On-Boarding New Staff Members in Your Group

Employee Orientation programs are good for getting a new employee linked up to:

• their benefits enrollment
• organization's mission/values
• products and/or services provided by the organization
• parking access
• compensation, safety, code-of-conduct and attendance policies

However, many other needs are out there that can be otherwise addressed by implementing a more robust On-Boarding process. The intent of such a process is to get the new employee connected to critically important social networks (other team members, other functions and client/customer groups for whom they will interact), to facilitate intimate familiarity with electronic navigation of systems, to build trust within the manager-contributor relationship, and to establish a shared understanding of performance expectations that have a clear line of sight to supporting the business strategy.

Although there are a host of ways to address these needs, here are some ideas to consider using within the first 2 weeks:

• Absolute first step is to introduce/welcome the new employee to the team; in advance, ask the new employee to prepare a brief synopsis on their background as well as points that help summarize their personal life = personal disclosure is a good way to start establishing trust.
• On the first day, set into motion the steps necessary to acquire UserID, access to certain systems, etc. As a manager, monitor progress on these steps and contact HelpDesk or other IT professionals that are highly regarded as responsive. Personally help or delegate assistance so that the new employee becomes familiar with how to effectively navigate any systems, email, or folders = these steps shorten the downtime/inefficiency span typically experienced within the first 2 weeks.
• Encourage the new employee to sit down with each team member for 20-30 minutes over the next 2 weeks to understand roles, current projects, interests, interaction preferences = this conversation creates an initial appreciation for others' capabilities and areas of expertise, as well as builds familiarity with communication/interaction preferences
• Conduct a three-part 1-to-1 discussion. First, facilitate a deep discussion about the business strategy and the unit's specific goals. Second, help the employee co-author numerous performance objectives for the next period ("SMART" goals -- specific, measurable, yadayadayada). Preview how you will manage performance and coach your staff. Third, share behavioral expectations, or examples of effective vs ineffective behavior, that are inherent in the competency model associated with the job. Conclude this discussion by addressing any employee concerns or questions. Throughout discussion, do a pulse check on employee understanding and comfort level. = This discussion gets the employee engaged by facilitating an understanding of the value of the position and its contributions toward the achievement of business strategy. It also jumpstarts early execution of performance. Furthermore, it establishes the role of the manager in driving productivity within his/her group.
• Use a host of ideas to connect the employee to other functions in the organization and with client/customer groups. Set up meetings, invite employee along to networking lunch or client/customer calls, point employee to intranet sites that will breed higher familiarity, access current organizational charts and call lists, give a tour, etc. = Building a social network early will breed connectedness, usually in a positive sense
• Identify a peer or two of the new employee that can be available and positive for "how do I ..." questions. = Helpful support minimizes frustration and trains new employee on proper approaches to issues
• Point to or help launch any training programs that are necessary for the employee to experience