Tony Warner

What’s the goal of hiring new employees?
To be more
competitive
in the market
place

“Companies that can reduce the
on-boarding time will find
themselves at a competitive
advantage because employees
will reach full productivity sooner,
will have higher morale and will be
more likely to stay on the job.”
Derek Moscato, HR Magazine,
April 2005

What employees say…
• “On-boarding was great, but then I went to my work area and
realized none of that mattered now”
• “More by luck that someone settles in”
• “No clear idea of what’s needed in the role”
• “My manager was so busy, I didn’t even see him
until my second week on the job”
• “My peer “Buddy” handed me four product manuals, and told me
to start reading – After two days of that wondered what have I
done taking this job”?

Time frame an employee
makes the decision to stay
Other
Two Year
First year
First Six Months
First Month
First Week
First Day
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Source Aberdeen Group

The Business case
On-boarding Impacts ROI
• Nearly an average of $16,000 per employee – CIPD
• $13,355 per full-time private-sector worker in 2004 – Employment
policy foundation
• Cost of failure = nearly 24 X base salary - Michael Watkins
• 30 percent of annual salary for hourly paid employees - Cornell
University
• 1.5 times annual salary- Saratoga Institute and Hewitt Associates
CIPD- CHARTERED Institute of
Personnel and Development

5 Stages Associated with On boarding
Assessment
Acquire
Accommodate
Assimilate
Accelerate

• Assess the need by building the position business
case
• Build a position profile
• Define the key performance indicators
• Outline the compelling story
• Write interview material
• Define the sourcing strategy
• Define the Recruiting plan

Acquire- Stage 2
• Recruit candidates with a compelling story
• Select the right person for the team and get the right
person to join the team
• Pre-boarding activities
• Begins at verbal acceptance
• Leverages existing information
• Forms and Content
• Initialization- what to expect
• Define first week, month, 3 & 6 months

Accommodate /Affirmation-
Stage 3
• Provide the tools needed to do the work
• Provide cultural liaison
• Confirm the Brand Promise- Opportunity is as
described
• Socialization
• New Hire Community
• Manager Welcome
• Key Introductions

Assimilate- Stage 4
• Mission/vision/values overview
• Learning Maps – understanding your business
• Model the culture you aspire to
• Testimonials- work friends
• Clarify work conditions/
unspoken rules-Tribal knowledge
• Job specific & function
specific info

Accelerate- Stage 5
• Put managers & employees at the center
• Goal & strategy alignment
• Build the foundation for essential relationship
• Seek ways to shorten the learning
curve
• Expand your reach – redeployment
and beyond
• Performance Management- KPI’s

Three players must be
involved!
• The manager
• The company Employee
• The employee
Manager Company

The Manager
The critical role in integrating direct reports!
• Drives the process
• Builds the relationship
• Focuses on dialogue
• Shares priorities and expectations early in the process

The Employee
• Takes responsibility
• Seeks clarity
• Takes action

The Company-
The sum of employees & managers relationships
• Working relationship?
• My style, your style
• The integration of the culture
• Values and shared experiences
• Work life friendship
• Flawless start-up
• Realization of the brand promise

Pre-arrival
Orientation-
week1 On-Boarding-
first month Ongoing
support
1. Organization
vision 1. Access to
tools/
2. History &
1. More Specific
resources
Culture
information on
2. Infrastructure business unit
3. Infrastructure 1. Early
feedback on
3. Forms and 2. Clear expectations
4. Access to
performance
Benefit on performance
tools/resources
Education 2. Regular
3. Importance on
5. Cultural Liaison
check-in
4. Setting up key position
with new
meeting
4. Introductions to hire
Senior Leadership

Build a business case
Develop clear program goals and metrics
Obtain senior level support and involvement
Make it relevant, timely and fun
Consider the emotional and perceptual take-always of
the program
Remember… An effective program should:
Make new hires feel welcome
Inspire pride
Help them see the big picture
Reinforce that they have made a good decision by joining your
organization
Increase productivity !!!!!!