Orientation Overhaul: Scheduling a realistic first day for new employees

For about the 10,000th time in my career, I had a conversation with someone about Day One need-to-have content vs. nice-to-have content vs. there-is-absolutely-NO-need-for-new-employees-to-experience-this-on-their-first-day content. Even now, 20 years into my career, I find myself surprised at just how much content some (well-meaning) people feel is necessary to shove into one day. So today, we're … Continue reading Orientation Overhaul: Scheduling a realistic first day for new employees

It’s time to get serious about your onboarding strategy

March is upon us once again; here in Indiana, where we live and breathe basketball, that means it's not just March, but it's March Madness. College basketball games are playing nonstop, brackets are being determined, rivalries are being tested. Sadly, most of our state's teams aren't making it to the big dance this year...except Purdue, … Continue reading It’s time to get serious about your onboarding strategy

The important distinction between “orientation” and “onboarding”

I recently read an article about - you guessed it - onboarding, and a statement stuck with me...the author was defining new employee orientation at a high level, and then went on to define onboarding. The author suggested that, "Onboarding is often described as 'orientation on steroids.'" This was unsettling to me in a few … Continue reading The important distinction between “orientation” and “onboarding”

Your onboarding strategy might need a reboot if….

Do you remember the old "You might be a redneck..." comedy bit from a few years back? It seems like you couldn't go anywhere without seeing a Jeff Foxworthy standup routine on television or seeing a book about it. Even though it's been several years since its peak, you still see those jokes bubble up … Continue reading Your onboarding strategy might need a reboot if….

If you’re having trouble relating to new employees, do this…

A few weeks ago at the day job, I was meeting with a couple of people on my team, discussing two training programs that we are in the process of updating. One of the programs is part of our onboarding process; new employees participate in the program between 30-60 days post-hire. The team member who … Continue reading If you’re having trouble relating to new employees, do this…

3 make-or-break strategies for building a best-in-class onboarding experience

Today alone, in my work email - not even counting messages received in my personal email - I received over 30 solicitation emails (only a few were from organizations I know/like/trust and opted into at some point), telling me how I can improve the results of my (insert program) or how I can maximize efficiency … Continue reading 3 make-or-break strategies for building a best-in-class onboarding experience

5 ways that “offboarding” can elevate your onboarding efforts

In my book, Talent GPS: A Manager's Guide to Navigating the Employee Development Journey, my co-authors and I provided managers with easy-to-use processes throughout the entire employment lifecycle, from the initial interview through when an employee leaves the organization. While we typically focus a lot of our energy on developing employees in their roles or … Continue reading 5 ways that “offboarding” can elevate your onboarding efforts

Onboarding is not a “Nice-to-Have”

I had a brief conversation with a consultant and business owner at a networking event a few months ago, where the topic drifted to the new employee experience. We were discussing a few general best practices and he probed why onboarding is the niche market I choose to serve in my consulting practice. Trying not … Continue reading Onboarding is not a “Nice-to-Have”

Why do leaders care about onboarding?

It's one of many million-dollar-questions in the business of "talent" these days. Why do our leaders and executives care about onboarding? I attended a conference session last week led by Tamar Elkeles, Ph.D., a former Chief Learning Officer of the Year during her longtime tenure with Qualcomm. Dr. Elkeles had some no-nonsense insight into the … Continue reading Why do leaders care about onboarding?