How to Start on Onboarding Program

"Onboarding" has become a popular buzzword in business environments. Most people know what an orientation program is, but not necessarily what an onboarding program is. Orientation programs for new employees normally cover the basics of the company and job expectations. During the orientation phase, new employees are introduced to their teams and provided with all sorts of logistical details, such as where their desks are located, the dress code policy, and office security policies. Often included in an orientation program is the dreaded corporate video that was made in 1970 but still seems relevant to someone for some reason.

An onboarding program goes beyond all of that. A successful onboarding program goes beyond the basics and provides new employees with not just information, but the opportunity to assimilate into the company culture. A successful onboarding program makes employees feel like they are a valued part of the organization and allows them to truly understand the organization. It allows them to become a productive, contributing member of the team much more quickly.

Information that should be included in an onboarding program includes the company's foundations, history, values, departments, job titles, common terminology, and even career development plans.

Onboarding programs can be delivered through a variety of media, including instructor-led training (ILT), eLearning modules, webinars (web-based seminars), etc. The best options for delivering the onboarding program are to use a variety of media to keep it interesting (which leads to better retention) and to spread out the onboarding program throughout several weeks or months.

If you've ever been hired by a manager who just sends you on your merry way instead of introducing you to people or helping you navigate the system, you'll no doubt understand why an onboarding program, if done correctly, can be invaluable.

Now that you know what an onboarding program is, how do you go about creating one?

Before you start, you'll want to consider your audience. What does the audience already know? What does the audience need to be told in person? What subject matter would be appropriate to share through eLearning, a recorded webinar, or self study? Can you bring in the CEO or president of the company to welcome employees on their first day? Is there any on-the-job (OJT) training available?

How will you know the answers to these questions if you've just started at the company and don't have any new hires to talk to? How will you know the answers to these questions even if you're an experienced veteran?

Communicate with others in your organization. If you're asked to create an onboarding program, it means at least someone in your organization has recognized a need for a better program to acclimate your employees and to ensure that consistent information is shared with them across the board.

So, talk to the managers and other leaders in the company to learn what they already share with their employees and what they see as lacking in any new employee's introduction to the company. They're likely to have all kinds of ideas and information, and by including them at the beginning of the process, it immediately connects them to the project (this will help you to get "buy in" later on).

Additionally, talk to employees who have been with the company for less than six months. Ask them to remember back to their first days and weeks with the company. Did someone help them set up their voicemail? Did they need help for that yet didn't receive it? Did they learn the mission and values of the company right away? Are they still confused about what the company even does? Make sure the employees feel comfortable sharing this information. If they don't know what the company's all about, don't make them feel stupid about it. If they truly don't know something, you may recognize an opportunity for stronger training and development for future new employees.

With the information, documents, and suggestions you gain from meeting with others in the company, create a rough draft of your onboarding program. Test it out with a small group of people with varying experience and job titles. Make changes, test it out again, and repeat the entire process as needed.

Once you've built the program, had a few test drives, received feedback, and made changes, you're still not done. Periodically, you (or someone) will have to go back over all of the information that's presented to ensure that it is timely and accurate.

If your company has no variation of an onboarding program and you think it is sorely needed, talk to someone about it.

This article shares the basics of what an onboarding program is and the steps for creating one. If you are interested in further information or help with your onboarding program, there are several resources available online. Additionally, if you would like more information from me, send me a message and I would be happy to offer suggestions and editing services.