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22 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2023 additional training—can help new employees grow and feel invested in their role. Another excellent option is to provide regu- lar check-ins with employees. ey allow the employer and the employee to identify and discuss growth, as well as support and poten- tial issues. ey also build a strong employee- employer relationship. Conclusion Employee retention is a critical factor in any company's success. A positive onboarding experience can be a significant contributor to that success. By starting the onboarding pro- cess early, setting clear goals and expectations, providing effective mentorship, and offering growth opportunities, employers can create a welcoming and supportive environment for new hires. It can help new employees feel val- ued and motivated, which can lead to greater productivity and job satisfaction, as well as higher retention rates. Companies that prior- itize the onboarding process are likely to see better employee engagement and, perhaps, an improvement to their bottom line. PCB007 Hannah Nelson is a student at Valparaiso University, part of the IPC Emerging Engineer Program, and a former IPC Student Board Member. To read past columns, click here. by Barry Matties Joey Sanchez is senior director of ecosystems at The Ion, a business enterprise center owned and managed by Rice University. What advice would you give to an organization that wants to keep new employees for the long term? What's their best approach? My advice is to understand each person. People have drivers, as well as likes and dislikes. Your inter- view questions are half the battle. Ask prospective employees how their business interests and per- sonal interests mix and mingle. I recommend asking what they want to get out of life first. Then you can match your business objectives and goals to their life goals, which leads to a long-lasting employee or teammate. But if you have a fractured understand- ing of their personal life goals, then you'll never dis- cover their true role on your team. It's too difficult to mend those two objectives together. It doesn't work. I ' m f o r t u n a t e t o manage a small team. We talk about per- sonal goals first, and then we cover the day's business objec- tives. If I'm looking for a job, what should I be looking for in a company? Who you work for is an important choice. Absolutely. When you're looking for a company, you have to look at yourself to see what you want and what you need. If you don't know your own purpose in life—what you want to do primarily— then there's no possibility of happiness in a company. Absolutely none. You're kind of swim- ming in the middle of an ocean. You will never be satisfied in a company if you don't know what you want first. But if you know what you want, then you can find the right match in a company. The important thing then is to find a company that understands your purpose. Yet, there are many companies that don't really understand their own purpose other than their quarterly P&L statements. You nailed it. Every company has a mission, vision, a value statement, and sometimes a purpose state- ment. If it doesn't have those, that's a big red flag. If it does, and you don't align with it, then that's the first gate you must walk through. They can offer you all the money in the world and provide a great office environment, but the company's vision and mission must align with your personal goals and objectives. That's the starting point. The Importance of Matching Business and Personal Goals Joey Sanchez