The reasons why new employees are leaving

Wednesday October 16, 2019

After a long and arduous search, you found and hired the perfect candidate for a role in your company. Excellent. You welcomed them onboard and walked them through your standard induction procedure. Great. Everything seemed to go swimmingly, and you even congratulated your team on a successful recruitment drive.

So why did the new employee leave within three months of starting?

The job offer was strong, and their early performance suggested that they were the right person for the job. What some employers don’t realise is that this is only half of the winning formula for good recruitment. The rest comes down to the quality of employee induction and what happens afterwards.

The difference between a good induction and a great one

A good induction will ensure that contracts are sent and signed ahead of time, equipment is set up, name badges or uniforms are ordered (with the correct name and size) and a work agenda is prepared for day one. A great induction, which can significantly improve employee experience and retention rates, will also consider the following.

Inclusiveness

If your company values speak of inclusivity, the evidence of this being more than a box ticking exercise will be seen in how welcome and included new employees are made to feel. Many organisations can falter by calling themselves inclusive, but not actively applying inclusive strategies for their people. The promise of an inclusive culture will be appealing to applicants. So if they find the reality to be different, they will be disappointed.

The importance of inclusiveness goes beyond new starters. But to make sure your inductees stay to see your commitment to inclusivity, make sure they are involved and invited to participate in work and work-social situations. Additionally, small gestures such as tips for lunchtime and an explanation of team traditions can go a long way.

Communication

Good communication is vital for people to work together well. And although this is widely known, it still requires a dedicated effort to happen consistently. Dedication to good communication is even more important during employee induction as it sets the tone for all future engagements.

Keeping in touch with a new hire before their start date, introducing them to their co-workers on their first day, and clearly explaining who they report to and why, will open up and ease channels of communication moving forwards.

Vision

Just as you have a vision for your company, many people have a vision for their career. For a new staff member to picture themselves working for you in two, five or ten years’ time, they’ll want to visualise their career progression.

As early as interview stage, it’s a good idea to ask about career goals. Some candidates may say what they think you want to hear, so ask more than once. Openly discuss how their own vision can fit in to that of the business. Discuss training opportunities that can continue beyond their induction and put goal setting in place that encourages employees to better their skills whilst working for your business.

Commitment

HR policies let employees know the rules by which your company functions. They are highlighted to new employees when they join through employee contracts and company handbooks. But, if this is the only time that these company guidelines are considered, they may escape the memory of some employees and managers. This will create a less than desirable working environment.

Showing your commitment to providing a safe and happy workplace let’s new and existing employees know that you care about their well-being. Money is no longer the main motivator for many people and happy employees are good for business.

Specialist recruitment, HR and law services

If you are about to launch a recruitment campaign and would like the reassurance that your induction process is the best that it can be, we can help. Call us today to find out more about our specialist recruitment, HR and employment law services. We focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t.

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