Onboarding Sets the Stage for a Successful Career

I followed my usual workday routine. I walked to the subway, waited for the train, got a coffee from the cart outside my building, took the employee elevator to the basement, and walked to my office. As I turned the corner, coffee in one hand and purse in the other, I saw a stranger staring at me.

“Hello”, I said. “May I help you?”

“Yes, I'm John. I was told to report here at 8 a.m. for work”, he muttered.

“Oh, please come in and have a seat. Would you like a coffee or a muffin? It'll take me a few moments to get your paperwork together”, I said, trying to hide that I didn't know who he was.

“I'm the new bartender. They told me to bring my driver's license and social security card. I need to fill out paperwork, get my uniform, and be at the bar by 9 a.m. for training.”

“Welcome, John. We're excited you're here. Would you like a coffee or a muffin?” I asked again, trying to buy myself some time.

He took a seat at a spare desk in my office. I showed him the paperwork he needed to complete: I-9, W-4, emergency contact information, and other forms for payroll. While he filled out the forms, I called the uniform room to check if we had a uniform for him.  Then checked the locker log for an empty locker to assign to him.

John finished the paperwork quickly. We left the office and went to the uniform room. I gave him his locker number and combination so he could try on his uniform. It seemed to take a long time, and I worried it didn't fit. But when he came out, it fit fine.

“How's your uniform?” I asked.

“Fine,” he said. “But there's someone else's stuff in my locker.”

“I’m sorry about that. Let's find you a new one.” We went back to my office to search for another locker that wasn't occupied. We found one and returned to the locker room; this time it was fine.

I gave John a short tour of the building and we ended up at the bar. I introduced him to Bill, the bartender on shift.

What do you mean I'm training someone new today?” Bill asked angrily. “No one told me I'd be training today. Will I get paid extra?”

“Yes, Bill, you'll get standard training pay,” I replied, embarrassed by his reaction.

Bill was not welcoming at all. I hoped John would let it slide and enjoy working here. Leaving them at the bar to start training, I headed to the restaurant manager's office and told him about John.

The manager was also surprised we had a trainee today; no one had informed him either. This wasn't a great start for John’s career here.

After this experience, I knew we needed to improve our onboarding program, so every new employee felt welcome from day one.

Creating a Great Employee Experience:  Onboarding

One of my best onboarding experiences included a week of hands-on training with a mentor who guided me through every system, introduced me to key people, and created a welcoming environment for questions. I trained at my permanent location and received regular check-ins at the end of my first week, second week, and first month. The company provided a detailed training plan with my job description, employee handbook, SOP manual, and an org chart to help me connect with the right people. The onboarding was thorough, with clear expectations and consistent support.

Communication and Preparation are crucial to a successful onboarding program.  The onboarding experience can make or break an employee experience, and the majority of new employees will decide if they’ll stay long-term within the first 90 days on the job. 

Steps to take to create a memorable onboarding experience to create a long-lasting employee:

Before the employee starts:

·         Send a welcoming email to the new employee that includes information about their first day, who they’ll be meeting, what to wear, what time to show up and what time their day will end

·         Be prepared for the employee’s first day, so it’s not a surprise to others and you’re not scrambling

·         Have a detailed onboarding plan and communicate the plan to the team

·         Set up in all necessary systems: email, payroll, training platforms, anything they need a login for

·         The desk, tools, and technology are waiting for the employee

On the first day:

·         Create a welcoming introduction to the C-Suite and the team they’ll be working with

·         If onsite, give a tour of the office or the workplace

·         Set clear expectations and review necessary information, but don’t overwhelm the employee

·         Assign a mentor they can go to, have lunch with, and ask questions of

·         Communicate milestones such as what’s expected on the first 30/60/90 days on the job and schedule check-ins

At the end of the first week:

·         Celebrate successes-starting a new job can be exciting, but also a bit of the unknown, so celebrate with the new employee

·         End of the week check-in to find out how the new employee is doing, talk about any challenges they’ve faced, and make sure all of their questions have been answered

Creating a welcoming experience for the new employee will set the stage for their work experience.  You’ve spent a lot of time and resources interviewing and hiring the candidate.  You want them to stick around for a while.  Creating a great onboarding experience can help do that.