within 90 days, called “quick quitting”, is on the rise. In fact, a 2022 Job Seeker Nation report found that 30% of respondents had done so recently. A third also indicated that they would voluntarily leave a job without another one lined up.

Companies and staffing agencies have become very efficient at recruitment but as staff continues to circulate faster, an increasing amount of resources are being lost in the first days and weeks of employment. This puts additional demand on the local talent pool and is costly for businesses. For these reasons, and several others, the process for onboarding new staff has become critical to welcoming and retaining new talent at any organization or business.

Effective Onboarding Generates Value

The benefits of an effective orientation and onboarding process are numerous, not only for employees, but also for the business. Effective onboarding increases employee engagement, retention, and productivity. In this way, solid training programs can help to reduce employee turnover and increase profitability. Conversely, those who have a negative orientation experience with an employer are less likely to recommend that company to friends and family, which then reduces talent attraction.

Onboarding is also a great opportunity to introduce new staff to the company’s values, history, and culture. Safety, for example, is a top priority in most manufacturing environments. It is important, then, not only to review safety guidelines – such as personal protective equipment (PPE) – but to also demonstrate a commitment to creating a safe work environment at all times.

Onboarding for Executive Staff

There are some additional considerations when onboarding executive level staff versus other team members. One key difference is that executives are often brought in to address important issues or help with specific initiatives, so they are often expected to initiate change instead of melding into the status quo. Executives have far more stakeholders to interact with and responsibilities to adopt, so getting them up to speed quickly is always a priority. A failed executive level manager can cost a company millions, and yet, nearly a third of global executives reported that their onboarding experience was poor.

Length of Training and Orientation

On average, most new, hourly employees felt fully onboarded after three-and-a-half weeks on the job, while most supervisors reported it took their new staff nearly 90 days to reach this level of integration. This stark difference in perspective reveals a potential disconnect in expectations and may result from the lack of formal training parameters and benchmarks.

Prior research suggests that three months is a more typical timeframe for new employees to become fully trained and integrated. Having a formal orientation plan with specific milestones – such as at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days – alongside reasonable and measurable goals can help to create a more concrete process with far less ambiguity.

In fact, it can be quite helpful to have a first day, first week, and first month plan for each new employee. This guided plan inspires confidence and creates a clear path forward by establishing realistic expectations.

Strategies for Great Onboarding

Online resources for developing an effective onboarding program are abundant. Large companies may also elect to hire a third party consultant or educator to help them create their orientation program. Indeed provides a straightforward, twelve point checklist for new hire onboarding.

It is a best practice, whenever possible, to have all HR paperwork, devices, email accounts, etcetera, organized and ready to go on the team member’s first day to make the transition process as smooth and efficient as possible. Sending a welcome email with useful information, like date and time reminders, a first day schedule, driving directions, or parking instructions, is also recommended. Other important goals of onboarding include:

• Clarify job responsibilities and tasks (role clarity)

• Introduction to supervisors, coworkers, and stakeholders (social integration)

• Explanation of organizational values and priorities (company culture)

• Establish milestones and training goals

• Create a plan for periodic review,

support, and job coaching

It is also important that new staff members have an opportunity to provide feedback about their experience and that the organization reviews this information regularly to further improve their onboarding process.

Conclusion

Creating effective orientation and onboarding procedures should be a

By: Alex Duck

top priority for all modern businesses, especially as quick quitting becomes more common and socially acceptable. Onboarding, along with training and mentorship, if done correctly, can lead to higher rates of job satisfaction, retention, and employee performance. The goal of onboarding should always be setting up new team members for success and that must begin on day one. w

Recognition Recognition

Green Joins Bank Independent’s downtown Location

Bank Independent is pleased to announce that Crystal Green has joined our team as a VP Sales Officer at the Downtown Huntsville Sales Office located at 225 Holmes Avenue NE.

Green has over 24 years in the banking industry with most of that time coming on the retail side. She has spent the last six years in commercial banking.

“My goal is to live up to Bank Independent’s mission of making a positive difference in people’s lives by being a valuable resource for our clients and the community,” Green said.

She is a member of the Women’s Economic Development Council and holds a Business Administration degree from Wallace State Community College.

“We are excited to welcome Crystal to our Bank Independent family,” Bank Independent Huntsville City President, DeMarco McClain said. “Crystal is very familiar with our Bank culture and will be a great asset to our Huntsville team. Her experience and customer first approach are both assets that serve our Madison County customers for years to come.”

She and her husband, Kevin, live in Gurley and the have three children. Wyatt (24) is a member of the United States Air Force, while Caleb (16) and Kylie (13) are both enrolled in Huntsville City Schools.

Matt Curtis Real Estate Named #1 Real Estate Team in Alabama for Fourth Consecutive Year

Matt Curtis Real Estate, a leading residential real estate team based in Huntsville, AL, announced its recognition as the #1 Real Estate Team in Alabama for the fourth consecutive year. The prestigious honor was bestowed upon Matt Curtis Real Estate as part of the RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand ranking program, a national initiative that identifies and celebrates the country's most successful brokerages, teams, and agents.

RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand serves as a definitive benchmark of excellence within the residential real estate industry. Each year, the program compiles and verifies transaction sides and closed sales volume to determine the top performers nationwide. The Thousand places Matt Curtis Real Estate in the top .05% of more than 1.6 million licensed Realtors nationwide.

In addition to this remarkable achievement, Matt Curtis Real Estate secured a national ranking of #64 in the mega team category. This recognition highlights the team's exceptional dedication, expertise, and commitment to delivering outstanding results for their clients. Matt Curtis Real Estate's consistent success is a testament to their unwavering focus on providing exceptional service, industry-leading knowledge, and innovative marketing strategies.

"We are honored to be named the #1 Real Estate Team in Alabama for the fourth consecutive year" said Matt Curtis, Founder and CEO of Matt Curtis Real Estate. "Who you hire MATTers, and we are so thankful to our clients and the community of Huntsville for giving us the opportunity to provide them with 5 star real estate service."

To learn more about Matt Curtis Real Estate, please visit https://www. mattcurtisrealestate.com/

Shari Burnum Named Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor for Second Consecutive Year

Shari Burnum, CEO of Investor’s Resource in Madison Alabama, has been named by Forbes as a Best-in-State Wealth Advisor for 2023. This is Burnum’s second consecutive year earning a place among the state’s most accomplished financial professionals.

While Forbes lists the Top Wealth Advisors in the nation, the publication recognized that local clients most often prefer to work with local wealth advisors. To make those advisors easier to locate and engage, Forbes created its Best-in-State listing. Advisors are selected based on a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, including diligence interviews, service models, compliance records, industry experience, and best practices. Of over 39,000 nominations, Forbes selected just 7,321 wealth advisors who lead the nation in “successfully managing nearly $11 trillion in assets.”

According to Forbes, recognized advisors are “laser focused on having a positive impact on their clients' lives; they want to add meaning and help them live better lives.”

Burnum’s proven record of providing high-quality, high-impact service to her roster of clients secured her place alongside a stellar list of recommended wealth advisors who have accumulated years of industry knowledge, understand the unique needs of their clients, and have expertise in meeting them.

“I take pride in providing my clients with the most relevant and up-to-date financial guidance. It’s rewarding to have my work acknowledged and recognized among the best,” explains Burnum. “To my clients, I am a trusted resource and I look forward to continuously serving them in the most effective capacity.”

American Association of Community Colleges Selects Drake State President Dr. Patricia Sims to AACC Board

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) selected Drake State President Dr. Patricia Sims to join its board. The AACC represents more than 1,000 2-year, associate degree-granting institutions and nearly 12 million students.

“It’s an honor to be elected to serve on such an impactful organization,” said Dr. Sims. “As the leading advocacy group for our nation’s community colleges, the AACC supports workforce development efforts nationwide to improve the lives of our students. I look forward to assisting the needs of our two-year colleges in this capacity and more.”

Dr. Sims has been president of Huntsville’s Historically Black Community College since 2018. Under her leadership, the college has seen increased state and federal funding, expanded career pathways and programs, and strengthened community partnerships.

Drake State is home to the tallest 3D-printed structure in the State of Alabama, thanks to its NASA-sponsored Frontiers Research Program ground-breaking research in space construction.

Dr. Sims has more than 28 years of progressive experience in education. President Biden recently appointed her to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Alabama State Port Authority, the Alabama Partnership for Children, and the Huntsville Hospital Foundation.