Effectively onboarding new employees is key to their success. A well-planned onboarding process helps new hires adjust to their roles and responsibilities more easily. It also sets the stage for long-term success and job satisfaction. This is especially important in a complex environment like a university, where roles and responsibilities vary widely.
Onboarding vs. Orientation
If new employees feel overwhelmed in their first month or notice that, even after a few months, they lack a clear understanding of their role and the broader university context, it might be time to rethink your onboarding and orientation processes. A common misconception is that onboarding and orientation are the same. However, these two processes serve different purposes, and both are essential to a new employee's success.
- Orientation is a short-term, structured introduction to the organization. It typically covers policies, compliance issues, and an overview of the employee's immediate role and department. Orientation often occurs within the first few days of employment and focuses on helping new hires get up to speed with the written rules and immediate job requirements.
- Onboarding is a comprehensive, long-term process beyond the initial introduction. It helps new employees learn the written rules and unwritten norms that guide behavior within the organization. It involves a multi-level focus, addressing the needs of the individual, the department, and the organization as a whole. Onboarding integrates new employees into the culture, connects them with key stakeholders, and provides continuous support as they navigate their new roles over several months.
Key Elements of a Successful Onboarding Plan:
- Communication: From the moment the candidate accepts the job offer communication should be clear, welcoming, and informative. This initial phase is an opportunity to build excitement and provide crucial information about the organization, role, and expectations. Regular communication before the start date helps new employees feel valued and prepared. It is also an excellent opportunity to revisit the team's communication norms and make what's implicit explicit. For example, what's the preferred channel for which purpose (chat, email, call, etc.)? How often do you meet? What do virtual meetings look like?
- Resources: It is critical to ensure new employees have the necessary tools and resources from day one. This includes access to necessary technology and workspace and understanding institutional policies and procedures. Preparing ahead of time prevents unnecessary delays and shows your commitment to the employee's success.
- Compliance: Familiarizing new hires with the organization's policies, procedures, and compliance requirements is essential, particularly in a University setting where these can be complex and varied. Think about how to spread this information over the first few weeks to avoid overwhelming the new employee, and make sure to check in to confirm understanding.
- Culture: Organizational culture should be a focal point of the onboarding process. Organizational culture is the shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that determine how people within a particular organization perceive, think about, and react to each other and events. Often, it's easy to focus on a broad mission or vision statements, or only on positive aspects, but more is needed to help new employees understand how things work. To articulate your organizational culture, consider what people pay attention to and who you work with (i.e., donors, the public, students, internal/external clients, faculty, department chairs, deans, etc.) Whose opinion matters the most? What does success look like? How do people respond when something goes wrong? How do leaders tend to react? Are the responses reactive (wanting to know who's to blame) or proactive (how can we move forward)? Introducing new employees to the team's culture early helps build psychological safety and strengthens their ability to navigate more effectively and contribute to a cohesive working environment.
- Expectations: It is essential to clearly outline job expectations and performance standards from the start. This includes not only what is expected in terms of job duties but also how to interact with colleagues, contribute to the team, and grow within the organization. Regular check-ins during the onboarding period can help clarify these expectations and provide ongoing support.
- Relationships: Building relationships is a critical component of successful onboarding. At the University, collaboration and networking are key. Introducing new employees to key stakeholders and colleagues early on helps them build the connections they need to thrive. Structured introductions and mentorship opportunities can facilitate these relationships.
A well-structured onboarding process shortens the time it takes for new employees to become fully functional team members, helps maintain employee engagement, and sets the stage for long-term success.
Personalizing the Onboarding Experience
Onboarding is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each new employee brings unique skills, experiences, and expectations; the onboarding process should be tailored to reflect this. Considerations should include the employee's familiarity with the University, their role, and the specific needs of their department. Personalizing the onboarding experience makes new employees feel valued and enhances their ability to contribute effectively from the start.
Onboarding in higher education is a strategic process that, when done correctly, significantly enhances employee satisfaction, retention, and performance. By understanding the distinction between orientation and onboarding and focusing on key elements such as communication, resources, compliance, culture, expectations, and relationships, you can create an onboarding process that supports both the new employee and the institution's long-term success. Even if you are not hiring now, investing time in revising your onboarding plan can help make it more thorough and save time in the future.