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Unless you’re brand-new to your human resources career, by now, you know what the research says about onboarding new employees. The employee onboarding process is integral to the employee experience, and it affects retention, performance, and engagement. But the research also shows that few companies are getting it right — only 12% of employees say their company does a “great job” onboarding new hires.
It’s no surprise great onboarding experiences are rare. Your team is responsible for innumerable essential — and time-consuming — tasks, from background checks and employment verification to ordering office equipment and setting up introductory meetings.
Fortunately, there are many ways for your human resources team to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to create an awesome onboarding experience. Automated workflows are a standard onboarding software feature, and software is evolving rapidly to accommodate the rise of AI in HR.
Maximize your employees’ talent and your HR team’s time by leveraging automation and AI for onboarding. Keep reading for a look at the top three benefits of AI-enhanced and automated onboarding software.
Did you know just 12% of employees say their company does a good job with onboarding? Learn 3 benefits of using AI for employee onboarding:The Basics of Employee Onboarding
Employee onboarding is one HR function that sometimes gets only cursory attention. If you’re wondering, “What is employee onboarding, exactly?” you’re not alone. Onboarding is often confused with orientation, a shorter process focused on administrative tasks like reviewing the employee handbook and completing mandatory training. Onboarding is a longer process, often weeks or even months, during which employees are settling into their new roles and not yet taking on their full responsibilities.
Employee onboarding processes can vary in length depending on the type of role, with 90 days being the average. However, Gallup says 12 months is ideal for some roles, so base the length of your onboarding plans on specific roles. Regardless of the length of your onboarding process, it should be efficient and structured to get the best results.
The Benefits of Automating Onboarding with AI
Take a look at these three benefits of automation and AI for ways to improve your employee onboarding experience.
1. Streamlining Tasks: The Foundation of Efficient Onboarding
When you think of onboarding, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely the monumental task of turning candidates into employees. You have to complete lots of paperwork, input repetitive personal information, and order new hires’ equipment. That’s not to mention sending a welcome kit and message and setting up one-on-ones with a handful of their new colleagues — if your team has time for that. Research shows that two in five HR professionals spend at least three hours per employee collecting information for onboarding.
Are you spending 3+ hours onboarding new employees? See how using AI can help:This is where automation and AI-driven software is a game-changer. Your team will save time and say goodbye to manual paperwork and data entry with automated employment verification, document submission, and data collection. Automation and AI make these processes faster and remarkably accurate, eliminating the risk of human errors and freeing up as much as 40% of the time HR spends onboarding new hires.
2. Personalizing Onboarding: A Catalyst for Employee Engagement
Think back to your own experiences starting new jobs. Do you remember which made you feel welcome and which left you uncertain about your decision? The onboarding experience is your chance to establish a sense of value and connection with new hires.
Did You Know?
43% of employees say their onboarding experience lasted just one day.
AI can help you take advantage of this irreplaceable window to build engagement. Imagine a new hire receiving content that aligns with their skill set, career goals, and learning pace. AI-driven software can analyze employee data and then craft tailored onboarding programs. This personalized approach enhances engagement and helps new employees quickly become part of company culture.
Personalized onboarding has improved employee engagement by up to 54%. When employees feel valued and understood, they're more likely to be motivated, productive, and committed to the company's success. It’s also been shown to increase retention rates by up to 82%. After a seamless, tailored onboarding journey, new hires are more likely to remain loyal and contribute positively to company growth.
3. Enhancing Efficiency: From New Hires to High Performers
One of the most significant hurdles in traditional onboarding is the time it takes for new hires to become fully ramped. Prolonged onboarding impacts team productivity and puts pressure on HR and hiring managers to handle an extended onboarding plan.
AI enables new hires to become fully productive faster by automating administrative tasks, setting up personalized training paths, and facilitating quicker interactions with team members. This approach aligns with what employees are looking for today — 76% want employee development opportunities.
Onboarding software with AI can assess new hires' skills, competencies, and learning preferences and, just like it creates individual onboarding plans, designs tailored learning paths. AI helps ensure learning paths are built to strengthen weaknesses, align with organizational objectives, and resonate with employees’ learning styles. This makes for more effective training and empowers employees to acquire new skills quickly.
There’s also a direct correlation between efficient, standardized onboarding and job performance. New hires become productive faster and up to 50% more productive if they undergo a structured onboarding process. When employees have a successful onboarding experience, research shows they’re twice as likely to be satisfied at work.
Great onboarding leaves new hires better positioned to contribute meaningfully and foster engagement. That, in turn, contributes to a positive company culture and aids in retaining your top talent.
Embracing a New Era of Employee Onboarding with AI
The traditional hurdles of administrative tasks have met their match in AI-powered automation. Relieve the burden of paperwork, manual data entry, and repetitive processes with the streamlined efficiency of technology. With AI, HR teams can increase their focus on the strategic work that truly drives organizational growth.
In this new era of employee onboarding, AI isn't just flashy software; it's a strategic advantage. The statistics are proof — companies adopting AI and automation have seen substantial reductions in administrative workload and remarkable improvements in overall efficiency.
As HR professionals, the path forward is clear: harness the capabilities of AI to create an automated onboarding experience that welcomes your new employees and propels them toward success.
For more on the best practices for implementing AI in HR, visit our resources page.
