Page 78 - Successful Onboarding

The State of the Art: Essentials of Strategic Onboarding • 67

and ideas? They go elsewhere. Over time, the enterprise ends up with the
wrong retention mix (as outlined in Chapter 1) and a low return on invest-
ment. High prospect new hires exist in all points of entry—every function,
level, and division—regardless of pedigree. Your job is to engage them
before they decide to disengage. The great news is that the bar here is low.
The great majority of companies are hardly attending to this low invest-
ment/high return opportunity.
Now we aren’t saying that every new hire needs to receive strategy
immersion the same way. It can and should be tailored appropriately to
the major new hire groups (e.g., executive hires, front-line employees,
young recruits, etc.). Orienting all new hires on the strategy allows them
to perform their jobs more creatively and passionately, because they now
understand the larger picture. With strategic thinking a vital skill in today’s
knowledge economy, strategic orientation also equips the new hire to
succeed personally.

Figure 2.3 Onboarding Margin: A Systemic Model