So, you’ve got a new job and you want to get off to a great start and impress your new employer. Show them how tech savvy and proactive you are about wanting to succeed by utilizing an app that will help you effectively onboard and assimilate into the organization.
A new mobile app was launched recently by Novita Training called My New Job. As a new employee, you can use it to set yourself up for success by completing activities that will help you know where to go to find information, who you need to get to know, what your new employer, manager and co-workers expect of you, checklists to guide you through your first few months of employment, etc. This allows you to take more control over your onboarding experience. The app is easy to use. Pretty much anyone who can punch a few buttons on a smart phone can use it, so all generations of workers can benefit. It is a great way to demonstrate to your new employer that you are comfortable with technology and are willing and able to learn new technologies as your job evolves. Click here for a brief demo.
Now, let’s look at this from the employer’s perspective. How might an employer benefit by providing this app to all new hires? According to a 2013 report by Impact Instruction Group, onboarding is becoming more or a strategic priority with the continuing expansion of technology and a more geographically dispersed workforce. Under these conditions, onboarding and retaining key talent is critical to company success. According to the book Successful Onboarding, authors Mark Stein and Lilith Christiansen, indicate that nearly 1/3 of new hires are already looking for another job within the first 6 months on their current job. And, the report by Impact Instruction group found that only 40% of companies today are utilizing technology in their onboarding programs. Not great stats for retaining new hires.
If you were to provide all new employees with a customized version of this app to help guide their onboarding experience, how might they perceive it? Would they believe your company thinks outside the box, is tech-savvy, forward thinking and values their new employees enough to provide a creative onboarding experience? It would be interesting to find out if it provides any strategic value to your organization. In order to find out, consider piloting the approach with a department of early-adopters in your company. Perhaps when others see the test group using the tool, they will be quite curious about it and possibly wish they had it when they first started. If you do decide to dip your toe in the water, have a strong measurement plan in place to assess if the tool provides the outcomes you expect.
Here are more great pieces by Steve Price:
http://www.localwork.com/blog/where-are-the-future-leaders-in-your-organization
http://www.localwork.com/blog/a-culture-of-learning-why-its-important-to-your-business