When you think about a the brand experience of employment, some might argue that there is no more crucial point than the new hire (of course there are arguments for other points in the process too). You've won them over as a candidate, and as they always say, first impressions make all the difference. This sets the tone for the actual employment experience and a mis-step could impact the rest of the journey. Below are some points of view on the onboarding or orientation process. Enjoy!

1) What To Do During Your Employees’ First Week To Avoid Losing Them from Fast Company

"If a new employee is going to quit, chances are it will happen within the first six months. More than 40% of turnover happens within the first month, and another 10% or more leave before their first anniversary, according to a study by Equifax Workforce Solutions. That means it’s more important than ever to engage them from day one. "There is a direct correlation between effective onboarding and employee retention and engagement," says Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer for iCIMS, manufacturer of talent acquisition software. "Ninety-one percent of [first-year] employees are retained in companies that have a formal onboarding program, but of those who don’t, just 50% are retained." employee after the first year, it ends up costing you three times the employee’s annual salary to recruit, hire, and train someone else." Bad onboarding costs companies lots of money and job turnover, says Mark Newman, founder and CEO of recruiting software provider HireVue."

2) First Minutes Are Critical in New-Employee Orientation from Harvard Business Review

"Employee orientation programs ought to be less about the company and more about the employee, according to new research by Daniel M. Cable, Francesca Gino, and Bradley R. Staats. The first few minutes of new employee orientation, if done right, can lead to happier and more productive workers and, ultimately, increased customer satisfaction. Unfortunately, a lot of companies do it wrong. In many firms, employee orientation focuses solely on corporate culture and identity of the new workplace. There's a lecture about the firm's history and another about standard operating procedures. There's a packet of information from human resources, emblazoned with the firm's logo, and maybe a coffee mug to match."

3) The Secret to Making Employee Onboarding Great from Business 2 Community

"Your company’s onboarding and training experience sets the tone for the remainder of new hires’ work experience with you- think of it as that all-important first impression. New employees are introduced to dress code, company culture, and all their duties… so if any of it comes off as uninteresting, they’re likely to start work with a less engaged attitude than they would if they found it enjoyable. The good news? It’s up to you to make this first impression great! The bad news? Most companies don’t. Think back to your own onboarding. Did you find it engaging? Onboarding and training processes are frequently decentralized at best and boring at worst- no one wants to sit in a classroom and hear everything they need to do listed off on an outdated PowerPoint. Furthermore, according to Urbanbound, as much as 20% of staff turnover happens within the first 45 days of employment- this shows just how vital it is to ensure that employees have a good initial experience with you!"

4) No More First-Day Jitters: 7 Ways to Improve Your Employee Onboarding Process from All Business

"Do you remember your first day on a new job? It was probably a little bit nerve-racking, wasn’t it? Most new hires are anxious the first time they pull up to a new workplace. Although they’ve already landed a position with your company, they still have a lot to prove to you, the boss, and to their new teammates. To help your new hires ease into their roles, here are seven ways to improve your onboarding process..."

5) 4 Ways to Discourage New Employees from Huffington Post

"When it comes to creating an amazing staff and improving employee engagement, it’s all about on-boarding new employees. It’s much easier to get started on the right foot than to redirect and encourage an employee who was never properly oriented. Poor orientation or on-boarding results in employee burnout and, as a result, a lack of productivity in your small business. What can you do to prevent this problem? Avoid making the following employee on-boarding mistakes."