9 Ways to Improve New Employee Orientation Programs

New Employee Orientation A Shadow Of Its Former Self

In 1979, according to statistics published byMindflash, the average length of time a new employee spent in Orientation and Job Training was 100 hours. By 1995, new hires were spending 10 hours in Orientation and Job Skills Training. In 2015, only 30 minutes is reserved for any familiarization or training, and most of that is watching some form of online corporate content. And this when only 25 % of organizations feel comfortable with digital technology.

Saba, a cloud-based talent management firm, reported that 57% of employees receive little or no formal training at all, and are forced to learn informally, through job shadowing, conducted on the job, often by employees or supervisors who are unskilled in job skills training.

Employers Dropping The Ball

Saba also says that potential career paths planning is ignored by 65% of firms. 

In addition, 66% of the American population blame employers for job opportunities going unfilled. The main reasons? Employers are:

• Unwilling to train new hires in the skills they need add value to the organization,
• Unwilling to pay enough to attract candidates,
• Unlikely to training in either technical or soft skills training,
• Setting expectations that are far too demanding for the positions offered.

The First 100 Days

• 76 % of new employees wanted on the job training,
• 73% were looking for information on company policies and procedures,
• 59% wanted a clear understanding on administrative issues,
• 53% wanted to be assigned to a mentor or coach.

9 Ways To Improve The First 100 Days

1.     Don't wait until the end of probation to decide if you will keep the new employee - Set performance goals for several intermediate periods throughout the first 100 days,

2.     Meet with the employee and his coach or trainer to discuss progress,

3.     Keep adjusting goals as time passes and use the regular meetings to communicate progress or changes,

4.     Create and publish a learning plan that allows new employees to develop sequentially, so they can move from awkward to automatic in the performance of tasks,

5.     Measure and track skill and knowledge development,

6.     Reward and celebrate employees when they achieving goals,

7.     Create opportunities to meet others in the organization (lunches, introductions, pairing up employees),

8.     Provide other resources that new employees need (HR, Safety Manager, Maintenance Staff, etc.),

9.     Provide coaching and on the job trainers who are skilled in their roles.

Employment Trends

As Bersin Deloitte reported in the "Global Human Capital Trends, 2015," they make a case for a new HR approach, one that is more agile, forward thinking, and bolder. The survey of more than 3,300 businesses and HR leaders from 106 countries found:

• A widening gap between what business leaders want and what HR is delivering,
• Engagement and culture is the number 1 issue, with 87 percent of companies rating it important or very important vs. 79 percent last year,
• Only 31 percent believe their leadership pipeline is “ready,”
• Learning and development issues rose from No. 8 to No. 3 most important talent challenge in this year’s study, yet despite this demand, capabilities in learning dropped significantly.

With a worldwide talent shortage, organizations need to step up to the plate, when it comes to attracting, retaining, training, and developing the careers of employees. The time is now.

Shaun Browne is President and Founding Partner of We support overwhelmed organizations by developing and implementing custom training systems that are profitable, self sustaining, and meet compliance requirements.