Orientation Equals Retention
When I started at the American Association of Endodontists, I spent the
first few weeks walking around the
office with a new-employee checklist
that covered everything from completing payroll paperwork to setting up
computer access to meeting with various departments. I was impressed to
receive such a thorough introduction
to my new workplace and immediately
had a positive impression of the association, its staff and its culture.
The process I went through —
called employee “onboarding” — is
the process of orienting new recruits
to their surroundings, making them
feel welcome and introducing them
to their co-workers. More than paperwork, it should provide key information on company culture, processes
and functions.
Given that most lasting impres-
sions are formed with the first 30
to 90 days of employment, success-
fully onboarding new employees is
extremely important. In fact, studies
have shown that successful onboard-
ing leads to increased productivity,
reduced absenteeism, lower turnover
and improved morale.
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the organization’s inner workings.
While a 90-day probationary period
is standard in most organizations,
IREM takes it further, asking new
employees to complete a 90-day new-hire survey. “The survey asks what
new hires enjoy most or least about
their job, if they have met with their
supervisor regarding job performance
and goals, if they feel they need additional training and if they have any
questions regarding company policies
or procedures,” says IREM Human
Resource Manager Stacy Prichisky.
Coming soon to IREM will be a
“90-Day Win” program that will give
new hires a project to complete during their first 90 days on the job.
“With the 90-Day Win,” Prichisky
says, “new hires can have something
to celebrate and be acknowledged for
within a short period of time.”
— Jennifer Gibson, Public Rela-
tions Manager, American Association
of Endodontists
