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Your Onboarding Is So 2019: What Is and Isn't Working for Your Digital Onboarding Process

Goco's mission is to empower small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and their HR departments to improve employee onboarding and retention. The document highlights the importance of engaging employees during onboarding, with statistics showing that effective onboarding can significantly reduce turnover and increase productivity. It emphasizes the need for continuous feedback and adapting onboarding processes to meet the needs of modern employees.

Recruiting & HR◦

Your Onboarding Is So 2019: What Is and Isn't Working for Your Digital Onboarding Process

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About GoCo GoCo’s missionis to empower SMBs and their HR, so they can focus on growing happier, healthier, and more productive teams
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Consulting Redefined © 2019Inspirant Group 5 Consulting Redefined © 2021 Inspirant Group Agenda Shift your mindset 01 02 03 Build a more effective and resonant program 04 Q&A Understand what is and isn’t working with your current onboarding program
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INSPIRANT GROUP 6 Consulting Redefined © 2021Inspirant Group What worked before 2020 won’t work now The labor force is full of talented, empowered people who are demanding more from their employers. • 31% of people leave a job within the first six months because they feel neglected, overwhelmed, under- appreciated, and underqualified (BambooHR) • 58% of organizations say their onboarding program is focused on processes and paperwork • 69% of employees say they are likely to stay with a company for at least three years after a positive onboarding experience (HCI) • Great employee onboarding can improve retention by 82% (Glassdoor) A S O L U T I O N I S N E E D E D . . . Engaged Employees Reduced Turnover Increased productivity Customer Retention More profits Improved Efficiency
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Consulting Redefined © 2019Inspirant Group 8 Consulting Redefined © 2021 Inspirant Group Determine What’s Working (And What’s Not!)—ASK Your People What else would you include in the program? Was it FUN? What do you wish was included? What worked well? Do you feel connected?
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Consulting Redefined © 2019Inspirant Group 9 Consulting Redefined © 2021 Inspirant Group Employee-focused Onboarding What happens once someone accepts your job offer? Pre-hire How do they feel on their first day? Is the day structured with those feelings in mind? Day One How are you supporting your new employee after the formal onboarding concludes? Ongoing
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Consulting Redefined © 2019Inspirant Group 11 Consulting Redefined © 2021 Inspirant Group Build A Better Program Company Overview History Vision Mission Core Values Culture Define and Set Expectations Roles Responsibilities Goals Norms Leadership Involvement Buy-in Value Shape Participate Next-level Content Building Trust Effective Communication DISC Emotional Intelligence Critical Thinking and Decision-making
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Consulting Redefined © 2019Inspirant Group 14 Consulting Redefined © 2021 Inspirant Group Vary the Programming and Modality Book Club New Hire Onboarding Independen t Work SharePoin t scavenger hunt 30/60/90-day goal setting Informational videos or eLearning courses 1:1 meetings Round Table Discussion with leaders Drive Connectio n
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Let’s Do Lattes! Schedulea consultation with a expert and the coffee is on us. goco.io/coffee Book & complete your call in the next 2 weeks and we’ll send you a $10 Starbucks gift card!

Editor's Notes

#5 I’m so happy to be here today talking about one of my very favorite topics. I’m incredibly passionate about employee onboarding because, with a little effort and creativity, you can make a BIG impact on the organization….AND help your new people feel welcome and valued. It’s a WIN-WIN. There is zero risk and tremendous reward to making people feel great about choosing to work for your organization. So, what are we going to talk about today? Click slide
#6 I’m going to talk with you first about how important mindset is in designing an effective digital onboarding experience. I’ll then give you tips on how you can determine what is and isn’t working with your current program, share strategies to help you build a better program, and end with a Q&A session. Are you ready?!
#7 These days, if you haven’t heard the phrase ‘employee engagement’, you’re likely living under a rock or on a deserted island. A quick search of the term will yield dozens of articles and statistics on the benefits of an engaged workforce. Among those benefits are increased productivity, improved efficiencies, and higher profits. You’re here today because you know one of the most effective ways to increase employee engagement is to offer a seamless onboarding process that supports employees during their most vulnerable period: the first year. According to a survey by BambooHR, 31 percent of people leave a job within the first six months because they feel neglected, overwhelmed, under-appreciated, and underqualified. You’re also here today because you know you can’t keep doing what you’ve always done, especially in today’s job market and digital environment. According to the Human Capital Institute (HCI), 69% of employees say they are likely to stay with a company for at least three years after a positive onboarding experience. So, it’s critical to drive deep and meaningful connections with new hires from day one, then continue to provide ongoing support and resources that enable them to succeed. When you focus on onboarding, the results are powerful: Companies that are intentional about how they integrate employees from the very start end up having a happier and more productive workforce, reducing turnover and retaining clients at a higher rate. So, you tuned in today because you want help improving your program. Through my work creating effective onboarding programs for clients, I noticed the need for a mindset shift. Gone are the days of thinking “employee A is lucky to have a job!” or “I’m paying them well and that’s all that matters.” After the year and a half we’ve had…and the impact of The Great Resignation, a mindset shift is critical to building a successful program. Rather than regard the employee as ‘lucky to be there’ or the program as ‘checking a box’ the sentiment should always be: “Thank you for choosing us! We’re thrilled to have you contribute your unique talents to the organization.” To drive this point home, if your onboarding program isn’t 100% focused on validating the employees’ decision to join your organization, you are missing the point. I can’t stress this enough. When I was 23, I was hired by the Chicago Tribune to sell advertising. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was! The office was in the iconic Tribune Building on famed Michigan Ave…and it was full of history. People all over the world knew what the Chicago Tribune was! During my first week, I was paired with a veteran rep whose job was to enter the advertisements into the system. I was sitting next to her learning about her job, giddy with excitement. I asked her ‘don’t you just LOVE coming to work?!’ She gave me the side-eye and made a quiet noise and went on working. I was certain (and a bit naive) that everyone in that building was as excited as I was…and really shocked to learn the truth. She was a dear lady…though I’m not sure she understood the impact she could have on a new hire like me. Please, please make sure everyone at your organization knows how important interacting with new hires is. Today’s employee has agency…and they aren’t afraid to use it. If your organization doesn’t meet their needs from a cultural standpoint and/or doesn’t offer fulfilling, challenging work, they will be on to the next company and not think twice about it. So, how do you build an employee-focused onboarding program? Let’s start with a quick poll. CLICK SLIDE
#9 As one of your first steps, take time to identify and evaluate where the program is today and where you want it to go. The best way to discover what is and isn’t working is to ASK your employees. There are many online survey options (like Survey Monkey) that work well. When you send a survey, I recommend, and feel strongly about, allowing each employee to respond anonymously. It’s the only way to ensure you receive honest answers. If you require your people to attach their name to their response, they’ll likely feel nervous to be candid for fear of retribution. Lack of candor equals an echo chamber of glowing feedback that won’t set you up for success as you build a better program. I’ve added some suggestions of questions on the slide. Additionally, employee engagement is something that can and should be measured, so that you’re constantly responding and adjusting in real-time. Consider sending regular surveys to get a pulse on how new hires are faring: Do they feel connected? Are they receiving the right internal resources to do their jobs well? Remember, the information you receive from the surveys can be used when making decisions about how to structure your onboarding and, ultimately, to help shape your company culture. You’ll have a clear idea of what to keep and what to get rid of. You might be surprised that I’ve included the question, Was it FUN? I believe whole-heartedly that work should be fun. Many education theorists (Dulay & Burt, 1977; Krashen, 1982) agree with me, and have proposed that students retain what they learn when the learning is associated with strong positive emotion. Yet, how many times have you heard that onboarding is boring or unengaging? I shared on the last slide that 58% of organizations say their onboarding program is focused on processes and paperwork…and I don’t care how you spin it, it’s NOT FUN to spend all of our time on paperwork! By making the process interactive, social and fun, you heighten the level of learning and set the stage for people wanting to be a part of the organization. Know what potential employees are interested in and what they respond to, then incorporate those fun elements into the onboarding initiative. And if you don’t know what they’re interested in? ASK them. I made the mistake for years and years (when I managed a young team of sales reps) that I was ‘just like them’ and had the same thoughts about what was fun. Boy was I wrong. Things changed for me the moment I stopped assuming I knew what they wanted, and I just ASKED THEM. Okay, it’s not enough to just ASK the questions. You must also be open to hearing their answers and ready to act. Remember, their feedback isn’t a personal attack on you or the group of people who built the program. It’s information that you can view as the gift it is…and make lasting changes that will be positively felt throughout the organization. Did anyone hear me say just now that feedback is a gift? I truly believe it, and I want you to believe it as well. The most important tool you have in creating an impactful onboarding is the feedback you receive when you ask for it. One single person, or a team of people, can’t possibly understand or know the experiences of every employee. When we ask questions and receive answers, we’re gaining perspective and are better able to give people what they want and need. And people want and need to feel like they can show up authentically to work and have some fun while they’re there. CLICK SLIDE
#10 So, what does a well-designed onboarding program look like? Beyond processes and paperwork, onboarding should be an experience that is structured, engaging, continuous, and meets a variety of needs (for the organization and for the new employee). Pre-hire Your onboarding program should begin the moment the person accepts your job offer. Consider the following ideas as a way to connect with the new hire BEFORE they start: Send SWAG to their house so they can post a picture on social media Ask their hiring manager and/or new team members to call them and welcome them to the team Send clear guidelines/expectations for their first two weeks (or however long you’d like) No one likes to guess and/or be surprised Send a handwritten note from a senior-level executive at the company Send them flowers or cookies CLICK SLIDE FOR QUESTION ** Day One If you felt underwhelmed, why? If you were overwhelmed, what was the reason or reasons? I recommend considering your own experience (and the experience of others in your network) as you structure the day one agenda. For example, does it have to be a full workday? Most of us are exhausted when we begin something new. You have options on how to structure day one! (Hang tight and I’ll give you more suggestions in just a bit.) Years ago, on my first day of a new job, I walked into the lobby of my new employer, greeted the receptionist with a big, toothy smile (so her first impression would be that I was warm and friendly, of course) and asked for the woman who’s name I was given in my Day One instructions. I was met immediately with; “she doesn’t work here anymore.” It was like the wind had been let out of my very excited and nervous sail. She doesn’t work here anymore?! My head was spinning with questions of ‘what else do I have wrong?’ The receptionist was so sweet and knew who to call to come and greet me…but STILL….that was not the way to start on Day One. Months later, when I gave feedback to HR on that experience, they basically dismissed me and said that new hires eventually get to the right person. Insert major eye roll here. Now, I know we’re talking about digital onboarding, though you must ensure your new employees have accurate information for their first day. Something as simple as updating a form letter was overlooked, and it left me asking ‘what else don’t they care enough about to ensure it’s accurate?’ Do your new hires know the agenda for the day? And how about technology? Have they received their company laptop/phone/etc? Have they received instructions on how to log in to company-used applications? I can’t imagine the stress involved with having to download Teams to your computer as your first meeting is starting---and it happens to be with your new boss and her boss too. It’s worth it to put a little effort into ensuring your new hire has everything they need to start on day one with confidence. You’d think this goes without saying, though I’ve heard way too many unfortunate stories about friends starting new jobs—and it seems like no one is ready for them and/or expecting them on their first day. For your program to be successful, you also want to think about Ongoing opportunities for development. If you work for a large corporation that has a learning and development team, collaborate with them on ways you can continue to engage new hires. If your organization is smaller, or just doesn’t have the bandwidth to build learning programs, consider supporting your employees with ongoing professional development, like money to spend on courses from popular learning sites,—or simply organizing events where they can connect with colleagues. Setting up a monthly or quarterly lunch with those from their onboarding class can help to drive connection and boost their engagement. It sounds simple, though we know that shared experiences bring people together. It’s the reason people emerge from being stuck in an elevator with a new BFF. It’s not enough to focus only on the first few weeks of a person’s tenure with your organization, you must put energy into creating a culture of continuous learning and support. Have any of you ever started a new remote job and, after the first initial onboarding, felt like you were adrift at sea? You’re not alone. Many new hires experience the same thing. Over the years, I’ve learned it takes me a solid 12 months to really get my arms around a new job. I’d like to think the same is true for many. So, ask yourself what you can do to consistently engage with a new hire in the weeks and months that follow onboarding. Could you set up a recurring coffee date with the person? Could you put a note in your calendar to send a Slack message to check in? Could you connect the remote employee with other employees in their metro area? And, don’t be afraid to lean on other leaders within the organization to do the same. The responsibility to keep the employee engaged shouldn’t only fall to you. CLICK SLIDE TWICE
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#12 Remember, a GREAT program focuses on validating the employee’s decision to join your company and thanks them for choosing you. That’s your north star! Additionally, it’s important to include the following elements: Company overview You likely already include something that describes the history of your organization. Do you also include conversations or information to build awareness of and a commitment to your mission, vision, core values, and culture? Today’s employees want to feel trusted, empowered, and aligned with the company’s mission and vision. There are many impactful ways you can structure these conversations to help a new hire connect with the core of your company. Start by making your mission, vision, and core values more than just framed words on a wall. Structure conversations around HOW new hires can contribute to the mission and vision of the organization. Talk about the BEHAVIORS that align with your core values….what can others OBSERVE? How can I behave to show others I support the company’s core values? Moments ago I talked about sending a survey to employees to better understand what they need. In that survey, you can also include questions about mission, vision and values to see where your staff stands. For example, include questions like “Do you know what the company’s mission is?” Or, “Do you know how YOU contribute to the company’s mission?” Their answers will tell you how much MORE…and in what WAY you should talk about the mission and vision. I read somewhere once that companies should talk about their mission and vision 10 TIMES MORE THAN THEY DO. For our leaders out there, you no doubt put a lot of time and energy into writing your vision and mission….now is your opportunity to sing it from the (virtual) rooftop! CLICK TO QUESTION SLIDE ** The next element of a better program is to Define and set expectations When it comes to roles, responsibilities, goals, and norms, do your new hires understand how they fit in and contribute to the success of the organization? Do they know how their department works with other departments? You can structure your onboarding to help new team members understand how they can contribute to the bigger picture from day one. Give them PURPOSE, as author Dan Pink says. Additionally, All leaders must be aligned. For any program to be well-received and effective, company decision-makers need to have buy-in, recognize the need for it, see the value in it—and be directly involved in shaping what it becomes. Leaders should understand how it’s structured and participate in whatever ways they can. They can pre-record a friendly video that’s played on day one. They can join the cohort for a virtual lunch and share stories of their first day and how they got to the position they’re in today. Remember our valuable surveys? You can send one to leaders too…and ask them to tell you their favorite thing about working at the company. And then make sure you share their answers…or better yet, record a video of each leader sharing what they love about working there. Next-level content Lastly, employees value training opportunities just as much, if not more, than their employers. The modern professional knows the recipe for a successful career is ongoing learning and growth, yet companies often fail to provide their employees with the proper tools for development. Or, if they have tools, they’re likely not thought-provoking or interesting enough to engage today’s employee. Here are some stats I found on Lorman.com: 87% of millennials believe learning and development in the workplace is important.59% of millennials claim development opportunities are extremely important when deciding whether to apply for a position.76% of employees say that a company would be more appealing if it offered additional skills training to its staff.61% of adults in the United States seek career development opportunities when considering job opportunities. New hire onboarding is the perfect place to set the tone for your organization’s learning and development practices. When deciding what to include, I encourage you to consider exposing your new hires to content that’s unexpected. I’ve listed some topics on the slide that are universally beneficial, no matter the role or level of the new hire. I rarely see these topics covered in onboarding, except in the programs my colleagues and I create, of course  Level-setting with all new hires on what it looks like to build trust is a great way to instill confidence in your organization. One of my favorite conversations to facilitate is about perception. I like to ask the group to jot down words that describe how they want to be perceived by their new colleagues. Then, we have a discussion about the behaviors that support that perception and the behaviors that could undermine that perception. Content about effective communication benefits everyone, at all levels. Even the best communicator you know can learn a thing or two about what other people might need from them. How may ACTIVE LISTENERS do you know? What about understanding how other people like to be communicated with? Inspirant uses DISC workshops to help people gain greater self-awareness of their own communication style and understand how to flex to optimize communication with others of different styles. There are many communication assessment tools out there, I recommend investing in one that builds self-awareness and creates a common language for people at your organization. Emotional Intelligence is one of the most requested topics from our clients. Imagine a workforce that’s made up of emotionally intelligent people…the sky’s the limit! An emotionally intelligent person is self-aware and able to regulate their emotions. They’re also able to understand the emotional makeup of other people AND understand how their words and actions affect them. Not to mention their ability to empathize allows them to demonstrate patience and understanding toward their colleague…and remain open to new ways of doing things. You hire people because you need their unique skillset, so get out of their way and let them contribute! My colleagues and I see an increasing need to include content around critical-thinking and decision-making. Today’s employee should feel empowered to solve problems and think critically about the solutions. There’s not a new employee out there who wouldn’t appreciate a roadmap on how decisions are made at your organization and then receive explicit permission to use their good judgement and make decisions. One way you could encourage your new hires during the onboarding process is to present them with a current problem the business is facing…and ask them to come up with a solution. At the very least, you’re encouraging them to think critically…and your organization receives potential solutions to the problem. Another WIN-WIN  CLICK SLIDE
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#15 No one, I repeat, NO ONE wants to sit on a Zoom call all day every day. Even on their first day when adrenaline is pumping, and they’re excited to get started. Video calls are exhausting and make it hard to focus on the content after only 90 minutes (sometimes less). I suggest approaching your new hires (and all people) with empathy. Remember your first day and what it felt like to be the newbie. What did you need that day? Did you need frequent breaks to breathe deeply and reset? Did you need time alone to process all of the new information? Would you have benefitted from a break to take a quick walk outside? Did you wish you were introduced to more people from your department and different departments? As I said at the beginning, your onboarding program should drive meaningful connection for the new hire. A great way to ensure you meet the needs of all of your new hires is to vary the programming and give them options on how they want to engage. Some sessions will, of course, require them to be camera-on and ready to participate. Other elements, though, can be structured to give the new hire some flexibility. Can they turn their camera off while they listen to and watch a leadership round-table discussion? Can you give them independent work to do? You could provide a template for them to set 30/60/90 day goals. And then ask their manager to schedule time to discuss the goals. Or how about a SharePoint (or any shared folder) scavenger hunt? They’ll learn how to navigate your systems and gain confidence that they can find what they need. Speaking of walks, can they take a walk while they have a 15-minute conversation with their new manager or teammate? Can you share a list of colleagues in other departments and give them the direction to reach out to each person over the next month to schedule time to connect with those on the list. Maybe you could even make a BINGO out of it. If you’re worried about whether or not they’ll actually do it, you can hold them accountable at the end of the month and review who they connected with and how it went. (You’ll also know which existing employees took their assignment seriously and made an effort to connect with the new hire). Can you offer an optional game? I say optional here because not everyone wants to engage this way with their new colleagues. It’s probably no secret that I enjoy talking with others and am generally up for playing a game with colleagues. Though, my husband, who’s an engineer, is not a fan. He started a new job at the beginning of the year…and like many, the onboarding was virtual. At the time, he was working in our kitchen. When I emerged from this room to grab some lunch, I noticed he was sitting at our island holding a scarf from his alma mater. I asked him what was going on and he begrudgingly said he had to do a ‘show and tell’ of an item from his house. He wasn’t a fan. Though, that’s not to say others wouldn’t be thrilled to share details of something that’s important to them. Hence, the ‘optional’ game. Notice how a lot of these suggestions are also FUN? I’ll never forget a conversation I had years ago with the president of the company I was working for. He had just returned from a three-day conference for other leaders at the organization….and he couldn’t stop talking about the checkers game they played on day two. He didn’t mention another detail of the conference, he just laughed and laughed about playing checkers. Remember what I said…and what researchers back me up on? People learn when they’re having fun. And it’s memorable. The last things I’ll ask you to do is examine your content. Ask yourself: Is it exciting? We talked a moment ago about including interesting and unexpected content…though it’s also important to update the look and feel. Do you use cool, modern videos to share the company’s history? Or do you use the same video that’s been used since 1999? What does it say to your new hire that the company hasn’t updated the media? Could they think the company is in financial trouble and can’t afford to update it? Or worse, could they think you just don’t care about providing engaging content? Do you use eLearning courses to complement the other elements of your onboarding? Today’s employee wants to be in the driver’s seat…give them options and let them drive. The great employees will rise to the occasion. eLearning courses can be general or they can be role and task specific. You choose! The last almost two years have been really tough on all of us…and the effects of the pandemic are likely long term. People are tired…and they’re also excited and energized by their new role with their company. Both can be true. Give them the benefit of the doubt that they want to be there and are doing their best. The key in varying the modality is to meet people where they are. Give them what they need. And trust them to give you 100%, even when they’re not on camera. CLICK SLIDE
#16 The way in which you welcome new hires to your organization matters. You’ve spent considerable time and money to recruit these individuals. Now, the same effort should be dedicated to bringing them on and setting them up for success. As a recap, we talked about: Shifting your mindset Understanding what is and isn’t working with your current digital program Building a better program by dialing up the content and varying the modality Thank you for spending time with me today, I am grateful you chose to be here.

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