Sixty-nine percent of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they experienced great onboarding. So, why aren’t more shops making onboarding a top priority?
We recently hosted a roundtable including three industry experts to discuss common onboarding mistakes, how to create a successful onboarding process, and the long-term effects of onboarding.
Highlights from the Technician Onboarding Roundtable
Technician Onboarding Begins During the Hiring Process
- Onboarding begins before the technician’s first day at the shop. It starts the moment they accept the job.
- After the technician’s first day, check-in with them and see how they are doing. Then, make it a priority to continue checking in with them.
- When it comes to technician communication and ghosting, technology can be a blessing and a curse. Figure out a way to communicate with technicians that is most convenient for them and make it as simple as possible.
- If a technician is worth it, don’t be afraid to potentially hire them on the spot. New and different opportunities could come up as soon as they walk out the door.
Creating an Onboarding Process
- Have a clear and structured process in place. However, don’t be afraid to make changes. Everyone is different and learns differently, so if something needs to be adjusted for a certain individual, make those changes.
- Onboarding goes far beyond paperwork.
- Build confidence in the new technicians starting at the shop. They already feel like a fish out of water, and it’s crucial to make them feel as comfortable as possible.
- Pair new technicians with a mentor they can look up to. As a mentor, it is their job to support the technician with any questions they may have, and make them feel like they belong in the shop.
Continually Reassess Your Onboarding Process
- Be intentional and get specific feedback from technicians that go through the onboarding process. Find out what they liked, and what could be improved on for next time.
- Onboarding processes need to be constantly adapting and growing with the people the shop is trying to attract.
- Experiment and try different methods/approaches during the onboarding process to see what works best.
- Build the onboarding process in a way where technicians want to be at the shop and a part of the process.
- Company culture and work environment says it all. If someone doesn’t fit into the culture, they aren’t going to love coming into the shop everyday.
Technician Onboarding Best Practices
- Be Transparent. No business is perfect, and technicians want to know what is going on in the shop.
- Keep it simple, and keep it consistent. Ask yourself, “Would you want to do it?” If you don’t, don’t ask the new technician to do it. Put yourself in their shoes.
Watch the Full Roundtable
Roundtable: The Role of Management in Technician Recruitment & Retention
The number one reason employees leave companies is because of their manager, not their job. In a market where recruiting and retaining technicians is more difficult than ever, shop owners and managers need to be doing everything they can to connect with current and prospective technicians.
In this roundtable, we brought together shop owners and managers to discuss:
- The role management plays in retaining technicians
- How they build relationships with their technicians
- How they support technician recruitment in their shops
