Pre-boarding Definition
Preboarding, which occurs before onboarding, is the stage where new hires have the opportunity to meet the organization and address regulatory details before their first day.
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Typically, preboarding involves handling tasks such as tax forms, safety briefings, paperwork for insurance and anything else that can be managed through email. By completing these tasks by the start date, HR can plan an efficient and streamlined onboarding experience.
Why is Pre-boarding Important?
As the saying goes, you never get a chance to make an impression unless you make an impression.
Even though your potential employee may not be officially working for you, it is crucial to treat them in a way that conveys their importance and assures them that they have made the decision.
Here are some reasons why you should take preboarding seriously:
It fosters loyalty.
When individuals are treated well by their company from the beginning, they are more likely to feel connected to their workplace. This can help build loyalty and increase their motivation to stay with your organization.
It attracts talent.
Just because a new hire has accepted your offer doesn’t mean that all your responsibilities end there.
They could be using your suggestion to generate interest elsewhere or obtain an offer from another company. However, an executed preboarding process can convince them that your offer is the option.
It prevents employee turnover
It helps prevent employee turnover, which’s both costly and time-consuming, with expenses amounting to one third of the departing employee’s salary.
The process of onboarding and maintaining representatives is close. Preboarding is a step to ensure you can combat ongoing attrition.
How Does Pre-boarding Help Recruiters Feel at Ease?
Even though you’ve hired a candidate for your organization, there’s an ongoing competition today for top talent. That competition doesn’t end the moment a candidate accepts a job in your organization.
Your competitors are well aware of the individuals out there.
That’s why it’s highly likely that recruiters and rival organizations have your hires on their radar and are reaching out to them about positions even after they’ve joined your organization.
The dynamic job market has witnessed a trend in hiring; employee ghosting, which The Central Bank has defined as; “a situation where an employee stops coming to work without notice and becomes difficult to contact.”
As such one of your responsibilities today is to ensure that your new hires make a long-term commitment to your organization and don’t fall into the trap set by one of your rivals.
Tips and Best Practices for Pre-boarding
Given the fact that many talented individuals leave jobs with no notice it’s crucial for your organization to have a rapid new hire integration period.
This is because most people don’t start a job away. Moreover, this period of time can lead them to reconsider their decision to accept a job in your organization.
However, you can alleviate much of this anxiety with some preboarding suggestions:
- Send an email to the association introducing a team member and encouraging them to introduce themselves in return.
- Extend a welcome to the team members and invite them to visit the office for informal conversations with senior colleagues.
- Give the new team member a tour of the organization.
- Arrange off-site meetings between the team members and their immediate colleagues.
- Prior to their day send an email asking if the new team member has any questions or concerns. Remind them how excited everyone at your organization is about their arrival!
- By utilizing the time before the team members’ first day you can build upon their initial excitement when they joined your organization.
Final Thoughts
Employees nowadays, especially those in their 20s and 30s, tend to join and leave organizations at a rate. 20% of hired employees will leave their positions within the first 45 days (about 1 and a half months).
Recruitment goes beyond finding and hiring individuals; it is crucial for hires to feel connected for it to be a successful process.
In any situation, thankfully implementing preboarding can quickly strengthen the relationship between your hired team members and your organization significantly reducing turnover and attrition rates.
Prioritizing investments in preboarding should be a concern, in order to keep your hires engaged and connected to your organization.
FAQs
Why is pre boarding important in the onboarding process?
Answer: It helps prevent turnover.
Employee turnover can be costly and time-consuming accounting for 33% of a departing employee’s salary. Onboarding and employee retention are closely. Pre boarding is a step to ensure you can combat attrition.
What does pre-boarding include?
Answer: Pre boarding typically covers tasks such as tax forms, health declarations, insurance paperwork and anything else that can be handled through email.
How does pre boarding contribute to an employee’s experience?
Answer: Pre boarding is a stage that introduces newcomers to their upcoming workplace before their official first day of work. It precedes the onboarding process, which usually extends up to one year of employment with the company.
What is the main benefit of pre boarding?
Answer: One of the benefits of pre boarding is that it enhances the onboarding experience for hires.