Surprise! Nobody cares about free food

Failed hires are more likely to be attributable to inefficient processes than small perks, research shows

Office snacks and table tennis might not really matter when it comes to employee retention after all. A survey by BambooHR found less than 1% of workers said “free food and other perks” would have helped them stay at a job that they left before the six-month milestone was up.

Instead, onboarding processes and on-the-job training are what employees really want: 76% believe training is the most important thing a new employee needs, and 75% feel a thorough orientation is worth the time spent. Those who have quit jobs after less than six months said a better onboarding process, including on-the-job training, formal feedback, and the assignment of a mentor, would have helped them stay.

The research backs up news from Accenture that 80% of this year’s college graduates expect their first employer to provide formal on-the-job training. However, their expectations may be unrealistic, since only 48% actually received such training.

More employers are recognizing the importance of training, however: Wanted Analytics reports that the number of online job postings that mention on-the-job training is up almost 70% on what it was just two years ago.

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