There's no disputing that an effective, organized, and engaging onboarding program is a necessity for achieving organizational success. But are today's organizations doing a good job of rolling out the welcome mat for their new hires? Some 73 percent of responding organizations have an onboarding program in place, but only 51 percent of them feel it is effective, according to "Training" magazine's first-ever onboarding survey of more than 1,300 organizations, conducted in partnership last fall with Avatar HR Solutions. The survey aimed to better understand the quality of organizations' current onboarding programs and uncover best practices to help companies enhance their onboarding effectiveness. The study's key findings highlight the importance of establishing and constantly improving a formal onboarding program, helping new workers understand their role within the company, mentoring and coaching new employees, and evaluating the effectiveness of onboarding efforts.