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Onboarding: A Key HR Process
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Stephanie Carbonnell

By: Stephanie Carbonnell on December 19th, 2017

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Onboarding: A Key HR Process

HR Operational Efficiency  |  Talent and Culture

Est. Read Time: 3 min.

Today’s blog is a guest post by Stéphanie Carbonnell, Director of HR, BTP Consulting Group, located in Paris, France. With over 350 employees, BTP Consultants specializes in technical supervision of construction sites and managing workplace safety. They have been a PeopleDoc customer since January 2016.


Many people believe that the recruitment process stops at the hiring decision. But onboarding is essential for success especially when we know that, in France, a quarter of new arrivals leave their position during the first week. Find out how the onboarding process, though innocuous, is strategic.

Most companies lack a clear onboarding process

In France, many studies show that 65% of companies do not have a clearly defined onboarding process within their organization. This figure is staggering when it is also known that 4% of new employees leave their jobs after a first day, 21% during the first week and 32% in the first month.¹


Neglecting new employee onboarding can lead to dysfunction and increase turnover, which is regrettable when you consider the time, energy and money companies invest in recruiting. The overall cost of recruitment is never negligible—for each departure, new expenses are incurred and the work recommences.

Benefits beyond retention


Onboarding A Key HR Process-1.pngA comprehensive and robust onboarding program is necessary for any company that wants to successfully integrate new employees from a strategic point of view. A solid onboarding program is also essential to talent development—an employee must feel attended to, accompanied and supervised, especially if it is a first job. With a warm welcome, the employee will be able to explain the company’s values and how it works to others with the same warmth.

That is why at BTP Consultants, we have rethought our onboarding process by simplifying it and, above all, supporting new hires from the moment they sign the contract until the end of their onboarding. We put in place digital tools in order to communicate with candidates before and after their arrival—a specific program that is followed on Day One, including interviews that are carried out after the first few days of work.

To find out if your onboarding method is effective, ask yourself the following question: When your new hires return home after their first day of work, what will they say to their friends or family about their new job?


¹ https://fr.slideshare.net/christelleletist/onboarding-ou-processus-dintgration-linfographie-57978113
Download the definitive guide to delivering an amazing onboarding experience
Download the definitive guide to delivering an amazing onboarding experience

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About Stephanie Carbonnell

Stéphanie Carbonnell is the HR Director at BTP Consulting Group in Paris, France. Her department serves over 300 employees and she oversees a team of four. She has established and implemented new salary and training policies and plays a key role in the company’s exponential growth plan.