A lack of mentors and strong onboarding programs could be holding new employees back, according to an April 14 report from Robert Half.
The consulting firm surveyed close to 1,000 U.S. workers about challenges they faced early on in their careers. Top concerns involved issues employers may be able to address, including:
- Limited mentorship opportunities
- Lack of support with workload management
- Insufficient onboarding
- A lack of internship experience
- A skills gap
Mentorship is often cited by company leaders as a prime retention tactic, particularly for younger workers who may struggle to engage at their companies. Others have noticed; a 2023 report from the Association of Talent Development showed that about half of the organizations surveyed had a formal mentorship program in place, and of those who didn’t, 42% said they were planning to implement one soon.
Workload is also an HR problem, a previous report from McLean & Co. said, though organizations must address underlying causes to see any real results. Doing so may mean planning out intentional measurements of workload and interventions targeted to alleviate stress.
Onboarding also may require a targeted and thoughtful approach. Without a solid program, new hires may actually feel resentment toward organizations after they begin their jobs, a Talent Board report from 2023 indicated.
In all, employers that consider the needs of new hires — particularly ones early on in their careers — may be able to prevent engagement problems across an organization. Giving workers space to grow and learn can help workers see a space for themselves at their organization, according to a recent report from TalentLMS — and thus avoid the pitfalls of “quiet cracking” from affecting both new hires and long-time workers alike.