Finding the right person for the job is a task in itself – but it’s not over once they walk in on their first day. Keeping new staff members past their first few months, and during the “Great Resignation” period we are facing, requires a considered approach to recruitment, onboarding and training.

According to survey results from global human resource consultants Robert Half & Associates, nine out of ten employees are prepared to quit in the first month if their new position fails to meet their expectations – and 28% do indeed quit within the first three months of landing a new job. That is a lot of time wasted for both employee and employer – and it is a problem that can be avoided through well thought-out recruitment and onboarding.

Here are some tips to help avoid this happening, so your amazing new hire stays amazing and stays hired.

Employer of Choice

If your business has a reputation as an employer of choice, chances are you will attract a higher quality of candidate from your vacancy listing. And if you live up to the hype, your people will be less likely to move on.

This means ensuring excellent communication throughout the workplace, at all levels of the organisations. It also means having great structures in place for training and goal setting, as well as providing lots of opportunities for recognition and rewards.

A workplace with ‘extras’, whether they be flexible/hybrid working opportunities, exercise classes for wellbeing, a fruit bowl in the staff room, or novel solutions to keep communication channels open online and in the office, will be one your hires get excited about.

Hire staff that fit

The right person for any role will have the right combination of technical skills, experience and qualifications, as well as fitting with the culture and values of your business. If any of these are missing and cannot be solved with workplace training, chances are your new recruit won’t last long,

This is especially true with workplace culture. An inexperienced but keen and motivated person will be willing to learn on the job – but a person who likes to work alone in a culture that is all about collaboration, for example, is unlikely to find their new role satisfying.

When recruiting and interviewing, try to have an open mind, forgetting any bias or inadvertent stereotypes you may hold. The right person may come from an unexpected background. People can have all kinds of motivations to fill the same position – and they may all be legitimate.

Using behavioural interviewing, which draws on past experiences as predictors of future behaviours, is the best way to gauge a candidate’s true personality and motivation. Using a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is also a great way to save time in vetting candidates.

A study of 9,000 candidates around the world found that 47% decide whether they would accept a job offer after the first interview. Remember when you are hiring, you are also being interviewed by your candidate. Present your company in the best possible light so you can have your pick of interviewees – but make sure you paint an honest picture. If you’re not truthful, your new hire will probably not stay long and may be all too willing to share their negative experiences on social media!

Onboard with care

A study from the Society for Human Resources Management found that 69% of employees were more likely to stay in their jobs for at least three years if they participated in a comprehensive onboarding programme when they started.

Onboarding should consist of more than just a quick tour around the office. By the time they finish their first week, new recruits should be well versed on office culture, the mechanics of the office, and should have met the team, including high level management.

Importantly, the recruit should also have had a chance to talk about themselves – what makes them tick, what they like to do on the weekends and what their family dynamics are – as this helps them to feel ‘seen’ in the workplace, not just as a worker but as a human being. That way, work can be attributed to them with their past experiences and strengths in mind, and in line with their personal responsibilities, resulting in an employee who feels appreciated and relaxed in their new role.

Regular check-ins should be scheduled to follow up on how they are doing and to provide feedback, so that the positivity of their induction is not forgotten after they settle in and throughout their ongoing employment with you.

Avoid over – or under – loading

When a new person starts, don’t pile too much work on them – but also ensure they know what is expected of them and that they feel confident to ask questions if required. Attributing a buddy can be a great way to make sure they don’t feel lost. This person can be a sounding board for any questions or issues the new person faces, and a friendly face to check in with throughout the day.

Add to their workload in increments and be sure to check up on how they are getting on at those regular check ins. If gaps in their knowledge or skills become apparent, it can be helpful to offer training, so the gaps don’t get overlooked or grow wider resulting in an employee who feels lost in their work.

At the same time, it can be empowering for new people to leverage their existing experience by sharing it with others. This could be in the form of a presentation, or just by having them sit down with an interested staff member to share their learnings.

Retaining beyond the honeymoon period

Ensuring regular check-ins remain regular is the best way to retain good staff, preventing any small problems from becoming too big to fix. Setting goals at these check-ins, providing ongoing constructive feedback and support, and then seeing how they are progressing towards these goals is another great motivator and a clear way of seeing development in a new recruit.

For more advice building a positive workplace culture, get in touch with us at Freerange Works.