Even during the pandemic many companies are growing. Although work has been dispersed out of offices and into homes, new-hire training processes are just as important as ever. These steps need to be clearly defined and continuously improved to stay competitive. If you leave the onboarding process up to chance, you risk sluggish starts, miscommunication, frustration, and even immediate turnover. “Training of new hires is extremely important for the success of your business in order to reduce turnover of employees and remain productive during the onboarding process. If training isn't done well, it can frustrate new hires and cause them to leave soon after being hired—a costly problem,” James Boatwright, CEO of Code Galaxy, said. “Onboarding consists of initial development of the skills needed to get started; then ongoing development will continue to really home in on making sure they have all the knowledge and tools needed to do their job well. Once retention is achieved, you can separate the employee from the training program and allow them to work fully independently.” To make a meaningful and effective new-hire training plan, first consult existing employees and ask what should be included in a training process. Then develop a program that is flexible, task-oriented, and ongoing. Set meaningful goals and reasonable timelines. Encourage new hires to train with their more veteran team and work to accommodate each new hire’s preferred learning style.