Three fellow onboarding experts and I teamed to analyze salesperson onboarding trends and performance. The survey results, of over 500 sales leaders and executives, revealed several key takeaways.

• It takes new salespeople from eight months to over a year to perform at the same level as their tenured colleagues. Yet, most employers devote less than two months to the onboarding of their new sellers.

• Fewer than one out of five executives surveyed reported being satisfied with the amount of time it takes for their newly-hired salespeople to get up to speed.

• Salespeople, who work for employers most satisfied with their onboarding processes, got up to speed 34 percent faster – i.e., four months earlier – than those working for companies who reported were less satisfied with their onboarding processes.

• Executives, reporting the greatest satisfaction – and greatest success – with their onboarding programs, have longer onboarding periods that are highly structured and comprehensive.

Top performing companies don’t perceive adding headcount as hiring, but rather as a corporate investment in revenue. Onboarding is the key to ensuring a fast, high return on that investment.

Be sure to download your FREE copy of the 2012 Salesperson Onboarding Survey Report.