Would you have guessed that:
• The first 30 to 90 days of a new hire may determine their initial success on the job?
• Up to 50% of new hires rate the onboarding process as “poor?”
What are the key elements of an excellent onboarding process? To learn and understand…
• The corporate values- how they operate and are managed; expectations and your role
• The key elements of your job- success criteria and tips to achieve high performance
• The socialization process- the people with whom you work, support and add value
• Integration into the culture of the organization- What’s important
One of the best onboarding processes I’ve experienced is designed by Pillar Technology in Columbus, Ohio ( PillarTechnology.com ). Their model is tailor-designed for each individual.
Pillar Technology approaches it’s 90-day orientation process three ways:
Assimilating (What); Demonstrating (How); and Leading (Why)
ASSIMILATING – STARTING STRONG: New employees are connected to an on-line learning system, called “Step It Up”, even before their start date. The standard formal one-day orientation class is replaced with a “just-in-time” self-driven program that can be accessed later if memory needs a boost. This process enables new employees to contribute results very quickly.
DEMONSTRATING – 30-60-90 DAYS TO SUCCESS: After passing all assimilating steps and tests, employee’s demonstrate what they have learned.
• They record ‘one-minute’ video answers to questions on topics relevant to their new role.
• Each new employee completes 30, 60 and 90-day checklists. Each checklist demonstrates a knowledge that is necessary to understand Pillar’s infrastructure.
• Peers and direct managers observe new employees and discuss with them the “fine-tuning” of their work, team contribution, progress and any other helpful support needed.
LEADING – CREATING THE FUTURE: Employees lead others through the process.
• Mentor new employees through the knowledge and integration transformation.
• Contribute their own thoughts to the on-line learning site for their work area.
“THE RESULTS”:
• “Notable increase in employee retention and success with zero defects in our client delivery”
• “100% assurance that our employees can successfully represent Pillar to our clients”
• “Over 38% revenue growth annually”
Orientation of new employees is critical to the success of both the organization and the individual. Follow Pillar’s lead and do the following:
• Create a learning environment on-line, even before starting the new job.
• Design a self-learning process that is employee-driven with organizational support provided.
• Relate all learning not only to the work team, but also to the customer/client relationship.
Even if your organization doesn’t have an effective onboarding process, you can develop your own entry strategy. See next week’s article about an effective Entry Strategy.
Ready to test the market? Email: wkaufmann1@cox.net
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