If a company's new hire orientation is "stale, commonplace, lackluster or just downright dull," it could mar a worker's career trajectory and make them more likely to leave within six months, HCareers explains.
Facilitating a well-run orientation process is not only intended to introduce the worker to the company's policies and procedures, but is also the beginning of a new relationship between manager and employee that could be mutually beneficial if both get off on the right foot.
However, a recent Accountemps survey of 500 HR administration managers found that just 66 percent of companies even offer a formal orientation program – meaning one third of new hires aren't as prepared as they could be for their job.
What's more, smaller companies were more likely to initiate an orientation process. Sixty seven percent of firms with 20 to 49 employees conducted an orientation, compared to just 52 percent of businesses with 1,000 or more employees.
"Employee orientation programs lay the groundwork for a smoother start to the job," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. "Without some type of onboarding process, new recruits may not become productive as fast or connect with the company's culture and values."
