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Human Resources Training

Onboarding

Self-Study Guide

Onboarding

Self-Study Guide The Essentials Rules for a Successful Onboarding Programme

Velsoft LearningWorks Training

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

How to Use This Guide .................................................................................................................................. 1

Session One: Course Overview ...................................................................................................................... 2

Learning Objectives ................................................................................................................. 2 Pre-Assignment ....................................................................................................................... 3

Session Two: Defining Onboarding ............................................................................................................... 6

What is Onboarding?............................................................................................................... 6 Benefits for Your Business ....................................................................................................... 8 Making Connections ................................................................................................................ 9

Session Three: Creating the Onboarding Steering Team ............................................................................ 12

The Steering Team ................................................................................................................ 12 Making Connections .............................................................................................................. 13

Session Four: Gathering Supporting Information ....................................................................................... 14

Finding the Processes and People ......................................................................................... 14 Making Connections .............................................................................................................. 16 Putting It All Together ........................................................................................................... 17 Vision Summary Sample ........................................................................................................ 18

Session Five: Setting Goals .......................................................................................................................... 22

SPIRIT Goals ........................................................................................................................... 22 Making Connections .............................................................................................................. 23

Session Six: Developing the Framework ...................................................................................................... 24

A General Framework ........................................................................................................... 24 Pre-Work ............................................................................................................................... 26 Creating an Onboarding Plan Template ................................................................................ 27 Case Study: Sunshine Travel .................................................................................................. 27 Day One ................................................................................................................................. 32 Week One .............................................................................................................................. 32 Month One ............................................................................................................................ 35 Semi-Annual and Annual Reviews ......................................................................................... 37 Exercise: Classify It ................................................................................................................ 39

Session Seven: Creating an Onboarding Plan ............................................................................................. 42

River Adventures Onboarding Outline .................................................................................. 42

Session Eight: Customising the Framework ................................................................................................ 48

Case Study: River Adventures Framework ............................................................................ 48 Sample Programme Outline .................................................................................................. 50

Session Nine: Measuring Results ................................................................................................................. 52

Measuring Metrics ................................................................................................................ 52

Session Ten: Branding the Programme ....................................................................................................... 55


Making the Onboarding Programme All Your Own .............................................................. 55 Exercise: Branding River Adventures .................................................................................... 56

Session Eleven: Onboarding Executives ...................................................................................................... 58

Exercise: Things to Consider .................................................................................................. 58

Session Twelve: Understanding Employee Engagement............................................................................. 60

Employee Performance ......................................................................................................... 60

Session Thirteen: Ten Ways to Make Your Programme Unique ................................................................. 63

Exercise: Going Above and Beyond ....................................................................................... 63

Session Fourteen: Fun and Games .............................................................................................................. 67

Let’s Get Creative! ................................................................................................................. 67 Exercise: Your Favourite Onboarding Games ........................................................................ 69 Adapting Some Games .......................................................................................................... 70

Session Fifteen: Case Study Analysis ........................................................................................................... 74

Exercise: Presentation of Best Practices ............................................................................... 74

Session Sixteen: Personal Development ...................................................................................................... 76

Personal Action Plan.............................................................................................................. 76 Achieving My Goals ............................................................................................................... 76

Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 78

Recommended Reading List ........................................................................................................................ 79

Onboarding - The Essential Rules for a Successful Onboarding Programme |


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How to Use This Guide

This self-study guide is designed and laid out in a manner that will direct student learning much in the same way that an instructor would. This workbook is comprised of several modules called Sessions. Each session focuses on a major concept in the course. Several times throughout the course of the guide, it is suggested that you take the opportunity to internalise what you have learned by taking advantage of the many self-reflection exercises titled Making Connections. The Making Connections sections are intended as open-ended questions that allow you to apply the skills learned in the current session in the framework of your personal past experience. It is used to help you incorporate what you’ve just learned into your own practice. For the purpose of keeping track of your own progress, the guide also incorporates a Pre-Assignment, which is a reflective exercise designed to give you an idea of your current skills. Following that, you are asked to complete the Pre-Course Assessment. The Pre-Course Assessment will be used in conjunction with a Post-Course Assessment at the end of the course to highlight the progress you’ve made. In the final Session you will be asked to complete your Personal Action Plan; a sort of road map that will help you incorporate your new skill-set into your daily routine.



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Session One: Course Overview

Did you know that most employees decide to leave a job within their first 18 months with an organisation? When an employee does leave, it usually costs about three times their salary to replace them. You can greatly increase the likelihood a new employee will stay with you by implementing a well-designed onboarding programme that will guide the employee through their first months with the company. In this course, you will explore the benefits of onboarding, learn how to design an onboarding framework, be provided with ways to customise the programme for different audiences (including managers and executives), and demonstrate how to measure results from the programme.

— Statistics from a 2007 study by the Wynhurst Group

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

Define onboarding and describe how it is different from orientation

Identify the business benefits of onboarding

List the factors that contribute to a successful onboarding programme

Build a team to create an onboarding programme

Prepare a vision statement and goals for an onboarding programme

Design a framework for an onboarding programme that includes programme setup, various types of training, games, progress tracking, and follow-up

Customise your onboarding framework

Identify which metrics you should track to evaluate programme results

Create a branded, unique programme that will strengthen your company’s image and market position

Why did you decide to take this course? List some goals for yourself that you hope this course will help you achieve.



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Pre-Assignment

Before we get started with the course, find an organisation with a successful onboarding programme. Gather as much information as you can about this programme. Feel free to utilise any materials that you find. Here are some questions that might help with your research. When and why did this organisation begin an onboarding programme?

What does their programme look like?

How long does the programme last?

What resources did they use (i.e., other programmes, consultants, etc.)?



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Who is the programme aimed at (i.e., executives, general staff, etc.)?

What do you like about the programme?



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What do you dislike about the programme?

Why did you choose this programme?



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Session Two: Defining Onboarding

In the beginning stages of your investigation of the essential rules for developing an onboarding programme, you need to know the foundational terms and concepts of the topic. You may be familiar with other human resources strategies for employee management; however, successful onboarding programmes are seen as critical process for every department of your organisation. In this session, we define the foundational principles of onboarding programmes. As well, we present you with some detailed comparisons between onboarding and orientation programmes, and the characteristics of poor and successful programmes.

What is Onboarding?

In general, onboarding is the process of bringing employees into an organisation, getting them up to speed, and supporting them through the key phases of transition.

Characteristics

Onboarding lasts for several months at minimum, and up to several years for executives.

Onboarding helps the employee build good relationships with their supervisor, their colleagues, and other departments in the organisation.

Onboarding provides resources, support, and training customised for the individual’s roles and needs.

Onboarding programmes must be integrated with other human resource efforts, such as talent management, performance management, and succession planning.

Onboarding programmes should be systematic, comprehensive, consistent, strategic, and integrated.



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Orientation versus Onboarding

One common question we hear is: how is orientation different from onboarding? The following chart outlines the similarities as well as the differences.

Orientation Onboarding

Integrated with other human resource efforts (talent management, performance management, succession planning)

Integrated with other human resource efforts (talent management, performance management, succession planning)

Lasts several days Lasts several months (for typical employees) or years (for executives)

Is usually the same for everyone Is customised for each person or group

Typically has a narrow focus (HR policies, ID badges, general training, etc.)

Has a holistic approach (specific training needs, company vision, etc.)

Lays the foundation for onboarding Lays the foundation for a successful career

In other words, orientation gets the employee off on the right foot, while onboarding guides them on the journey.



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Onboarding Activities

Your onboarding activities can be divided into four general sections:

Although you may not come into the picture during the hiring phase, it is important that the future employee’s stakeholders are kept in the loop throughout the hiring process. One of the biggest causes of employee dissatisfaction is a disconnection between what the hiring manager said the job was going to be and what the job actually is. You need to make sure that everyone is on the same page about the position’s roles, responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities.

Benefits for Your Business

Consider these statistics from the Wynhurst Group (2007) and Cornerstone onDemand (2010):

22% of staff turnover occurs in the first 45 days

The cost of losing an employee in the first year is estimated to be at least three times their salary

25% of Fortune 500 managers change jobs once a year

A well-designed onboarding programme can make employees 58% more likely to stay with an organisation beyond five years

Costs to Consider

There are a number of costs that add up when replacing one employee. These costs include: Lost productivity

Hiring

Posting is made

Candidate is recruited,

interviewed, and selected

Preparation

Identify the audience

Customise the onboarding framework

Gather materials

Pre-Work

Send package

Employee completes some

work on their own

Employee meets with manager

Onboarding plan is personalised and

customised

Assimilation

Employee works through onboarding

plan

Manager supports and follows up to

ensure plan is working



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Not only will you lose productivity while the job is vacant, the interviewing and training process can also consume resources and time. Recruiting costs Don’t forget somebody’s time to place an advertisement. They must check what the organisation is looking for, prepare information, verify copy, send the ad to the newspaper, and then handle phone calls, inquiries, and CVs. Screening costs This includes reviewing CVs (based on a CV short-listing guide that has been prepared by someone, we hope). Also included is the cost of responding to directed inquiries and requests for information. Don’t forget any letters of regret you send out, including paper, postage, and time to create and sign. Interviewing costs This includes time spent contacting candidates, arranging interviews, preparing for the interviews, and conducting them. You’ll also need to create, sign, and send letters of regret. Testing costs If you do testing, there is a cost associated with monitoring and rating the tests. Doing group testing? Divide total cost by number of candidates who will be interviewed. Evaluating costs This includes time spent evaluating, checking references, and making the selection. Offer costs The cost of making the job offer. Figure in time spent negotiating with the candidate, arranging start date, and other arrangements that must be made before the candidate arrives. (Business cards? Supplies? Locker and keys?) Training costs The money associated with taking the time to meet the candidate; introducing them to others; providing an orientation; and providing training. Other costs As well, consider the cost of reduced efficiency as the new employee learns the job, including time spent by someone answering questions and showing them the ropes. There may also be other employee turnover costs associated with your organisation.

Making Connections

A Recipe for Disaster

Take a few minutes to think about factors that would support a programme’s successes, and factors that could cause a programme to fail. List them here.



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Success Failure



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Designing Around the Pitfalls

Keep this information in mind as you progress through the course. The solution to most onboarding pitfalls is a programme that is carefully designed to meet best practice criteria and integrate with other company efforts.

Success Failure

Integrated with other company programmes and efforts

Solo programme seen as the responsibility of only human resources

Buy-in obtained from all parties Lack of communication, support, and buy-in

Clear goals and mission Purpose not clear

Honesty and engagement from the beginning Expectations unclear (i.e. job description doesn’t match reality)

Clear roles and responsibilities Employee does not know who to turn to for what



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Session Three: Creating the Onboarding Steering Team

Employee seniority is a valuable asset to acquire as your business grows and develops over time. The people who have been involved in organisational planning and direction from the beginning should be included in your onboarding programme team. They are familiar with the operations of your business, and they have most likely demonstrated leadership and loyalty over the years. In this session, we review the considerations you need to take into account as you form your onboarding programme steering committee. Anyone who is selected to join in the development of your onboarding process should be committed to the organisation.

The Steering Team

Ideally, your organisation’s onboarding programme should be designed by a team with representatives from different horizontal and vertical groups. This will ensure buy-in and support from the entire company. Some people to consider including:

A project manager to oversee execution and act as team lead

Executive sponsors

Department managers

Human resource specialists

New employees

Employees who have been with the company for 12-18 months

Employees who have been identified as having high potential to advance in the company

This committee should meet yearly to review the programme, look at feedback submitted, and make changes and updates as necessary. You’ll want to keep the programme fresh, up-to-date, and in line with organisational and industry changes.



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Making Connections

Steering Team at Your Work

In your company, what might the steering team look like? Who, specifically, should be included?



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Session Four: Gathering Supporting Information

Planning your onboarding programme requires you to have detailed information about your organisational human resources policies, your recruitment and selection process, as well as your orientation programme. As well, you need to identify the critical personnel and stakeholders who are affected by your onboarding programme plans. In this session, we determine the processes and the players involved in the onboarding process. We also ask you to review a case study of a company that needs help to establish their onboarding programme.

Finding the Processes and People

One of the first things we must do when creating an onboarding programme is to figure all the elements that it will affect, or will affect it.

Identifying Processes and Programmes

The team’s first task should be to review all processes and programmes that will affect (or be affected by) the onboarding programme. We have included a brief list below. Hiring Process

o How are job openings identified and advertised? o How are candidates recruited, interviewed, and selected? o How is the offer letter created? o How is offer acceptance communicated throughout the organisation?

Employee Setup Process

o What logistical tasks must be performed? (Workspace setup, computer setup, etc.) o What security tasks must be performed? (Badges, logon information, etc.) o What human resource tasks must be performed? (Policies to be reviewed,

paperwork to fill out, etc.) o What other processes are in place?

Pre-Orientation Programmes

o Does the employee receive a welcome letter or package? What does it look like? o What information is sent to the employee before the first day? o How is it communicated?

Orientation Programmes

o What does the current orientation programme look like? o What training is provided?

Onboarding Programmes



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o Are there any orientation activities that currently extend beyond the first week? If so, what are they?

o What resources are provided to employees to continue learning? (Tools, online resources, training, etc.)

Identifying Stakeholders

Next, identify the people who own each process. Their support will be vital, as parts of their processes may need to change to interact with the onboarding programme. Once this is done, you may need to add certain people to the steering team, or they may be comfortable with simply being kept in the loop, or being brought in for discussions about their area.



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Making Connections

Personal Identification

In the space provided identify processes, programmes, and stakeholders that will need to be addressed in your organisation’s onboarding programme. Processes in My Organisation

Programmes in My Organisation

Stakeholders in My Organisation



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Putting It All Together

Once you have completed your information gathering, create a summary of what your team has learned and what you have envisioned. In addition to listing key processes, programmes and stakeholders, you will need to be able to complete the following statements:

Currently our onboarding strategy looks like…

We typically hire ____ employees per year.

We would like to focus on these employees: ________

We are currently doing these things well: ________

We need to improve in these areas: ________

We would like our strategy to look like…

We are going to measure results by…

Exercise: Evaluating Your Organisation

What other questions might be useful for your organisation?



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Vision Summary Sample

Review the background information in the River Adventures case file below and create a strengths and weaknesses summary by answering the key questions that follow.

River Adventures

Company Biography River Adventures was formed in 2002 by brothers Sven and Hans Wennerstrom. They started out with just one location and just the two of them taking guests on tours of the spectacular White River in sunny California. However, their company has grown to two locations (White River North and White River South) and now offers multi-day excursions as well as half and single day rafting trips. They operate year-round. Hiring Processes So far, Hans and Sven have hired 10 guides and two administrative assistants. They have hired based on demand, posting additional positions as their customer base grows. (This has been about two employees per year.) Since they will only be hiring tour guides for the near future, this is what they will focus their onboarding process on. Hans handles all the hiring, from posting the position to interviewing and selecting candidates. Hans and Sven both work out of White River North, the main office of River Adventures. Employee Setup Processes When a new employee is hired, they come in before their first day to fill out payroll and health benefit forms. (Tom Smith, the administrative assistant at White River North, handles this aspect.) They also must provide copies of their lifeguard and watercraft operator certification. Orientation Processes On the first day, Hans takes the employee on a tour of the White River North camp. The employee receives a brochure detailing each tour; there is one half-day tour, one full-day tour, and two different multi-day excursions. Hans and the employee drive to White River South where the employee joins a half-day tour returning to White River North. For the rest of the week the employee shadows a tour guide. Then the employee starts hosting their own tours. Onboarding Processes River Adventure Tours does not have any onboarding processes in place.

River Adventures - Strengths and Weaknesses

Currently our onboarding strategy looks like…



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We typically hire ____ employees per year. We would like to focus on these employees:

We are currently doing these things well:



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We need to improve in these areas:

We would like our strategy to look like…

We are going to measure results by…



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River Adventures – Discussion Points

Here are the strengths and weaknesses that we identified for River Adventures.

o Currently our onboarding strategy looks like: We do not currently have a strategy.

o We typically hire 2 employees per year.

o We would like to focus on these employees: Tour guides

o We are currently doing these things well: Giving employees an opportunity to shadow other guides.

o We need to improve in these areas: First day activities, ongoing training

o We would like our strategy to look like: A comprehensive programme covering the big

picture.

o We are going to measure results by: Customer and employee satisfaction ratings



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Session Five: Setting Goals

Every organisational project requires a team to consider their goals and long-term advantages of their efforts. Inspiring your onboarding steering committee to develop clearly defined goals will help them to reach project deadlines, and determine what results they want to achieve. Your training is important for guiding your team to success. In this session, we examine the qualities that will help you become successful in attaining your onboarding goals and targets. We define a useful acronym for creating “SPIRIT” goals; ones that maintain the attention and performance of your team.

SPIRIT Goals

Goals will be a large part of your onboarding programme. You will have overall goals for the onboarding programme. Individuals in the programme as well as their managers will probably have goals, too. Goals are only useful if they’re done right. Good goals should have SPIRIT! Specific Be specific about what you want or don’t want to achieve. The result should be tangible and measurable. “Get all employees up to speed,” is pretty ambiguous. “Data team will be able to enter 100 records per day by the end of the first week of onboarding,” is more specific. Prizes Provide rewards at different points in the goal, particularly if it’s long-term. Employees who do better than average at training, for example, might receive a company T-shirt. Individual The goal must be something that is relevant to the employee’s job and something that the employee is willing to work on. Always tie the goal back to a business or personal result. Review Review progress periodically. Does the goal make sense? Are you stuck? Do you need to adjust certain parts of the goal?



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Inspiring Frame the goal positively. Make it fun to accomplish. Your team could make a poster of the end result, frame it, and post it on the wall. Time-Bound Give yourself a deadline for achieving the goal. Even better, split the goal into small parts and give yourself a deadline for each item.

Making Connections

Setting Your SPIRIT Goals

Take some time to think about some targets you would like to incorporate into your company’s onboarding programme, and then write them here. Goal 1

Goal 2

Goal 3



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Session Six: Developing the Framework

New employees will be excited to join your team, and their expectations will be high as they look for your guidance in their orientation. Your organisational leaders need to demonstrate the level of professionalism, as well as communicate performance standards to newly hired employees. An successful onboarding programme attends to both the short- and long-term needs of an employee. In this session, we discuss a useful framework from which to plan your organisation’s onboarding programme. The outline that we provide should be maintained as you develop your programme; however, you should adapt it as you see fit for your own purposes.

A General Framework

Phases of Onboarding

The bulk of the programme development work will be identifying which tasks should be completed when. Typically, there are five distinct phases:

1. Pre-Work 2. First Day 3. First Week 4. First Month 5. First Year

Of course, this will vary depending on what position you are onboarding – the programme for executives, for example, may last two years, while a position for a data entry clerk may only last three months. Here, we are trying to provide a basic framework that participants can work with.



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Types of Activities

Your onboarding programme can communicate information in a number of different ways. You could use: A Mentor, Coach, or Buddy Interpersonal support can be provided in a few ways.

o A mentor is the most involved type of support person; their goal is to interact with the new employee and to help them develop personally and professionally.

o A coaching programme is similar, but focuses on the employee’s job-related skills. o Finally, a buddy is like a tour guide, helping the new employee find their way around the

new workplace and find information. Departmental or Company Orientation These sessions tell the employee about who the organisation (or department) is, what their mission statement is, what their goals are, what they do, and where they are going. Think of it as, “The Life and Times of XYZ Company,” or, “All About the Accounting Department.” Job-Specific Training It is often useful to provide training on specific skills. These can be technical skills (using Microsoft Word, entering data into the database programme) or softer skills (project management, conflict resolution). Formal training approaches usually involve self-paced training through manuals or online learning, or classroom training. More informal approaches include job shadowing. We recommend that training be spaced out over the onboarding period. For example, instead of having the employee complete six classes in one week, try having them complete one class a week for the first six weeks of their employment. They will retain more information and feel less overwhelmed. Coaching and Performance Management During the onboarding process, the manager must check in with the employee on a regular basis. The manager’s role is to ensure that team members are on board with their performance programme and onboarding plan. The plans may need to be adjusted, or the employee may need additional support.



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Pre-Work

You want to have employees complete as much of the administrative work as they can before the first day. This shows that you are eager to have them start and that you take their job seriously. It will also help them feel more prepared and ease their nervousness. Several weeks before their employment starts, employees should receive a package with a welcome letter, community information, pre-read material, a blank onboarding plan, and any other pertinent material. (We'll see more on these components in later on.) Their job is to complete the pre-work before their first day.

Pre-Work Tasks

Pre-work tasks for the manager might include: o Completing internal hiring processes o Filling out paperwork o Getting employees logon information for the network and security clearance o Setting up their workspace o Communicating the new employee’s start date, who they will be reporting to, and

their responsibilities o Completing a draft onboarding plan for the employee

Pre-work tasks for the employee might include:

o Filling out paperwork o Doing self-paced training o Reviewing job descriptions, policies, procedures, company reports, etc. o Getting their personal life settled so that they can focus on the new job o Completing a draft onboarding plan

Pre-Work Meeting

About a week before the employee is scheduled to start, the manager sets up a meeting with the employee. This meeting has three objectives:

1. Meet and greet 2. Answer any questions the employee has 3. Review the onboarding plans and finalise it

At this time, the manager should also provide a quick-start guide for their first day: how to dress, where to park, where to go, and what the day will look like.



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Creating an Onboarding Plan Template

Earlier, we mentioned that a personalised plan should be sent to an employee before they start work. This template should be developed as part of the design process. It must be specific enough to gather necessary information, but flexible enough to be used for any new employee. This template should be completed by the employee and by their manager during the pre-work process. (Try not to give the employee specific directions when asking them to fill out the plan. This way, you can see their level of initiative and how detail-oriented they are.) The template should include:

o Basic information such as the employee’s start date, their role, their department, and their supervisor

o Two-line job description o List of stakeholders that they will meet o Summary of pre-work o Summary of Day One and Week One events and tasks o Training plan o Goals for the first 30, 60, and 90 days

Before the first day of work, the manager should meet with the employee to finalise the plan. This gives the employee a solid understanding of what their role will entail, and assurance that they are on the same page as their manager (who is hopefully on the same page as the organisation).

Case Study: Sunshine Travel

Let’s take a look at how beneficial this pre-work meeting and tasks can be. Read through the case study of Sunshine Travel. The sales manager, Margaret Mead, is hiring Tom Tally as a travel agent. They both completed the tasks and then had a pre-work meeting. As you review the information, identify the changes that occurred due to the pre-work meeting.



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Margaret’s Plan for Tom

Name: Tom Tally Start Date: February 1, 2020

Role: Travel Consultant Department: Travel

Supervisor: Margaret Mead

Position Roles and Responsibilities:

o Assist customers to book travel plans over the phone and in person o Monitor and respond to e-mail requests o Encourage customers to visit Sunshine Resorts o Meet sales targets (currently $100,000 per month)

Stakeholders:

o Margaret Mead (Sales Manager) o Mandy, Mark, and Mary (Other travel consultants) o Susie Sunshine (CEO)

Pre-Work to Complete:

o Fill out benefits and payroll information o Read information on Sunshine Resorts

Day One Outline:

o Have lunch with co-workers o Get tour of facility o Complete first module of online sales training course o Assignments: Make one sale and set up sales board

Week One:

o Assignments: Book trip to Sunshine Resorts with Mary, complete all modules of online sales training course, keep selling!

o Meeting with Susie Sunshine on Thursday Goals

o 30 days: Meet $100,000 sales goal o 60 days: Complete visit to Sunshine Resorts o 90 days: Identify three courses to take over the next year

Signed: Margaret Mead (supervisor)



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Tom’s Plan





o Assist customers to book travel plans over the phone and via e-mail o Meet sales targets ($75,000 per month?)

Stakeholders:

o Margaret Mead (My Manager) Pre-Work to Complete:

o Fill out tax information o Read up on Sunshine Resorts

Day One Outline:

o Get to work on time Week One:


o 30 days: $50,000 in sales o 60 days: $60,000 in sales o 90 days: $75,000 in sales

Signed: Tom Tally (travel consultant)



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Final Plan (Created by Margaret and Tom)





o Assist customers to book travel plans over the phone and in person o Monitor and respond to e-mail requests o Encourage customers to visit Sunshine Resorts o Meet sales targets ($85,000 per month)

Stakeholders:

o Margaret Mead (Sales Manager) o Mandy, Mark, and Mary (Other travel consultants) o Susie Sunshine (CEO)


o Fill out tax, benefits, and payroll information o Read information on Sunshine Resorts

Day One Outline:

o Have lunch with co-workers o Get tour of facility o Complete first module of online sales training course and e-mail training o Assignments: Make one sale and set up sales board

Week One:

o Assignments: Book trip to Sunshine Resorts with Mary, complete all modules of online sales training course, keep selling!


o 30 days: Meet $85,000 sales goal o 60 days: Complete visit to Sunshine Resorts o 90 days: Identify two training courses to take in next six months o 180 days (6 months): Review sales goal

Signed: Margaret Mead (supervisor) Signed: Tom Tally (travel consultant)

Exercise: Comparing the Plans

Summarise the changes that occurred to the plan after Margaret and Tom met.



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What conclusions might you draw about Tom from his form?



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The Changes We Saw

Here is a summary of the changes that we saw between the plans: o Margaret realised that she and Tom had different sales goals in mind. They agreed

on a median figure that would stay the same each month. They also agreed that the figure would be reviewed in six months.

o Margaret had forgotten all about the tax forms! o Tom had forgotten that he would be responsible for e-mail requests. He asked for

training on the system. o Since Tom is already completing a course in the first week, he will now only need

two courses in the next year. What conclusions might you draw about Tom from his form?

o It doesn’t seem that Tom put much thought into his plan. o Showing up to work on time is not very ambitious!

Day One

An employee’s first day is arguably the most important one. You only get one chance to make a first impression! (According to the Wynhurst Group, 4% of employees quit after a horrendous first day!) A typical first day should look like this:

1. The employee arrives at the office on time and is greeted by the manager. 2. Any security policies are completed. (Most companies will only issue an ID card on

the start date, for example.) 3. The manager introduces the employee to their mentor, their colleagues, and key

stakeholders. 4. The manager gives the employee a brief tour of the office, highlighting personal

storage, lunch rooms, bathrooms, and fire exits. (Tip: Mention what employees usually do for lunch. If possible, schedule a special welcome lunch with the employees’ colleagues.)

5. The manager and the employee review the onboarding plan, focusing on tasks for the first day and week. They should also review key procedures, such as network access, e-mail, voice mail, safety procedures, emergency plans, etc.

6. The employee takes part in a company and departmental orientation. 7. The manager confirms that the employee has completed all necessary paperwork. 8. The employee works on Day One tasks, supported by a mentor if needed. 9. The manager checks in with the employee at the end of the day.

Week One

The goal of the first week should be to slowly start transitioning employees into normal work. The employee should also begin to build relationships with stakeholders and work on



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assignments. They may also take part in more training; either specific to their role or about company systems and procedures. The manager should also share any unwritten rules (i.e. how casual are casual Fridays?) and traditions, and cover additional policies or procedures in depth as necessary.

Checking In

Gathering constant, comprehensive feedback about the onboarding process is very important, particularly during the employee’s first few days. If there are any issues, it is best to know about them as soon as possible so that they can be resolved quickly. Remember, this is a crucial evaluation period for the employee; they are checking you out and deciding whether or not they like what they see (just as much as you are checking them out!). One of the most effective feedback tools is to ask the employees’ colleagues, “How is Joe doing?” during the week. If they have difficulty providing specific feedback, you can probe for more information using questions like:

o How do you feel that Joe is fitting in with the team? o What do you think of Joe’s work habits so far? o What do you think of Joe’s onboarding plan and tasks? o Is there anything that I should know about Joe?

Be sure to check in with the employee themselves each day to see if they have any questions, comments, or concerns. It is also a nice gesture to schedule a one-on-one lunch midway through the week.



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Informal Review and Questionnaire

An informal onboarding review should take place at the end of the first week. Our favourite approach is a short questionnaire with a simple five-point scale. The employee and their manager can complete this survey at the end of the week, compare results, and use it as a starting point for updating the onboarding plan and moving forward. Sample Questionnaire Fill out your impression of the following statements using the following scale:

1 = strongly disagree 2 = somewhat disagree 3 = neutral 4 = somewhat agree 5 = strongly agree

Question Rating

1. I feel that the onboarding plan has been useful during my first week.

2. I feel that I am fitting in well with my new team.

3. So far, the position meets my expectations.

4. The training that I have received so far has been useful.

5. I had all the tools I needed on time.

6. The tools that I received were useful.

7. I have a good understanding of my department.

8. I have a good understanding of my organisation.

9. I have reviewed all HR policies and signed all required documents.



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Using Open-Ended Questions

You can also use open-ended questions to gauge the employee’s overall experience and mood. o What was your favourite thing about this week? o What was your least favourite thing about this week? o What would you change for future employees? o How would you rate your first week on a scale of one (terrible) to ten (amazing)? o Describe your week in one word.

Don’t forget to review the onboarding plan, particularly their day one tasks and week one goals.

Month One

During the first month, the employee will continue: o Working through their onboarding plan, focusing on month one goals o Working with their mentor, coach, or buddy (if applicable) to achieve goals and

complete assignments o Adapting to their new role o Building relationships with colleagues and stakeholders o Completing training (if applicable) o Checking in with their manager at least once per week o Bringing any issues to their manager that they need help resolving

A formal onboarding review should take place at the end of the first month. There are many types of reviews, most of which resemble performance reviews (which it is, in a sense).



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Month One Evaluation Forms

Your first step is to prepare a short evaluation form. We recommend short, objective questions that can be answered with a yes or a no, or subjective questions that can be answered using a simple scale. The form should be standardised across the organisation, with room for customisation in the questions (or the ability to add a few open-ended questions). Example One

Yes No

Mark has met all of his month one objectives.

Mark has completed all training requirements.

Example Two

Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Neutral Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

Mary is a good fit for this team.

Mary has taken initiative with her onboarding plan.

Month One Review Meeting

Invite the employee, their coach, and any other stakeholders to a half-hour meeting. Ask them to complete the evaluation form beforehand. During this week, check in with the employees’ colleagues and other stakeholders. Compile a list of positive feedback and constructive criticism. Have the meeting in a quiet location that ensures privacy. Ask the employee for their evaluation first. Then, ask any other attendees to share their feedback. Finally, share your evaluation, including an anonymous summary of what co-workers and stakeholders thought.



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Your goal during this meeting is to: o Ensure that the employee is happy with their position so far – and if they are not

happy, to determine what needs to change o Assess any gaps in training and support and form a plan to address them o Review goals for the first weeks and month and whether or not the employee met

those goals o Review the remainder of the onboarding plan, including goals, and adjust where

appropriate After the meeting, place all evaluations in the employee’s file and send the employee and their coach (if applicable) a summary of actions decided on. Include the onboarding plan and any revisions.

Semi-Annual and Annual Reviews

The remainder of the employee’s first year should be spent completing training, developing skills, building relationships with stakeholders, and transitioning to a 100% focus on job assignments. The manager should continue to check in with the employee on a regular basis and check progress on goals. Typically, an informal review (like the one we completed at the end of Month One) takes place at the end of Month Six.

Employee and Onboarding Review

A formal review of the onboarding programme should take place in conjunction with the employee’s first performance review at the end of the first year. Employee Evaluations You will want evaluations from the employee on:

o The effectiveness of the onboarding programme o How they feel about their decision to join the organisation o How the organisation is meeting their expectations, wants, and needs o Percentage of onboarding plan achieved, with specific questions on goals and

training completed o Lessons learned about the programme (what they would change) o What they would tell a new employee o Specific job objectives (Example: I am comfortable using the DotCom system to book

appointments.) o Their next steps to transition out of the programme o Whether or not they would like to be a buddy in the future

Onboarding Evaluation The employee’s coach or buddy and manager should evaluate:

o The effectiveness of the onboarding programme



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o How the employee is meeting the organisation’s expectations o Percentage of onboarding plan achieved, with specific questions on goals and

training completed o Lessons learned about the programme (what they would change) o How the employee is meeting specific job objectives o Their next steps to transition out of the programme o Whether or not the employee would be a suitable buddy in the future



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Exercise: Classify It

To help you review the onboarding activities that take place during an onboarding programme, beside each of the following activities identify the appropriate onboarding timeframe. Onboarding Timeframes:

PW = Pre-Work D1 = Day One W1 = Week One M1 = Month One Y1 = Year One

Timeframe Activity Timeframe Activity

Manager obtains network access and other credentials for employee

Meet their work buddy/mentor

Complete regular work Employee gets tour of building

Training is provided Training may continue

Training continues Set up workspace (office supplies, computer, name plate, etc.)

Employee works on goals and reviews with manager

Review onboarding plan

Provide benefits information Meet with stakeholders

Introduce employee to colleagues and stakeholders

Ensure employee’s workspace is ready and looks inviting

Employee graduates from onboarding; may serve as mentor to others

HR confirms all paperwork complete

Complete security processes First performance review is completed



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Timeframe Activity Timeframe Activity

Safety procedures are reviewed

Complete any required paperwork

Complete regular work Work on goals and reviews with manager

Shares onboarding feedback with manager

Get set up on payroll

Formal onboarding review takes place

First day work tasks are completed

Employee and manager complete onboarding plan together

Employee reviews self-paced training, policies, and procedures



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Classified Responses

Pre-Work Day One Week One Month One Year One

Manager obtains network access and other credentials for employee

Ensure employee’s workspace is ready and looks inviting

Training is provided

Training continues

Training may continue

Provide benefits information

Introduce employee to colleagues and stakeholders

Meet their work buddy/mentor

Work on goals and reviews with manager

Employee works on goals and reviews with manager

Set up workspace (office supplies, computer, name plate, etc.)

Review onboarding plan

Meet with stakeholders

Complete regular work

First performance review is completed

Complete security processes

Safety procedures are reviewed

Complete regular work

Shares onboarding feedback with manager

Formal onboarding review takes place

Employee and manager complete onboarding plan together

HR confirms all paperwork complete

Employee graduates from onboarding; may serve as mentor to others

Complete any required paperwork

Employee gets tour of building

Get set up on payroll

First day work tasks are completed

Employee reviews self-paced training, policies, and procedures



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Session Seven: Creating an Onboarding Plan

Again, we review the example of the River Adventures Co. They need your help designing a successful onboarding programme. Your main task is to identify the activities that need to be performed at every stage of the year-long programme cycle. Practically applying the information you’ve learned is an important part of your onboarding programme training. In this session, we will perform a hands-on exercise designed to give you an idea of how the process of creating an onboarding plan plays out. We encourage you to be detailed in your responses.

River Adventures Onboarding Outline

In this activity, we provide you with information on the River Adventures Company. Using this information, fill out the onboarding plan template that follows.

Case Study Background

Company Biography River Adventures was formed in 2002 by brothers Sven and Hans Wennerstrom. They started out with just one location and just the two of them taking guests on tours of the spectacular White River in sunny California. However, their company has grown to two locations (White River North and White River South) and now offers multi-day excursions as well as half and single day rafting trips. They operate year-round. Hiring Processes So far, Hans and Sven have hired 10 guides and two administrative assistants. They have hired based on demand, posting additional positions as their customer base grows. (This has been about two employees per year.) Since they will only be hiring tour guides for the near future, this is what they will focus their onboarding process on Hans handles all the hiring, from posting the position to interviewing and selecting candidates. Hans and Sven both work out of White River North, the main office of River Adventures.



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Employee Setup Processes When a new employee is hired, they come in before their first day to fill out payroll and health benefit forms. (Tom Smith, the administrative assistant at White River North, handles this aspect.) They also must provide copies of their lifeguard and watercraft operator certification. Orientation Processes On the first day, Hans takes the employee on a tour of the White River North camp. The employee receives a brochure detailing each tour; there is one half-day tour, one full-day tour, and two different multi-day excursions. Hans and the employee drive to White River South where the employee joins a half-day tour returning to White River North. For the rest of the week the employee shadows a tour guide. Then the employee starts hosting their own tours. Onboarding Processes River Adventure Tours does not have any onboarding processes in place.

Onboarding Plan Template

Name: Start Date:

Role: Tour Guide Department: River Tours

Supervisor: Hans Wennerstrom




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Stakeholders:


Day One Outline:

Week One:

Goals:



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Signed: ________________________________________________________________



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River Adventures: Sample Onboarding Plan

Here is how we filled out the form:

Name: Lily Brennan Start Date: June 1, 2020

Role: Tour Guide Department: River Tours

Supervisor: Hans Wennerstrom


o Conduct fun, engaging river tours o Ensure that all guests and staff remain safe at all times o Follow general company tour outline to ensure important history points are covered o Maintain certification as a lifeguard and watercraft operator

Stakeholders:

o Sven Wennerstrom o Hans Wennerstrom o Other tour guides


o Come into office before first day to fill out forms o Provide Tom Smith with lifeguard and watercraft operator certificates o Read history of River Adventures and the White River o Review company brochures

Day One Outline:

o Employee is greeted by Hans o Employee receives tour of the office and meets other employees o All staff have a welcome lunch for the new tour guide o Employee goes to White River South to meet Sven o Employee takes a tour back to White River North

Week One:

o Employee shadows tour guide who has been with the organisation for at least one year

o Employee performs all types of duties under the supervision of their buddy o At end of week, employee meets with Hans, Sven, and their buddy to complete

informal review



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Goals: o Conduct one full tour by the end of the first week o Identify one opportunity for additional training (i.e. presentation skills, advanced

safety training, leadership) by the end of the first month o Identify one opportunity for business expansion (such as a new tour idea) by the

end of the onboarding programme Signed: Lily Brennan Hans Wennerstrom



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Session Eight: Customising the Framework

Once we have a general framework for the onboarding plan, it can be customised to each individual case. This is an important consideration to make as you implement the framework into your own organisation. We suggest you consider the specific needs of your business to make the best decisions for developing your onboarding programme. In this session, we adapt the framework in an exercise that pins down some finer details of developing an onboarding plan. Practicing these skills will prepare you for initiating the development of your onboarding steering committee.

Case Study: River Adventures Framework

Now that you have completed an onboarding plan for River Adventures, your next task is to outline a full onboarding programme for the company using the template below.

Pre-Work

First Day



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First Week

First Month

Six Month Review (End of Programme)



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Sample Programme Outline

Pre-Work

o Employee fills out all forms and submits to Tom Smith (administrative assistant at White River North)

o Employee submits lifeguard and watercraft operator certificates to Tom Smith; Tom photocopies and places in employee file, originals are returned to employee

o Employee reads Our History book by Sven Wennerstrom o Employee reviews all current company brochures

First Day

o 8:30 a.m.: Employee is greeted by Hans Wennerstrom o 8:30-9:30: Employee receives tour of the office and meets other employees o 9:30-10:00: Hans Wennerstrom reviews job description and key policies with new

employee o 10:00-10:30: Break o 10:30-12:00 p.m.: Hans and employee finalise personal onboarding plan and set six

month goals o 12:00-1:00: Welcome lunch for the new tour guide with all staff o 1:00-1:30: Employee travels to White River South o 1:30-3:30: Employee meets Sven Wennerstrom and gets introduction to company

vision and culture o 3:30-4:30: Employee takes a tour back to White River North o 4:30 p.m.: Hans Wennerstrom meets with employee to answer any remaining

questions and check how first day went

First Week

o Employee shadows tour guide who has been with the organisation for at least one year

o Employee performs all types of duties under the supervision of their buddy o At end of week, employee meets with Hans, Sven, and tour guide buddy to

complete informal review



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First Month

o Employee conducts river tours o Employee works towards onboarding plan goals o Employee completes formal review with Hans and Sven

Six Month Review (End of Programme)

o Employee conducts river tours o Employee works towards onboarding plan goals o Employee completes formal review with Hans and Sven o 360-degree performance review is completed by all staff



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Session Nine: Measuring Results

Whenever you are evaluating an organisational programme or process, you need to be able to specifically detail the criteria for which to assess. Measuring the results of implemented programmes is challenging, but there are strategies you can use to identify what techniques have worked and provided an advantage to your organisation. Onboarding programme results can be derived from several areas of your business characteristics. In this session, we describe the areas in which you should see improvement as you implement your onboarding plan. We also discuss how to gather information to gauge the programme’s effectiveness.

Measuring Metrics

One important aspect of the programme is not only its effectiveness, but also its ability to accurately gather performance data. Here are some areas you can hope to see improvement in from an onboarding programme.

o Employee productivity o Ramp-up time (how quickly an employee reaches full efficiency) o Employee turnover o Employee satisfaction o Customer satisfaction o Employee engagement o Safety metrics o Compliance with industry requirements o Legal costs o Job objectives (such as number of widgets produced per hour) o Referrals from new employees



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Exercise: Measuring the Benefits

Identify the five benefits of an onboarding programme that you find most interesting or consider most important. Then write down ideas for gathering the data for that objective. For example, you could measure employee engagement with a survey, through a focus group, or by examining onboarding surveys and/or performance reviews. 1. Benefit:

Measurement Method:

2. Benefit:

Measurement Method:

3. Benefit:

Measurement Method:

4. Benefit:

Measurement Method:

5. Benefit:

Measurement Method:



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Measurement Techniques

Compare your list of onboarding measurement methods with the following list of techniques: o Objective-specific surveys o Feedback from the onboarding process (or other business processes) o Business documents like performance reviews o Market analysis o Data gathering and analysis o Focus groups



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Session Ten: Branding the Programme

Your business organisation has the opportunity to attract highly-skilled individuals through the development of a successful onboarding programme. Your human resources are an essential part of your operations, and they should be serviced as customers. Businesses that boast high levels of employee retention and commitment are paying closer attention to the impression they give their employees as they walk through the door. In this session, we learn how to develop a competitive advantage through your customised and evaluated programme. You can capture the attention of potential employees by offering them a well-branded introductory onboarding programme.

Making the Onboarding Programme All Your Own

You can exponentially increase the impact of your onboarding programme with a strong brand. Just as with any product, a well-designed brand can:

o Make a strong statement about what the onboarding programme is o Bring all elements of the onboarding programme together into one unified package o Make your onboarding programme instantly recognisable o Increase your competitive advantage by making your recruiting programme unique

Taking the time to create a well-designed brand also shows potential new employees that you take the hiring process seriously.

Creating the Brand

Managers, human resource representatives, senior executives, and other stakeholders should all take part in a branding process, perhaps led by a marketing specialist. The team will define the programme name, a logo, a tag line, and some key images and themes that will be used in the programme. The brand should, of course, tie in with your company’s brand and reflect what the programme is really all about. These elements should then be applied to everything related to the onboarding programme, from hiring ads, to the onboarding plan template, to follow-up surveys.



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Some good examples of well-branded programmes, include: o AT&T (http://www.att.jobs/) o Ford (http://corporate.ford.com/careers/north-american-careers) o Mary Kay (http://www.marykay.com/company/jobsatmarykay/default.aspx)

Exercise: Branding River Adventures

For this exercise you’ll design a brand for the River Adventures onboarding programme. Programme Name

Logo

http://www.att.jobs/

http://corporate.ford.com/careers/north-american-careers

http://www.marykay.com/company/jobsatmarykay/default.aspx



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Tag Line

Key Images and Themes



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Session Eleven: Onboarding Executives

Recruitment and selection practices differ for regular employees and executive employees. So, too, do onboarding activities designed to meet the needs of professional executives. You can use your onboarding programme as a tool for building professional relationships among top-level players in your organisation, which is an essential ingredient for business growth and customer satisfaction. In this session, you have the opportunity to brainstorm some additional things that you might need to consider when building an onboarding programme for an executive audience. We then debrief with a list of items compiled by the experts.

Exercise: Things to Consider

As you might already know, the onboarding process differs somewhat when it comes to executive positions. List some additional things that you might need to consider if you were building an onboarding programme for an executive audience.

An Executive Programme

An executive programme typically has these qualities:



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o Two to five years long o Leadership workshops o Training in legal issues (such as SOX compliance, safety regulations, and harassment

policies) o Hands-on guidance about the company policy and culture o More involvement from a mentor and the board of directors o Focused on company-wide goals rather than just individual goals o Intensely focused on relationship building

As of this writing, Johnson & Johnson offers three excellent executive transition programmes. A summary is available at http://genesisadvisers.com/blog/?page_id=189.

http://genesisadvisers.com/blog/?page_id=189



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Session Twelve: Understanding Employee Engagement

How do you get your employees to take an active role in the workplace, to engage them in an entire team effort? As new employees join your team, you need to expect high levels of engagement. However, if they are not properly introduced to the common vision of your business, they may become disengaged in their work. In your onboarding programme development you need to consider the ups and downs of employee engagement. In this session, we take a look at what you can expect from your workers if they aren’t given adequate support throughout the initial stages of their employment. We also review the Ten C’s of effective employee engagement.

Employee Performance

There’s a difference between being at work and really being there. The Gallup Management Journal places employees in one of three categories:

o Engaged: These employees are passionate about work and feel connected to their company. These are the innovators; the movers and shakers.

o Not Engaged: These are the zombies in your organisation. They put in their eight hours and the bare minimum amount of effort to get by.

o Actively Disengaged: These employees are disgruntled. They waste away their hours on the internet and on the phone. They may even be actively sabotaging the work of other employees.



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The following is a graph showing the makeup of the average organisation.

(Source: Gallup Study: Feeling Good Matters in the Workplace, http://gmj.gallup.com/content/20770/Gallup-Study-Feeling-Good-Matters-Workplace.aspx, 12 January 2006)

The Ten C’s

Your onboarding programme should aim to increase employee engagement, thereby increasing productivity and reducing turnover. So how do we do this? The Richard Ivey School of Business suggests that we put the ten C’s into practice.

o Connect with your employees. No matter what your position, take the time to speak with members of your staff individually.

o Give your employees the opportunity to advance their career. This means you should hold employees accountable, provide opportunities for learning and advancement, and ensure that people have meaningful and challenging work.

o Create a clear vision. People can’t follow you if they don’t know where you’re going! o Convey your vision, your expectations, and feedback. o Congratulate employees when they make a contribution or do something positive. o Give employees a chance to contribute to the organisation. o Give employees control over their jobs as much as possible. o Create a collaborative atmosphere. Teamwork is a great motivator, and research by

the Gallup organisation shows that having a best friend at work is one of the biggest engagers.

o Ensure your company is credible and has a good reputation. o Create confidence in your employees and in your company.

26%

56%

18%

Percentage of Workers

Engaged

Not Engaged

Actively Disengaged

http://gmj.gallup.com/content/20770/Gallup-Study-Feeling-Good-Matters-Workplace.aspx



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Exercise: Fostering Engagement

Try to come up with some other ways to increase employee engagement. These may be ones that you already use in your company, or ones that you might try to implement in the future.



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Session Thirteen: Ten Ways to Make Your Programme Unique

One way to get employees engaged in the workplace is by going beyond the call of duty; breaking away from routine and implementing some unique activities. Knowing creative techniques to engage your employees in your onboarding programme will give them a sense that you are interested in supporting and guiding their efforts. In this session, we brainstorm some ideas for activities that will hold the interest of our employees and at the same time make for a more rewarding work experience. You need to examine the resources available to you, and plan your programme accordingly.

Exercise: Going Above and Beyond

Your challenge is to list ten unique activities for an onboarding programme. (If you need inspiration, you can review the River Adventures Case Study.) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.



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8.

9.

10.



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Engaging Activities

Here is our top ten list of onboarding programme activities, in no particular order. Create a Welcoming Workspace Customise the workspace for the employee. Allow them to choose workspace elements (paint, chair, desk arrangement, etc.) wherever possible. Ensure that the workspace is ready for them when they walk in the door, and have a contact name posted in their workspace in case they have any problems. Free Gifts Include a gift basket in the employee’s workspace with items that are branded with the company or onboarding programme logo. Hats, t-shirts, stress balls, mouse pads, pens, and coffee mugs are all useful items. Lunch and Learns Offer weekly or monthly workshops at lunchtime to encourage ongoing learning. You can provide lunch or ask employees to bring their own. Make sure that the topics are relevant and simple enough to be covered in a one-hour session. Some companies require a particular amount of these mini-workshops to be completed in order to graduate from the onboarding programme. Tenderfoot Teas Create a club for new employees that is hosted by a senior manager. This can be an opportunity for newcomers to meet each other and for the company to gather valuable, informal feedback about the onboarding programme. Virtual Tools Streamed webcasts, web-based training, and online onboarding portals can all add an up-to-date touch to your programme and offer employees additional resources. However, virtual tools should only support the process – a human still needs to lead it. Incorporating Fun and Games Onboarding doesn’t have to be all work and no play! In our next session we’ll talk about some fun activities that can support your onboarding programme. Field Trips Don’t restrict your onboarding programme to the head office. Take employees to the plant, give them a tour of the store, or show them the call centre where orders are processed. This can give new employees a real sense of what the company is all about.



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Hands-On Activities Even better, have employees get hands-on during onboarding. Have them build a widget, serve a customer, or process an order. Be sure to gather feedback and ideas afterwards. Skip Meetings Ask executives to meet with new employees during the programme. This can help employees get the big picture and get motivated. It can also help executives gather feedback about the onboarding programme and learn about their future leaders. Train the Trainer An excellent way to ensure that learning has been absorbed is to ask the employee to train their trainer, their mentor, or their manager on processes that they have learned.



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Session Fourteen: Fun and Games

Adding fun activities to your onboarding programme can ease some initial discomfort and anxieties for employees new to your organisation. However, you must be careful that you do not give the impression that your organisation is childish or unprofessional. Any games that you decide to play with your team should have productive objectives. As well, you need to be conscious of the fact that many people are uncomfortable doing certain activities. In this session, we break from routine with some innovative ideas to keep the onboarding process fresh. Fun and games can add uniqueness to your onboarding programme, but they need to be used appropriately.

Let’s Get Creative!

Although games may not be appropriate for all onboarding audiences, you won’t capture most of today’s new employees with mimeographed handouts and day-long lectures. Why not design a game or two to include in your onboarding programme? Games can:

o Bring people together and break down barriers o Improve retention of material o Appeal to learners who enjoy activity o Keep the energy level high o Keep participants engaged in the programme

Games are a great way to help people relax and lose inhibitions about joining discussions, asking questions, and practicing skills. Doing it right, however, takes some skill and careful planning.



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Choosing a Good Game

There are different types of games and activities that serve different purposes. o An energiser is meant to increase the energy within the group and a room. They are

usually used in a formal training workshop or in a meeting. o Icebreakers are energising and get people interacting with each other, while making

them more receptive to learning. Icebreakers should also lead into the topic material. These activities are also usually used in a formal training workshop or in a meeting.

o There are also more formal games that allow teams or individuals to enter into some kind of competition or to test their skills or knowledge. These can be used outside of or as part of a formal workshop.

Here are some points to consider when choosing games.

o Don’t select activities that would annoy you if you were a participant. o Adjust the length and type of game to suit the length of the session. You may want

to incorporate a short icebreaker into a workshop, or create a more formal game that the employee can complete on their own.

o People who know each other very well will find some exercises redundant. o Don’t re-invent the wheel! There are many books out there with training and

onboarding activities that you can customise. Just make sure to get any necessary copyright permissions.



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Exercise: Your Favourite Onboarding Games

Think about games or learning activities that you have participated in or read about. List these activities in the grid below. For each game, you should include a brief description of how the activity could be incorporated into onboarding.

Use

in O

nb

oar

din

g

De

scri

pti

on

Gam

e N

ame



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Adapting Some Games

We have included some of our favourite games here. Note that many childhood games and television game shows can be adapted for training.

Telephone

Remember the telephone game from when you were a child? Participants sit in a circle. The trainer will whisper a message to the first participant. (This might be a skill, a company motto, or some other point related to onboarding.) You may only say the message once. Then the participant must pass on the message to the person next to them. After the message has made its way around the circle, the last person will say it out loud. The results can be quite amusing!

Scavenger Hunt

Give participants a list of items and where to find them. Some examples: o Find answers to questions on the company Web site or in reading materials o Find various objects or people in the office o Find people with various skill sets in the workshop

For an extra challenge, give this activity to a group. See who can find the most items!

Team CV

This is an excellent activity for a new team. Give the new team CV criteria that relate to their new position. Some examples:

o Number of years in the industry or with the company o Number of years in their previous position o Number of companies they have worked for o Three interests in common o Three goals in common

Then, ask them to build a CV that includes these criteria. This can be a nice way to help team members recognise their value.



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Bingo!

This is an excellent icebreaker activity for training groups who don’t know each other very well. Each participant receives a bingo card like this:

Was born in April Has the same colour

eyes as you Is wearing more than

two rings Doesn’t like pizza

Works for a company less than 5 years old

Has more than two children or siblings

Likes to cook Watches a sport

regularly

Was born in another country

Has attended training in the past month

Has at least one ear pierced more than

twice

Has hair shorter than collar-length

Dreams of someday owning a business

Never learned to swim

Plays a sport regularly Has been in their job

less than a year

Has only one e-mail address

Is a vegetarian Enjoys being in charge of the

barbecue Owns a cat

Participants then bring it around to other trainees to sign. Each participant can only sign one square and the item they sign must describe them. The first person to get a full card (or everyone’s signature) wins!



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Quiz Show

This is a good activity to review pertinent facts. To prepare, create a matrix of categories and values on flip chart paper, PowerPoint, or with specialised software.

Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4 Category 5

$100 $100 $100 $100 $100

$200 $200 $200 $200 $200

$300 $300 $300 $300 $300

$400 $400 $400 $400 $400

$500 $500 $500 $500 $500

Then, create a question and answer table like this:

Category Value Question Answer

Category 1 $100

Category 2 $100

Category 3 $100

Category 4 $100

Category 5 $100

Category 1 $200

Category 2 $200

Category 3 $200

Category 4 $200

Category 5 $200

Etc… $300

Now for the rules!

o Post a piece of flip chart paper to record scores. o Divide participants into groups of six.



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o Pick a number between one and ten. Then, ask each team to also choose a number. The team that is the closest gets to choose a category and a value first.

o You will read the question for the team. If a team member knows the answer, they should raise their hand. It will be the sole discretion of the facilitator to judge whose hand was raised first.

o Cross off the categories and values as they are chosen. o The game progresses just like quiz shows on TV: if someone gets the answer correct

they get to choose the next category as well as the next value of the question. If they get an answer incorrect, the other teams then get to raise their hands and attempt to answer the questions.



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Session Fifteen: Case Study Analysis

Working with a fictional scenario or case study can give you a realistic impression of the quality of work you need to demonstrate after you’ve completed your training. The learning value of practically applying new knowledge is extraordinary high, and advantageous to your professional development. In this session, we ask you to return to your pre-assignment example to reformulate the information you’ve learned through your study. We encourage you to use the readings of this course as a way to supplement your work.

Exercise: Presentation of Best Practices

As a pre-assignment, you were asked to research a successful onboarding programme and to prepare a summary of that programme. Spend about ten minutes to create a list of best practices and good ideas for successful programmes.



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Requirement of an Onboarding Programme

To summarise, an onboarding programme should: o Be consistent, systematic, comprehensive, strategic, and integrated o Tie in with the organisation’s message and mission o Be customised for your organisation, and then customised for each audience and

each individual o Include pre-work, first day and week assignments, goal setting, feedback, and follow

up o Cover at least the employee’s probation period



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Session Sixteen: Personal Development

Now that you have completed this course and created an onboarding programme, how will you use the material you have learned in the future? Look back at your personal objectives for completing this course. Which areas do you feel could be improved? In this session, you will have the opportunity to identify areas of improvement and develop a plan for action. By reflecting on where you currently are and where you want to be, you can solidify, in your mind, what you want your future to hold

Personal Action Plan

I am already doing these things well:

I want to improve these areas:

I have these resources to help me:

Achieving My Goals



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Summary

Congratulations! You have completed the course, “Onboarding: The Essential Rules for a Successful Onboarding Programme.” In this course, we started by defining onboarding. We looked at how to begin creating an onboarding programme. This included finding the right people, gathering the required material, defining the goals, and developing the framework. We explored how to create the plan, how to make it fun, and how to evaluate it. We also looked at who would be “onboarded” with the programme and how to do it effectively. After reviewing this information, you then reviewed your own onboarding programme and offered some best practices for onboarding programmes. Finally, you created a Personal Action Plan which can be used to help you to implement you what you have learned throughout the course. In closing, remember:

You're only as good as the people you hire. — Ray Kroc

A company is only as good as the people it keeps.

— Mary Kay Ash

The beginning is the most important part of the work. — Plato



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Recommended Reading List

If you are looking for additional information on this subject, a recommended reading list is included below. Arthur, Diane. Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting, and Orienting New Employees (Fourth Edition).

AMACOM, 2006. Barbazette, Jean. Successful New Employee Orientation (Third Edition). Pfeiffer, 2007. Berger, Dorothy R., and Lance A. Berger. The Talent Management Handbook. McGraw-Hill, 2004. Bradt, George, and Mary Vonnegut. Onboarding. Wiley and Sons, 2009. Christiansen, Lilith, and Mark A. Stein. Successful Onboarding. McGraw-Hill, 2010. Sims, Doris. Creative Onboarding Programmes. McGraw-Hill, 2011. Sims, Doris M. Creative New Employee Orientation Programmes. McGraw-Hill, 2002. —. The 30-Minute Guide to Talent and Succession Management. AuthorHouse, 2009. Sugar, Steve. Games that Teach. Pfeiffer, 1998. Wheeler, Alina. Designing Brand Identity (Third Edition). Wiley and Sons, 2009.

Documents

Human Resources Traininglwstaticcontent.s3.amazonaws.com/professional... · Onboarding - The Essential Rules for a Successful Onboarding Programme | Velsoft LearningWorks Training