eTraining Development is Key to Successful Employee Onboarding

Designing Digitally

05/29/2018

eTraining

Onboarding is the process of orienting employees to their new workplace and new coworkers. Due to the fact that 22% of workplace turnover happens in the first forty-five days of employment, it’s clearly an important aspect to address.

Traditional training methods are no longer the best way to assimilate employees into the company. They are much more time-consuming and not the most cost-effective option. Far too often the end result is a new hire who has tried to cram a great deal of information into a short amount of time, with no room for questions and little retention.

4 advantages of eTraining development

There are a number of benefits to utilizing an elearning development program for the onboarding of new employees. Here are four of the best reasons:

  • Assimilation. Employees come in from various backgrounds and previous work experiences. An eTraining program can effectively orient new hires to the varied facets of their workplace. For example, dress code, and other protocols that are specific to the workplace.
  • Employee retention. As the statistic quoted earlier shows, a significant amount of workplace turnover occurs during the initial days of employment. One of the main reasons this happens is a lack of comprehensive training and orientation of the new employees.
  • Make employees feel comfortable. eTraining can take some of the pressure off of new employees who can be wary of asking too many questions. They are able to find the answers they need from the training materials to which they have constant access. Being able to find the answers they need on their own can really build the self-confidence of an employee.
  • Reduction in costs. Traditional onboarding requires a person who is facilitating to be taken away from their own duties in order to administer the training. This is the case with each new hire, which can hinder productivity.

Tips for onboarding effectively

Here are some concrete ways to make online onboarding a success:

  • Create a virtual tour of the office or facility. Orienting the new hire to their workplace can be a little easier if they can get a look around, all without leaving their desk. It helps to get familiar with where things are located ahead of time.
  • Create an activity to teach the history of the company. Encouraging pride in the company is important. A great way to do that is to teach new employees about the history of the business in an interesting and engaging way.
  • Spotlight products and services. It’s obviously important that employees have a handle on what their new business is offering to its customers. This can be done with a game that quizzes their knowledge of the products.

Appropriate challenges

Keep in mind that the challenges given to new employees should be equal to their skill and should advance as they advance. Beginners should be given simple challenges that highlight the mechanics as they play. As they continue to learn and grow, the challenges should become more difficult, keeping in sync with their abilities.

Designing Digitally, Inc. can design an impactful training program to enhance your onboarding to increase retention and create an immediate connection with your new hires.

Contact us today!

Related Article: How to Leverage VR Training to Create Better Onboarding Experiences