Note from the iBlog: Last week we focused on the importance of onboarding and some easy-to-implement techniques. Now let's get into details on how to further create a successful program.

This blog post is by Kyle Lagunas, an HR Analyst at Software Advice. On the surface, it's his job to contribute to the ongoing conversation on all things HR. Beyond that, he makes sure his audience is keeping up with important trends and hot topics in the industry. Focused on offering a fresh take on points of interest in his market, he's not your typical HR guy.

Organizations invest a lot in their people, and it's no surprise that they expect to see a return on their investments (ROI). But as business leaders look for the best ways to maximize the ROI of their workforce,  the onboarding process is often overlooked. For many, the onboarding experience is reduced to a mere checklist of tasks to be completed and forms to be submitted. The fact that such organizations fail to understand, though, is that an employees that experience a smoother onboarding process will be more connected to the organization, better trained and, thus, quicker to produce.

The key to making the case for future resource allocation lies in being able to illustrate the effectiveness of your onboarding process. Your decision-makers need to know their resources are being put to good use. With the right metrics at your disposal, you can deliver the information they're looking for.

Establish a Baseline for Measuring Onboarding ROI
Many HR departments struggle to establish a baseline for how their organization will assess ROI. Evaluating the value of an enhanced HR process is not always a straightforward process, but establishing a baseline is the first and most important step. Spending time with leadership and defining your standards for measuring ROI is invaluable.

When establishing your baseline to measure ROI, there are a few key concepts you should keep in mind:

• Onboarding should be consistent. All of your fancy data gathering will be for naught unless you can roll out a universal process for onboarding new hires.
• The onboarding process is more than a checklist. Though checklists are great for staying organized, your new hires’ success depends on your ability to get them connected to your organization and keep them connected beyond their first day.
• The onboarding process goes beyond the first week. Though the normal probationary period for new hires is 90 days, The Wynhurst Group reports 22 percent of staff turnover occurs in the first 45 days of employment.

How to Brave the Metrics Madness
After identifying what information will be most valuable, you can begin strategically tracking data. Keep in mind that some of the data you measure won’t be cold, hard facts that fit nicely into a spreadsheet. Don't let this frighten you! This is why you've established a baseline with leadership.

There are three areas you can focus on for information: performance, experience and effectiveness. In terms of scope, I'd suggest looking beyond your new hires. Measure the impact at various levels (team, department, organization). To view a a few ideas of what you can measure (as well as how frequently) click here and scroll down to the "Brave the Metrics Madness" chart.

For Maximum ROI, Take Engagement Beyond Onboarding
The best metrics should be forward-thinking analytics tools. According to Dr. John Sullivan at TLNT.com, “They tell you who’s going to win the Superbowl next year, not who won last year.” Furthermore, they should provide the information you need to win the Superbowl every year.

At the end of the day, your ROI is answering one question above all: What is the value of onboarding new employees more effectively? Here’s a hint: Take a look at your metrics and note improvements in employee performance, time to proficiency and increased retention. Once you can answer that question, move onto the next question: “How can we maximize the value of a better-onboarded employee?”

One way you can maximize this value is to keep the momentum going. Many organizations leverage the tools and technology found in talent management systems such as the iCIMS Talent Platform to better manage the process of engaging and motivating their employees. Beyond core talent management functionality, these systems also offer reporting analytics and dashboard elements that provide the information you need to support your ROI analysis.

This article can be found in its entirety on Kyle's blog at: http://blog.softwareadvice.com/articles/hr/onboarding-roi-metrics-for-measuring-the-true-value/

When I graduated from FIT, my aim was to find a job ASAP, and one with benefits. I quickly circulated my resume and strategically planned a cross-country getaway before I’d have to work for the rest of my life.

Since my cross-country adventure, a memory of eight years past this August, I’ve taken on a few roles, but most recently as a Product Manager at iCIMS. Focused on our Onboarding Solution, it’s impossible not to reflect on my personal experiences with onboarding programs. Of course some were good, some bad.  

From not receiving a computer until week two to sitting in three days of full orientation sessions, I’ve witnessed a broad scope of programs, some of which I fell victim of. I’m being sarcastic, but they were pretty bad. I’m a believer that you’ve got to pay attention to your new hires. You have to make sure they feel welcome and that they have the tools they need to be productive, so they are able to focus on getting integrated within their respective teams, without distraction. Sometimes it’s the simple things like knowing where the break rooms are, what the pay schedule is, what days are considered holidays, and that you understand what benefits are available and how you can take advantage of them. And at the top on my list, from personal experience, that the IT Team has set up your computer and the new recruit isn’t staring at a blank wall. Without access to all of these basics, it’s likely your new employee is wondering why they accepted the position in the first place.  

Why should your company, small or large, have an onboarding program for new hires? Because these are the people charged with delivering results for your business. You’ll want to treat them well and ensure they are ready to get going. With tons of paper work and coordinating between teams to ensure all the proper equipment and supplies are ready for day one, some organizations forget that there’s more to it then paper and equipment. There are people!  

For the amount of time spent finding a candidate that has both the right skill set and the right cultural fit, once they’ve accepted it’s only logical to ensure they have full access to learn more about the culture and community they are about to become a part of. From employee handbooks and philanthropic associations to leadership vision and scheduled employee events, it’s important to immerse new hires into the culture as quickly as possible.  

By leveraging technology, organizations can transition new recruits from candidates to employees fast, while simultaneously ensuring that new recruits are engaged. Teaming up your onboarding process with a technology solution can result in faster new hire productivity, enhanced HR productivity, increased retention rates, and improved employee engagement. Allow technology to centralize what your company has to offer and showcase your culture and community electronically with new hire onboarding portals. A signed offer letter is just the beginning – take that opportunity to shed a positive light on what your company is all about and serve as a brand ambassador. Remind them why your company is so great – it’s totally up to you! The more invested an employee is within the company culture, the more likely they will stay and be an effective contributor.

What does your organization do to engage employees during the onboarding process or first 90 days?  

...that 33.3% of verifiable information on resumes is lies?  That fun little fact I learned in my HR class is something I’ll remember for a while.  I’m sure if you’re a recruiter or hiring manager reading this, you may not be as surprised as I was upon learning this.  But it does make you think – how much experience do candidates actually have?

In this economic climate, obviously times are tough.  The job market is looking pretty brutal and I, for one, am scared out of my mind since I’m still an undergrad.  (Hence, why I am here gaining experience at iCIMS as an intern!)  I read in a recent article that “job losses in the current recession have been more severe than expected as employers hold off on hiring and federal stimulus spending takes months to work its way through the economy.”  With that being said, it’s no surprise that people are starting to pad up their resumes in hopes of finding some kind of job.  I’ve even read about people putting blocks of keywords in white font on resumes so that applicant tracking systems rate them higher.  In my opinion, that just bumps the percentage of lies up quite a bit.  By padding your resume, you’re putting false hope in the employer that you’re a qualified candidate.  It only sets you up for one thing – failure.  Of course there is always more to a recruiting and hiring process than reviewing the resume, but that is almost always one of the first steps.  How good do you look in person compared to how good you look on paper?

For the economic time being, recruiters and hiring managers have their work cut out for them.  With more and more job-seekers and fewer positions, the competition is greater and the pool of applicants is ever growing.  So, for all those recruiters and hiring managers out there – be extra weary of falsehoods on those resumes.  Your job may have just gotten harder.