The First Day Showing Them How We Do It!

“Welcome on board!” is a common exclamation uttered by supervisors, reporting managers and HR managers across the world while inducting new hires o the job. The first day at job is usually spent well in meeting colleagues and getting a feel of the organisational climate. Observation and interaction are very crucial during the first few days as they generate valuable information about the new workplace and help the new hire find his / her way through the challenge of being a “new joiner”.  Wading through numerous form fillings and handshakes the new employee starts to get a flavour of the new workplace. Learning about founding fathers and on what does the organisation pride itself are crucial pieces of information that acclimatise and bond people to their firms.

This seemingly common “Onboarding” process is crucial; not only does it ease and facilitate the newcomers entry, it also helps the older employees accept the new team member without any discomfort. Traditional onboarding relies a lot on information relay and teaching of company’s values. This may at times create a tension as newcomers are “treated” to accept an organization’s identity. A tussle between individual identity and firm’s identity create a strain. Organisational performance in the long run depends on the strengths of its human capital and subordination of individual identities will not yield optimal results. Also, new employees may not internalize the organizational values even if they appear to comply through external behaviours. Engagement scores over compliance and has to be generated through trust and autonomy. Employee socialisation practices that get newcomers to behave insincerely might not be workable because they do not fully engage the employee and they do not address larger issues concerning emotional exhaustion and work dissatisfaction. Organisations today are conscious of the impact effective socialisation makes and many adopt a Level-3 Onboarding process which is exhaustive and well-planned.

An effective onboarding experience involves encouraging newcomers to express their own distinct perspectives and strengths on the job from the very beginning and inviting them to frame their work as a platform for doing what they do best. For an illustration, a restaurant cook who is a natural social charmer could use his natural connectivity by visiting with guests and making them feel at home. Likewise, a consultant with artistic talents could design arresting templates for presentations and develop more influential ways to capture data.  In India, Wipro is touted to celebrate and encourage the individuality and energy employees bring to the table. Global beauty company L’Oreal says, “Our aim is to develop successful, committed and mutually beneficial relationships with each of our employees.” It backs onboarding with a two-year, six-part integration program known as “L’Oreal Fit.” Onboarding is considered as more crucial for key leadership positions than for routine or entry level employees as workers as direction is crucial to any organisation. Executive Search firms are frequently hired to handle the complexity and significance of Executive Onboarding. It remains a vital process ever-evolving to fit organisational goals and optimising employee performance.