In today's competition-driven
employment sweepstakes, finding top-notch talent is increasingly becoming a daunting
task. Human Resource (HR) managers, cutting across the spectrum of
industries, are feebly struggling with the specter of shrinking talent
pipeline, heightened competition for the best-of-breed talent, and
skyrocketing aspirations of the current crop of young employees.
Admittedly, head honchos today feel hugely challenged,
overwhelmed and even stupefied by the extent of unswerving focus, adamantine
efforts and the chutzpah that is needed, not only to woo the
talent big time, but also the onerous task of keeping the employees
engaged with the organization on a long-term basis. Erudite tome has
been written about it. But, the fact is—the greater the level of
engagement new employees have with a company, the longer will they stick to
it. Arguably, employee engagement with a company invariably starts
on the first day. When an organization succeeds in getting its entire
batch of new employees off to a spectacular start, it becomes a tad bit
easier for the managers to further calcify the favorable impression that
gathered pace during the recruitment exercise. However, the
overriding questions that beg answers are: How do companies get their new
employees off to a flying start? What are the steps that companies
should initiate in order to create an indelible first impression and to
engage with their employees?
On the face of it, these questions may seem innocuously simple;
but they bristle with far-reaching implications for the
companies. Though companies are fully alive to the strong need for creating an
indelible first impression, it is seldom reinforced during a new
employee's initial interaction brush with a company. For many employees,
the first few months of the job can be an exercise in frustration. They
may find it immensely tough to get a hold of the job and the new
environment. But employees who establish strong connections with their
companies from the outset have a strong motivation to stay on. The strong
need to retain new employees and to help employees perform their job
superlatively and adapt fully to the new environment has spurred
companies to see beyond the conventional, outmoded orientation program
and gravitate towards the onboarding initiative. |
