Regardless of whether you have a formal orientation process or not, onboarding is going to

happen; the real issue is the quality of the experience. According to a study that the Society
for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conducted in 2011 covering onboarding
practices, more than 80 percent of organizations polled said they had formal or informal
orientation programs for new hires using a variety of methods. According to a review of
large-scale US companies, Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Inc., concluded that organizations that
focus on job orientation experience significant differences in financial performance and
employee engagement from what those that do not do. Ilene Gochman, an organization
effectiveness expert with Watson Wyatt Worldwide, reports that, “Few things are more
important to a company's long-term performance than choosing the right employees and
ensuring they have the proper outlook from day one.” Watson Wyatt found that “those with
highly engaged workers spend an average of 35 weeks grooming new employees, compared
to only 15 weeks that employers with low employee engagement spend.” Hom and Griffeth
(1995) determined that role conflict (experiencing conflicting expectations and demands)
and role ambiguity (doubt about the expectations others have of you) are significant
predictors of turnover (which is costly and something to avoid). Onboarding of a new
employee is something that is always done, and yet it is not often done well.

When onboarding is well executed, it sets the foundation for long-term success. If your
orientation consists of handing the employee a pile of forms to fill out on their first day, you
may open yourself to future problems, which is where the buddy system comes in.
Implementing a buddy system can be one part of an effective onboarding program that
provides new employees with a reliable, motivated, ongoing, single point of contact for
questions regarding work processes. This socialization and support can make an enormous,
positive difference in early performance, social integration, and long-term retention.