“There is no hospitality like understanding.” – Vanna Bonta
We all understand that inviting someone to our home carries with it the responsibility to be a good host. It’s no different in business. Long gone are the days of handing new teammates a stack of documents to sign, escorting them to their desk, and leaving them to be ‘baptized by fire’. Achieving sustainable competitive advantage through high performance teams has at its core a sincere desire to show people that you care about them.
Onboarding logistics is just one aspect of making a new teammate feel welcome. Stepping into the shoes of a new hire to understand their fears, vulnerabilities, and desire for clarity is another. Thus, good onboarding design incorporates logistical, emotional, and strategic components that ensure new teammates feel welcomed and supported.
How Onboarding Impacts The Bottom Line
Contrary to what some professionals believe, closing the sale is not the finish line to securing new business. Rather, a closed sale is the starting gate. The next legs of the race all involve teammates who service the customer and in so doing, continue the delivery of the company’s brand. Onboarding presents your company’s best opportunity for a new teammate to not only understand the brand, but also see the bigger picture they are now a part of. Effective onboarding increases motivation and reduces turnover by:
- Welcoming new teammates to the team
- Laying a foundation for trust and credibility
- Introducing teammates to the customer they serve
- Inspiring a sense of shared purpose
- Educating on the position and its value to the organization
- Increasing team collaboration
Added Value
Engaged employees engage customers, and engaged customers engage friends. So whether your company’s strategy is to reduce overhead costs, achieve operational excellence, improve sales effectiveness, or increase market share, a long-term focus on the work experience is needed. Why not start with developing an onboarding program as a means of engaging your entire team? Need help developing your program? I’d love to serve you! Give me a call at (623) 581-1123 and let’s talk about your needs.