New research reveals the factors which most impact employee satisfaction when starting a new role.

Onboarding is the riskiest part of the recruitment process, according to new research, with this being the period that employees are most tempted by alternative job offers.

Almost half (46%) of employees did not have a pleasant onboarding experience, and most (66%) do not feel welcome until after having started in a new role. This suggests a period between receiving a job offer and starting a role that employers are neglecting.

The research from Chatter Communications provides further insight into recruitment across the UK, with almost half (44%) of employees being unlikely recommend their company looking for a role. Only one in four (25%) had posted a review on Glassdoor, which is an influencing factor for 69% of potential candidates. “Over a third (37%) of people are likely to leave or are unsure about whether they will leave their current workplace in the next 12 months, and we know that talent scarcity is a top concern for leaders,” says Paul Ainley, Chatter Communications managing director.

When job-hunting, under 25’s scour social media platforms while over-45’s stick to traditional job boards; men are more likely than women to use recruitment agencies or traditional media. Job-seekers working in different industries also had different preferences, with people working in leisure, retail and hospitality preferring job boards, those in construction and transport choosing Google search and people in engineering opting for social media.

The research also revealed that ‘unofficial’ sources often had almost as much of an influence on candidates as official channels, such as career websites and job ads. Over two thirds (68%) were influenced by the social media of potential colleagues and three quarters (72%) felt the organisation’s general marketing efforts also influenced their thoughts on deciding to apply for or accept a role.

Ainley says: “We wanted to find out more about the recruitment process; where the strengths and weaknesses lie and where targeted activity might be used to best effect for organisations in different sectors or targeting different demographics. Whilst it’s still a tough market for recruiters, every available advantage is worth pursuing.”