ONBOARDING: "The New Employee P.E.E.P. Show" !

Written By:

SarahJane DiMichele
ABL Employment Inc.
Manager for Staff Training & Development

“Onboarding” is the term used to describe the successful integration of new employees through  initial orientation, set-up and training.

“P.E.E.P” stands for:

P-ersonal

E-ngaged

E-ducated

P-roductive

Whether full-time or temporary hires, these concepts represent the key to helping a new employee feel appreciated and become valuable quickly, while minimising the very costly occurrence of initial turnover, confusion, and mistakes.

Personal:

•  Meet her at the door on her first day… don’t leave her waiting or wandering around trying to find her own way.
•  Have the newby’s workspace ready before she arrives:  Nothing says “you’re just a body” like making someone wait all morning while you find a working computer and an unused desk for her to use. Insure the work-space has all the supplies needed.
• Insure she has the appropriate uniform/equipment items assigned to her, a locker or other area set aside for storing personal belongings while at work, a clean-&-clear desk/work area, a list of her personal log-ins/passwords/internal contact list, a timesheet/punch card, and an info session on how and when to use the phone/pager system  etc.

Engaged:

•  Make sure you have properly prepared your existing team by informing them in advance of the arrival of the new team member. Explain the reason for the addition/change and how this will benefit them, and get a commitment from the team to make this a successful venture.

• Arrange a buddy-system for the newby for tours and lunch breaks for the first few days or weeks, and for that person to make the appropriate introductions to other staff including supervisors/managers etc.

• Arrange a mentor for technical/job-specific training. Make sure this person has complete buy-in as to the reason a new hire is needed, and how the success of the new hire will benefit them.

• Tell the newby about the company sports team, or an upcoming company picnic, lunch-n-learns, etc.  This will help them feel welcome as a complete person, and not just a number.

• Make sure she knows about the perks and privileges of working at your organisation, and when and how she can benefit from them.

• Explain whom to speak with to make suggestions or ask questions, and *encourage* this.

Educated:

•  Insure the newby is informed of pay and work schedules, break/lunch times, dress codes, OT policies, timesheet procedures, authorisation procedures, Health & Safety, privacy and harassment procedures.
•  Make sure she knows where to find this information for herself in case of future need.

Productive:

• Insure there is a mature, knowledgeable person assigned to explain job responsibilities, success criteria, standards/quality control, reporting policies.

• Encourage the newby to check in with a specific supervisor at the beginning and end of every day to brief/debrief on what she learned and/or accomplished, and to address any questions that have come up.