Why orientation program is important

Ninety percent of its employees are part time, and 40 percent are between the ages of 16 and While fast-food chains are notorious for high turnover rates and questionable customer service, the turnover rate for assistant managers at Pal's is 1. And the company has only lost seven general managers in the 34 years that it has been in business. Pal's attributes this success to its commitment to continuous teaching, training and coaching, reports Inc.

New employees including part-timers receive hours of training before they are allowed to work on their own. Every employee has to prove his or her competence in his or her role through a certification and recertification process.

The experience generates loyal employees who, in turn, are instrumental in creating loyal customers. Savvy employers can build career development into the orientation process by showing these newbies how they can contribute to the organization while also advancing their own career goals. After the initial orientation, survey new employees for feedback to ensure that their expectations are being met and, if necessary, tweak the process. After that, weekly check-ins allow for course corrections and send the message that the organization cares about them and is invested in their growth.

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Hirsch August 10, Reuse Permissions. Image Caption. Make the Business Case When designing and implementing a cohesive onboarding program or process, HR professionals need to engage with key stakeholders throughout the organization to ensure that all new hires have an optimal onboarding experience.

New employees who went through a structured onboarding program were 58 percent more likely to be with the organization after three years. Organizations with a standard onboarding process experience 50 percent greater new-hire productivity.

Focus on the Experience The old adage still holds true: "You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Thus, with the feedback in hand , an organization can improve its structure wherever necessary. An effective orientation program is a significant part of any organization. It depends on how an organization implements the program. We have seen an increase in the number of employees joining the workforce. Without proper guidance, it becomes difficult for employees to cope up with their work.

Workplace orientation somehow eases up such shortcomings. And lets the employees build up to their potential at work. It is not a single step; it is a continuous process. Even the old employees need reorientation due to organizations' new policies and procedures most of the time.

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Book Your Seat. Bookmarks You haven't yet saved any bookmarks. Last Updated on 22 September So, what if a new employee is facing the same situation in an organization? SHRM Purpose of Workplace Orientation Employee orientation is as an essential process through which new employees understand their job. But what is the primary purpose of having an effective orientation program? Let us look at a few essential points to understand the purpose of employee orientation.

Getting familiar with the organization: As soon as a new employee joins in, assign them a mentor to show them around the organization. Ask the mentor to make the new employee understand what the company stands for and its values. Introducing company policies and procedures: Every organization has a code of conduct that they follow to maintain decorum.

Who hasn't left a lengthy conversation with an overwhelming, topic-twirling fast talker feeling exhausted and baffled? Similarly, cramming too much information into a half-day orientation is going to backfire.

A session that clearly outlines the company in easily digestible pieces — nothing more than necessary on day one — and allows time for a midpoint break reduces confusion. When you make initial information easy to understand, you help streamline and accelerate the learning process, letting everyone involved get on with business sooner rather than later.

An ideal orientation process also makes a new hire feel comfortable, welcomed, supported and able to communicate freely, even as you explain how she's expected to approach higher-ups in an appropriate manner.

While discussing topics around the company's chain of command, occasionally stop to ask if the employee has any questions. By encouraging questions and happily answering them, you develop a rapport and nurture communication skills from the get-go. It's no secret that the better a company communicates on all levels, the better its success. An anonymous feedback survey gives new hires a voice and gives your orientation staff or human resources team a way to improve. For example, using hospital new employee orientation best practices where hospitals stressed a culture of caring, patients were happier, and the nurses were less likely to leave.

Through hospital new employee orientation best practices like this, even the customers benefit. Taking the time to create a useful employee orientation experience is very important.

Your employee orientation is essentially the first impression you make on new hires, so you need it to be engaging and effective. When possible, provide your employees with a new-hire handbook that includes all relevant company information. That way, they can reference it when needed if they are unsure of anything you told them during orientation or if they need a reminder.