Like everything else, the employment of a person also has a life cycle. It has its ups and downs and consistencies. There is a time when your career peaks and then follows years of recession, not in the bad terms. But before it lies a few years of constant struggle. You have to give your best to the organization you are working for. Throughout your employment period, the level and nature of your engagement with the organization vary in many ways. This pattern of varied engagement with the organization is understood through a framework called the employee life cycle.

Right from the start, i.e., the recruitment till the end, i.e., the retirement, the employee life cycle covers all stages. Although the basic framework involves five stages of the life cycle, different organizations and experts can manipulate it a bit and make it six or four depending upon their needs and other peculiarities. This article will expand with the five steps of the employee life cycle and everything you need to know about it.

Also Read: Recruitment Life Cycle – Different Stages of Recruitment

What is the Employee Life Cycle?

The employee life cycle is a pattern of engagement that the employee follows during their employment tenure with an organization. It is a framework carefully utilized by organizations and companies to keep their output optimal. It usually has five stages, tracked from recruitment till retirement covering all the adventure that occurs in between.

5 Stages of Employee Life Cycle

1. Recruitment

Recruitment is the very first step of the employee life cycle, crucial for the employee as well as the employer organization. It holds importance due to the gravity of this step. The employee needs to find a job which is best suitable for him, according to him. His skill- set, expertise, and interest should align with the company. Moreover, the perks and privileges offered instead of the services rendered should seem satisfactory to the candidate. Their entire career depends upon this significant step that they are about to initiate; therefore, it becomes crucial.

On the other hand, the employer needs a perfect fit for the opening since it will be an investment. The kind of services they receive should be worth the money they are investing in. Moreover, employees can prove to be real assets and sometimes catalysts for developmental change. Therefore, the first step of the employee life cycle becomes essential.

2. Onboarding

Onboarding is the very next step that occurs post recruitment. Your baby steps with which you start your professional career is called onboarding. Often, employees witness a humble beginning. The privilege, recognition, and responsibilities are not huge contrary to the learning that takes place. Since it is the new time in the professional workspace, it teaches the newcomer new etiquettes, on-ground realities, and new interpersonal skills required in the workspace and can be taught only through a trial and error method.

It becomes essential not only for the employee because it lays the stepping stone to further advancement but also for the employer since new employees can harbor recent changes with their passion and innovative solutions.

3. Career Development

Although career development in the employee life cycle occurs after onboarding, there not a discernable distinction between them. But career development as a step involves career advancement at a much higher pace. The rewards, responsibilities, and recognition drastically increase as compared to the previous stage.

When the employee can make their career path a distinguished one by taking the right baits and delivering the best they can. One needs to be very mindful of the amount of time and resources one is ending at this stage. Even the slightest miscalculation can cause a considerable fall out considering the roles and responsibilities associated with one particular employee at this stage. This is the time where an employee becomes a real asset to the organization.

4. Employee Recognition

Having delivered their best and optimum output at the employee deserves concerning recognition and respect that comes with consistency. The employee earns rewards according to the reward system adopted by the organization. At this stage, the amount of output contributed to the organization doesn’t matter, but their involvement is respected and deemed necessary in the organization.

5. Off-boarding

Off-boarding is the last step in the framework of the employee life cycle. It merely refers to retirement or the process through which the employee breaks off the tie with the organization. It marks the end of employment tenure, and the employee is no longer obliged to render their service(s) instead of salary. However, few organizations may choose to provide a few of the benefits.

It is an essential step for both parties, i.e., the employee and the employers, just because the investments done by both the parties seem to wane off with time. With recruits, innovation, and technology, new changes are welcomed, and the workspace is changed over time gradually. To keep up with the pace, the off-boarding is required by the employers to be initiated on time with due credit, respect, and recognition.

The name and number of these steps might be slightly different for different organizations, but their meaning more or less remains the same and their importance too. These steps each depict a particular challenge thrown at the employee and employer throughout the engagement period to keep the organization going and growing. A separate case and trajectory need to be made of different candidates, maintaining their strengths and weaknesses in mind, which can benefit both employers and employees all at once and at its optimum.

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