Getting Your Team “On Board”: Tips and Best Practices
By Patrick Sheil and Wendy R. Weidenbaum
The goal of onboarding is to help employees integrate themselves into a new organization or new team quickly. Onboarding allows individuals to more effectively navigate through the organization, become productive, and build relationships. Follow these tips to successfully ensure that your entire team is on board.
Execute the Responsibilities as Hiring Manager
The hiring manager plays the most critical role in the onboarding process and should assume responsibility for the success (or failure) of a new team member. As a hiring manager, ensure that you are taking care of the following items when recruiting:
Ask senior leaders or key stakeholders to help close the deal
Look for someone who has the potential to do the job and is a cultural fit
Involve other newly hired senior leaders in the recruiting process so that they can discuss the challenges faced and how to overcome them
Explain the role; there should be no confusion
Share the job description as well as any other non-confidential information available
See the Process Through from Start to Finish
On the first day of hire, it is important for managers to be present so the new team members feels that they made the right decision by joining the team. If this is not possible, ask another team member to adapt the individual for the day and to show him or her around. Having interviews scheduled and lunch with available team members is always a good idea. Upon hiring new employees, the first few days into weeks is all about informing them, squaring away necessary paperwork, and connecting them with the people they need to know not only to succeed but to also feel comfortable in a new working environment
Yet the process doesn’t end with the introductory period. During the first six months, make sure objectives are established, training and development opportunities are provided, and time is made for questions to be asked and feedback to be given. Finally, on a consistent basis it is your responsibility to continually meet with the new employee to review expectations, see if objectives have been met, and continue to provide feedback.
Onboarding is necessary to ensure the success of your team. By smoothly transitioning a new hire into the culture of the existing team you are taking the necessary steps to strengthen your team as a whole.