Onboarding

When we bring new people into our company, there is a lot they need to know.

If you are part of a large firm, there is probably an official onboarding program. HR will have forms and processes and possibly videos and manuals to bring them up-to-speed.

But if you are part of a smaller firm, this may be a less formal process. While there are the official logistical components (getting ID, getting into the payroll system, enrolling for benefits, being assigned a desk or workspace, etc.), consider the “people side” of onboarding.

Have an individual meeting with the new hire in the first day or so. If they don’t seem to use your name, make sure you let them know what you want them to call you, e.g., “Please call me Kate.” This actually can be an issue, especially if you are older than the new hire by more than a few years. Make sure that they are settling in; ask if they have any questions, and otherwise check to see that they have what they need to start.

If you have a team member of similar temperament who has been with the company a few years, consider asking them to be an onboarding mentor for the new hire. Put the bubbly/friendly people together, the intense/action-focused people together, and the introverted/quiet people together—they are more likely to connect. Offer to cover the cost for them to take the new hire out for lunch during the first few days, and connect them as someone to ask the “How do I…?” and “Where is the…?” questions. Make sure to acknowledge the extra effort on the mentor’s part in their performance review, and consider a bonus for good mentoring.

Start slowly, so you have time to check in and make sure they are doing good work. Assume that the information on their resume (experience, skills, etc.) is accurate, but confirm that by carefully reviewing their work for the first few weeks. If there is a problem, first make the assumption that your communication with them was incomplete, and give them feedback that guides them on how to “revise this first draft so it will be client-ready,” rather than handing back a red-penned draft that tells them what is wrong, but not how to do it right. A little extra effort at this stage pays off significantly once they are up-to-speed and performing well, because they will know your expectations and how to meet them, rather than going through confidence-eroding and time-wasting trial-and-error until they figure it out. You can also delegate training of specific tasks or processes to other team members, especially if they have expertise in that area.

Find ways to bring the team together in ways that include the new hire, as well. Consider having a “welcome aboard” mini-party for the team on Friday afternoon. If the new hire (or anyone else) has dietary restrictions, make sure they have items in the break room they can eat (gluten-free, vegetarian, sugar-free, halal, etc.). Include them in the group chats and reach out to specifically invite them to events, activities, meetings, etc. so that they know the events exist, and that they are welcome.

(image generated using Midjourney)