The importance of the onboarding process in motivating new employees has been highlighted by an entrepreneur, writing for openforum.com.

Mike Michalowicz is an author, lecturer and entrepreneur who knows a thing or to about successfully integrating new staff into a business. He emphasises that creating the perfect first day can lead ultimately to loyalty, enthusiasm and high productivity, whereas the reverse can result in disengagement and high turnover rates.

A survey by talent management experts, Novations Group found that up to 25 per cent of new hires leave a company within the first twelve months, intuit.com writes. The reasons for this included ‘unrealistic expectations’ and ‘failure to grasp how things get done’.

Fortunately, those hiring for the first time – perhaps small business owners or those about to start a franchise – can take heart from some of the expert’s tips.

Firstly, he asserts that managers should invest some time and thought into the first day: have the new arrival’s desk set up, some sort of itinerary in place and perhaps allocating a buddy. It’s important that the new arrival is met by the manager, which should ideally be followed by a welcoming chat over a coffee.

They should be introduced to any other employees, where appropriate, followed by a tour which incorporates all the usual health and safety elements. A team lunch would go down a treat before the new employee is asked to complete any required HR or payroll paperwork.

Michalowicz suggests some more personal touches, such as a ‘welcome’ card, signed by the team and a gift for ‘the person that helped make your decision – to say thank you’. While these touches might seem twee, onboarding correctly is crucial.