Successful Orientation Programs

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Successful OrientationPrograms

• Presented by Rhonda Hacker
• March 7, 2007

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Overview

• Labels and definitions
• What not to do
• Elements of Success
• Socialization
• The buddy system
• Structured Orientation
• Onboarding

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Labels

• Orientation
• Onboarding
• Integration

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Definition

• A planned welcome to the
• organization that usually is
• shared by the human resources
• (or training) department and the
• new employees supervisor

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Purpose

• Reduce start up costs
• Reduce anxiety
• Reduce employee turnover
• Save time for the supervisor
• Develop realistic job expectations, positive
  attitudes and job satisfaction

Fast Fact On average, the time for external new
hires to achieve full productivity ranges from
eight weeks for clerical jobs to 20 weeks for
professionals to more than 26 weeks for
executives.
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Top Ten Turn Offs

• Individual work station not set-up (leave in a
  hall or share a space)
• Schedule start date while supervisor is on
  vacation
• Leave new employee standing in the reception area
  for extended period of time
• Leave new employee at work station, to manage on
  his/her own, while other workers pair up to go to
  lunch
• Place new employee in a noisy/busy area to read
  and sign-off on a 100-page Employee Handbook or
  other paperwork
• Show new employee work station without bothering
  to introduce to other workers, assign mentor, or
  tour the facility
• Assign the new employee to an employee who has a
  career-impacting deadline
• Assign the new employee to the most negative,
  unhappy, organization-bashing staff member
• Assign the new employee busy work that has
  nothing to do with the core job responsibilities
  because the supervisor is having a busy day
• Start the new employee with a one or two-day
  orientation during which Human Resources makes
  presentation after presentation after
  presentation

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Texas Instruments found that employees who
completed orientation were at full productivity
two months faster than employees who did not
complete the program Corning Glass found that
69 of employees who completed orientation were
still employed three years later at Corning
The Process
Fast Fact Employees receive an orientation
whether the organization has a formal orientation
program or not
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Elements for Success

• On-going process
• Begins with the hiring decision and continues
  well into the first full year
• New Employee Orientation is an umbrella program
  for other programs that include performance
  reviews and training
• Information is given closest to time when it is
  needed
• Benefits of program are clear and visible to both
  the organization and the new employee

Fast Fact New employees decide during the first
week on a new job whether or not they will stay.
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Elements for Success, cont.

• Share the corporate culture
• The first day is truly welcoming and helps the
  employee feel useful and productive

• Clearly defined executed roles
• Human Resources
• Introduction to the organization, the mission,
  functions and culture
• Organizational history policies
• Benefits
• Supervisor
• Safety rules
• Reporting requirements
• Job tasks

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Elements for Success, cont.

• Objectives are measurable and focus on specific
  knowledge, skill acquisition and influencing
  attitudes
• Adult learning concepts are utilized to guide
  orientation
• Include guest speakers
• Audiovisual components provide emphasis to the
  program and a positive attitude
• Evaluations by participants, supervisors and
  human resources metrics
• Provide information to the new employees family

Fast Fact The most frequent complaints about
orientation are that it is overwhelming, boring,
or that the employee is left to sink or swim
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Ideas to Make Employees Feel Welcome

• Take employee to lunch
• Reserved parking space near front entrance
• Go to list for answers to commonly asked
  questions
• Conduct Entrance interviews
• Right of Passage- parties/celebration, memory
  book, etc.
• Executive presentation
• Assign mentors
• Utilize a buddy program
• Assigned work station ready for employee

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Socialization

• Defined a process in which an individual
  acquires the attitudes, behaviors and knowledge
  needed to successfully participate as an
  organizational member
• Anticipatory socialization
• Encounter
• Settling in

no matter how important learning and culture
and socialization are, they dont happen by
magic. -Steven Pinker

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Socialization Content

• History
• Organizational goals and values
• Language
• Politics
• People
• Performance proficiency

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What does the buddy do?

• Show new employee around and introduce them to
  others
• Show them where to get equipment and supplies
• Go to lunch together the first few days
• Provide an opportunity for new employees to ask
  questions without feeling intimidated
• Ensure open lines of communication with new
  employees while respecting confidentiality
• Offer encouragement

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Orientation Structure

• Initial integration
• Basic orientation from Human Resources
• Structured orientation/training process within
  department
• Orientation interview follow-up 30 to 90 days
  after hire

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Structured Orientation within Department
Orientation Hiring Specialist Employee
Name Employee Number
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Structured Orientation within Department, cont.
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Structured Orientation within Department, cont.
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Onboarding promotion from within

• Structured orientation to new job
• Cultures are not monolithic
• Employees who have a satisfactory career path are
  less likely to leave
• Creates an employer brand that is favorable

Fast Fact An efficient internal labor market
ensures that talent moves to its point of highest
return within the organization. -Dave Williams,
Recruiting Roundtable
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Conclusion

• Orientation must be planned, structured, and
  all-inclusive to be effective
• Effective orientation programs establish an ROI
  that includes reduced turn-over rates and
  increased employee satisfaction
• Requires investing time
• Investing time at the new hire stage offers the
  reward of having productive, dedicated employees
• Investing time at termination/hiring stage only
  costs time and lost productivity

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Any Questions?