Page 222 - Successful Onboarding
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206 • Successful Onboarding
obtaining a security badge. More sophisticated software might handle
onboarding activities throughout an entire year, managing workflow and
keeping managers and new hires on schedule with key onboarding activ-
ities such as mentoring meetings.
Evidence suggests that integrated talent management software suites
can offer large gains when applied to onboarding, streamlining processes
and seamlessly transitioning new hires to the rest of the talent manage-
ment software. A 2007 Towers Perrin presentation cited that one major
US telecommunications company used technology to onboard 12,000
new employees in just four weeks. The onboarding process began far in
advance of the new employees’ first days of work thanks to online tools
that automated traditional paperwork, saving the company time and
money. In addition, new employees were able to begin acclimating them-
selves to their new work environment, developing a sense of excitement
and engagement. As the 12,000 employees began work, the software they
had begun using before their first day became their portal for all training,
performance management, and promotion planning. The integrated soft-
ware suite quickly assimilated new employees and took some of the bur-
den off the company’s onboarding team.
Onboarding leaders such as Starwood, Starbucks, and Booz Allen use
software to manage onboarding processes. Starbucks’ deployed system
includes automation of administrative processes; training and orientation
roadmaps; web-based portals for new hires, HR/administrative staff, and
managers; and reporting of key analytics. The career planning tool offers
individual new hire career profiles detailing goals and experience, integrated
with destination planning roadmaps, manager inputs into employee profiles
for additional talent assessment and management, and site-building tools to
promote and match internal career opportunities to employees. The soft-
ware allows for many advantages, including improved time-to-productivity,
forms efficiency, better ability to track metrics, and scalability without the
need for significant additional resources. It has been reported that Starbucks
saw a 1 to 2 percent improvement in retention following implementation
of the software and the associated support practices.
Other software platforms feature onboarding and career planning
modules that integrate with other human capital life cycle modules; e.g.,
automated recruiting processes. The software includes analytics and