20 incredible onboarding facts that’ll change how you treat new hires

With employee onboarding, speculation is often the name of the game. You can only guess what new hires want and then try to concoct a “Goldilocks” onboarding program that’s not too long or too short, not too demanding or superfluous. We don’t have to tell you that this approach feels like shooting in the dark because, uh, it kind of is.

We knew there had to be a better way. Talmundo partnered up with Vlerick Business School to conduct a no-holds-barred survey of HR practitioners and new hires across a variety of industries and nationalities, to find out what’s been left unsaid.

The results are going to knock your socks off. Hold those puppies tight and discover 20 incredible facts that new hires wish you knew (and which may just change your onboarding program forever).

Tip: Download the full “Expectations Vs. Reality of Onboarding” survey report for all the juicy details

1. More than 50% of survey respondents say that onboarding shortened the learning curve

As if that weren’t enough, other research shows that more than 80% of new hires who hit their first performance milestones experienced a formal onboarding process. Color us shocked! (Not really.) It turns out that better training and more information right from the get-go really can get new hires up to speed way more quickly.

2. Yet, 34% of new hires said that they never underwent any onboarding at their current company

If these new hires are managers, you can bet that company culture is already taking a hit. Here’s why. On average, managers only spend 9% of their time developing team members. Managers who don’t receive any onboarding are probably well below that 9% mark since team leaders who weren’t onboarded themselves tend to struggle with onboarding others. Team engagement suffers and turnover inches up.

You know what they say: people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers.

3. 83% of new hires without onboarding think that an official onboarding program would’ve been useful

4. Most companies choose a one-size-fits-all onboarding solution

You wouldn’t choose a one-size-fits-all employee, right? The same goes with one-size-fits-all orientation programs. Just ask Generation Z.

5. 25% of Generation Z consumers want a personalized experience

Gen Z (those born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s) were practically born with tech in hand. Everything they consume is personalized, from tailored news feeds to algorithm-designed Netflix selections. Drop Gen Z employees like that into a one-size-fits-all onboarding program and you’re going to lose them before you can say “Alexa.”

9. 64% of HR respondents think cultureboarding is a challenge for new hires, whereas less than 40% of employees are concerned with navigating workplace culture

6. The #1 thing missing in most onboarding programs: clear job duties and expectations

7. 64% of new hires claim that they struggle with a lack of clarity around their role

8. Yet, less than 30% of employers believe that role clarity isn’t an issue

The gap between what HR thinks employees want and what new hires actually want is sometimes large enough to drive a truck through. A lot of companies believe that onboarding nowadays is just cultureboarding—and while that definitely is important, helping new hires make friends and connect with the company culture isn’t going to do much unless they understand what’s on their to-do list every day.

10. Nearly half of new employees don’t understand their company’s mission and values after 90 days

This is more than a little worrisome considering that most employees will decide whether to stay within 3 months (and up to 20% of turnover happens within 45 days).

11. After well-defined job duties and expectations, new hires crave time for training, socialization with colleagues, and manager guidance

12. New employees over 31 years old expect even more preboarding (onboarding before they even start the job) than their younger counterparts

13. 64% of new hires experienced zero preboarding

14. 2 in 5 employees didn’t receive the absolute minimum required information to start their new job

Can you believe that 40% of new employees don’t feel as though they’re given the basic tools to succeed? It’s no wonder why 35% of employees worldwide aren’t engaged at work.

15. 2 out of 5 new hires were left alone on their first day

16. 43% of new hire survey respondents said they didn’t have a basic workstation set up until after week one

Needless to say, that’s not exactly the warm welcome that most employees hope for during their first week.

17. 52% of onboarding programs last less than a month even though 31% of HR professionals said that they should last 90 days

HR professionals know better and want better for their new hires, but they’re too busy or cash-strapped to turn their onboarding dreams into reality. With a customized onboarding app like Talmundo, HR receives a structured, long-term onboarding program with less spend and less hassle. What can we say? We like to make dreams come true.

18. 32.2.% of employers leverage no technology in their onboarding program, and another 32.2% don’t currently use technology but plan to try it soon

19. 47% of employers claim that their organization doesn’t evaluate the onboarding process

20. In fact, only 53% of HR professionals know how to measure the value of their onboarding processes

That’s the beauty of onboarding tech—reporting at the click of a button. Keep tabs on all of your favorite metrics without getting buried in paperwork. Time to go exercise that clicking finger.

The Takeaway

New hires are sending a message. These statistics make one thing clear: new hires won’t accept the onboarding practices of yesterday. Companies have to be more attentive, personalized, and agile to keep employees’ attention and breed them into the next generation of organizational leaders.