The Great Onboarding Is Coming, But How Can Employers Prepare?

2021 may end up being known as the year of The Great Resignation as employees refuted antiquated work culture and began advocating for better experiences. 

While this time is mostly defined by the struggles that companies have faced in terms of  turnover rates and struggles with recruiting new employees, it is simultaneously ushering in a new era: The Great Onboarding. 

According to research from Qualtrics XM Institute, 52% of the U.S. workforce are expected to look for a new job within the next six months, which is a 14% increase from 2019. 

As a result, employers are expected to adopt new onboarding processes to retain current employees and create a good impression for potential new workers. 

For employers, this means adjusting their current processes to better accommodate today’s job seekers, which is 55% 25- to 44-year-olds according to Qualtrics XM Institute. 

However, the research also shows that 62% of department managers and 72% of managers are expected to look for new work in the next few months as many of these higher-ups have taken on a much larger workload and increased pressure during the pandemic. 

So instead of focusing on tapping into new talent pools, companies may be better positioned to focus on retaining their current employees and improving their overall experience. 

This means having an understanding of what workers want, which in today’s age typically means more workplace flexibility, better opportunities for growth, tools to maintain their mental health, and having a voice in how the company operates.