The Happy Burro

All Aboard! Onboarding Your New Employee

(Seventh in a series for Managers – to end this year and prepare for next year)

You found that perfect candidate! You had to look for a bit longer than you expected, and they need to ‘hit the ground running’ now that they’re hired. Great job with your succession planning!

How do you prepare for your new hire? Yes, you need to do more than make sure they have a cubical or office.

THE PLAN

After you receive an acceptance of the offer, spend some time writing out a 90-day plan. You should treat this just like any other important project, with a timeline, milestones, and success factors. Here are some key areas:

Pre-Arrival

Work with your HR representative and ensure, without fail:

1. A computer is ready to go.
2. The desk/cubicle/office is ready, cleaned, and stocked with standard office supplies.
3. The building Security ID is ready or scheduled (picture).
4. Stay in contact with your new hire. Schedule a call one week prior to their start date. Discuss any questions they might have, and be sure to show your enthusiasm for their arrival.
5. Set them up with a ‘buddy’ – someone on the team, ideally with a similar job, that they can go to with tactical questions.

First Day

1. If there is a company new employee orientation, have your new hire attend their first day. Be sure to check on them during the course, just to say ‘hi’.
2. Plan to have lunch with your new hire their first full day in the office.
3. Provide a card, poster, or some other “welcome” from the team.
4. Introduce your new hire to the team, the HR representative, and your manager.
5. Introduce your new hire to their ‘buddy’.

First Week

1. Set up relevant training in computer systems, company/division overviews, etc.
2. Schedule lunch/coffee with team members, in small groups of 2-3 if possible.
3. Keep them busy – not overwhelmed.
4. Have them shadow you at any meetings relevant to their work.
5. Schedule daily one-on-one meetings for the first week.

First Month

1. Review goals for the coming year – S.M.A.R.T. goals! Check here for more on Performance Reviews.
2. Agree on a regular one-on-one meeting rhythm – continue daily, move to weekly, monthly, etc.
3. Ensure they have some early successes on the job to establish and increase confidence and engagement.

Quarterly

1. Meet to review progress to goals. For more on the importance of performance reviews, read Mark Goulston’s article titled, “When Performance Reviews Underperform” in FastCompany Magazine online.
2. Discuss development opportunities and their future.

__________

What would you add to this plan? What helps you as a manager to onboard a new hire? Any great new hire experiences?

Stumble it!

Joe Raasch :: Dec.11.2007 :: Employee Engagement, Leadership, Performance Management :: 8 Comments »

8 Responses to “All Aboard! Onboarding Your New Employee”

1. on 12 Dec 2007 at 3:21 pm1Jim Stroup

   Joe,

   My only problem with this essay is that I can’t pick out a favorite line. Making a “keeping in touch” call after hire but prior to start date, having lunch with the hire on the first day, early shadowing and one-on-one meetings, helping to – okay, here’s the winner: “Ensure they have some early successes on the job to establish and increase confidence and engagement.”

   That’s the key. And success doesn’t come just from having a workspace and job description – it comes from effective socialization to the job and the organization, also.

   The suggestion to discuss development opportunities during regular progress assessments is a great management tool at many levels.

   This post should be made into an article, or an SOP, for hiring managers and HR departments.

   Thanks!

2. on 13 Dec 2007 at 6:54 am2Joe Raasch

   Hi Jim,

   Thank you for your comments! This just may end up on a book or article sometime, who knows?

   “Effective socialization” – that is the key to success at any level. Thank you for sharing this observation!

3. on 18 Dec 2007 at 4:37 pm3Robert Smith

   Yes, yes! It has been made into a managerial SOP and its yours, for a small fee.

4. on 30 Dec 2007 at 1:56 pm4Wally Bock

   Hi Joe. This is a great and comprehensive post. I would add one thing, though. Be sure to care for yourself during this process. The “on-boarding” is important should get priority call on your time and energy, but it’s added to the top of an often-teetering pile of other work. If you don’t do this, one of two things are likely to happen. You will not pay enough attention to the new person and the on-boarding plan or you will let other important work deadlines slip.

5. on 31 Dec 2007 at 10:55 am5Joe Raasch

   Hi Wally,

   Thank you for stopping by!

   I agree completely. Managers need to work with realistic expectations and tend to what is most important – and utilize their delegation skills during the busiest times.

   Not having a plan and incorporating additional work, such as bringing on a new employee, with current workload can be disastrous. No one rewards us for failing!

6. on 03 Feb 2008 at 4:19 pm6Orientation-Start with the End in Mind | Uncle Joe's Leadership Blog

   [...] The Happy Burro  has a similar post.  I love his idea of having a “buddy” to give them someone to go to on their team with questions.  New hires often don’t want to bother the boss and it gives them an avenue to get answers.  It also gives the “buddy” experience as a mentor and reinforces the notion that leadership is everyone’s jobThe section on what should be done before the hire is important too.  The whole article is worth reading. [...]

7. on 11 Dec 2008 at 5:28 am7Mike

   Informative post. I was searching for some information on onboarding and other human resource policies. Really got what i was looking out for.

8. on 11 Dec 2008 at 12:58 pm8Joe Raasch

   Thanks Mike!

   How we start our employees is a significant part of productivity and retention.

   - Joe

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