Hidden Cost of Poor Onboarding: Why you need an operations playbook & business systems support
Empowering your team from day one doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools, mindset, and support, you can create an onboarding experience that’s as seamless and impactful as possible—benefiting both your business and everyone who interacts with it.
I have seen and heard too many times the cost of insufficient onboarding. Poor onboarding is a lose-lose situation for everyone. The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way. A little leg work on your end can create a process that not only educates but also empowers, reducing the burden on others and leading to happier, more loyal employees. Investing in strong small business systems and creating a streamlined onboarding process can save time, money, and frustration in the long run.
Common onboarding mistakes for small businesses
When onboarding fails, the consequences are immediate.
Studies show that employees who experience poor onboarding are twice as likely to leave their jobs within the first year. According to Paychex (2022, October 7–14), while half of newly hired employees planned to quit, that number increased to 80% for those who felt undertrained due to poor onboarding. This is especially critical for small businesses.
If you're operating a small business and lacking efficient small business onboarding, you're not only risking high attrition but also inefficient resource allocation. Taking the time to implement business systems for small businesses will help you ensure a more effective onboarding process that empowers employees.
How business systems support can help
There’s an old adage that you only get one chance for a first impression. This sentiment rings especially true during the onboarding process. Have you taken the time to weave in empathy, support and empowerment into your onboarding and orientation phases? Do new employees feel valued, supported and empowered to take on their new role and be an addition to your team?
For solopreneurs and small business owners, investing in business coaching for your small business can help you create these supportive onboarding strategies. Whether you're just starting or scaling, a business coach for creatives can guide you on how to build empathy into your processes, ensuring your employees feel valued and supported.
Not sure where to start? Tap into my love for mentoring new hires and empowering others. Think about it: What if every new hire walked into their first day with confidence and excitement, rather than confusion or frustration?
Create an operations playbook
Creating a world where starting a new job feels like the start of something great shouldn’t be one in a million—it should be the norm. Let’s make it happen. Empowerment from day one is the better option for everyone involved.
And for those just getting started with managing a team or expanding their business, implementing a solid operations playbook is a must. An operations playbook allows you to standardize onboarding processes, helping employees hit the ground running and ensuring consistency across your team. Whether you’re operating small business processes on your own or managing a growing team, having a reliable playbook can make a huge difference in how new hires engage with your company culture and operations.
Ready to empower a new hire?
If you're unsure how to set all of this up, consider a systems audit to identify areas for improvement in your small business systems. A systems audit will pinpoint inefficiencies and allow you to optimize workflows, making your onboarding process more efficient and aligned with your overall business goals schedule a free discovery call today and take advantage of my love for mentoring!
Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as legal, financial, or medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional advice of your own attorney, accountant, physician, or financial advisor. Always check with your own physician, attorney, financial advisor, accountant, or other business or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.
Paychex. (2022, October 7–14). The onboarding crisis: Pushing new hires out the door. Paychex. https://www.paychex.com/articles/human-resources/the-onboarding-crisis#:~:text=Pushing%20New%20Hires%20Out%20the%20Door,-With%20so%20many&text=While%20a%20staggering%2050%25%20of,and%2070%25%20plan%20to%20stay
