Hi Reader,
Last week, I wrote about how onboarding differs from implementation.
Onboarding ensures seamless product integration, laying the foundation for long-term, positive client relationships.
But what about onboarding our people? Where do they fit?
When onboarding people goes wrong
We've all been there: a new team member is set to join, and we've known about their arrival for weeks. We're happy for them to come on board because they possess the exact skillsets we need.
Upon arrival, we discover that their IT ticket hasn't been approved yet. According to company policy (which was established in 1996 and hasn't been updated since), it requires signatures from at least five different managers.
Their account hasn’t been set up on the server, which means they can’t access email, or their calendar, or any of their project documents on the shared drive. And it really doesn’t matter they don’t have access, because their new laptop is on backorder from the distribution company!
Learning to make good coffee instead
As a result of restricted access, they spend their time attempting to master the 20-cup coffee maker. By the end of the first week, they've earned the unofficial title of best coffee maker ever in the company.
By the middle of the second week, the office supply closet was completely reorganized and carefully labelled. Everyone was pleased with how well-organized the closet looked. However, nearly two weeks in, they had not yet started their actual work.
Feeling frustrated, they checked in with their new boss daily to report their lack of progress.
They were told the signatures still had not come through yet, because two of the managers were on vacation and forgot to turn on their out of office message on their email!
People onboarding tips
Does a checklist or document exist detailing the steps to prepare a newly onboarded employee?
If not, consider assigning this task to your newest recruit. They can draft it based on their firsthand experience, dividing it into pre-arrival and post-arrival tasks. I've found such checklists very effective in large companies, especially when deadlines are set to work backwards from the arrival date for any needed approvals.
Using 30, 60, and 90-day plans could be a helpful tool for the newly onboarded person. We as project managers love to plan, but in this case it's not just about the plan, but giving the new person a sense of ownership in their success.
Onboard forward
Can onboarding processes be audited then improved? Absolutely. Doing so enhances onboarding, deployment, and implementation, ultimately increasing efficiency and saving money.
Of course, this goes much deeper than making great coffee or organizing closets. The initial weeks of onboarding a new team member are critical, and establish the tone and approach for their entire working relationship with the company.
Feel free to reach out to us for assistance to align onboarding with your deployment and implementation processes, ensuring you can relax and enjoy that freshly brewed cup of coffee, so diligently made by your newest team member. ☕
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Barbara Kephart, PMP
Founder and Chief Project Officer
Projects Pivot
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