How do you deal with onboarding gaps or delays due to unforeseen circumstances?

Effective onboarding requires constant communication. The best way to prevent onboarding disruptions is to construct and share a plan with your customers where they know what to expect at every step of the process, who they can contact in the company if issues arise and what value they are gaining at each milestone. Everyone that's internal (your teams) including external (the customers) have to be held accountable for getting their part of the work done so that the onboarding process doesn't get stalled. Frequent monitoring of the process, providing updates and fixing issues that arise as quickly as possible ensures that the customers are getting what they signed up for.

Create a detailed onboarding timeline that outlines key milestones, training sessions, and expectations for the new hire’s first few weeks. Send a welcome packet that includes information about the company culture, team introductions, and a checklist of what to expect on their first day. Clearly outline the responsibilities, performance expectations, and goals for the new hire’s role, ensuring they understand their contributions from the start. Schedule regular check-ins during the onboarding process to assess progress, address questions, and provide feedback. Consider potential disruptions (e.g., technology issues, scheduling conflicts) and develop contingency plans to address them.

When faced with delays caused by the employee, it's important to approach the situation with empathy. Have open and honest communication with the employee to understand the reasons behind the delay to determine if there are any underlying issues that need to be addressed, or, any ways to support the employee. Once the reasons are identified, work together to come up with a plan to mitigate the impact of the delay on the onboarding process. This may involve adjusting timelines, providing additional training or resources, or reorganizing tasks to ensure a smooth transition for the employee. It's crucial to offer support and guidance rather than placing blame, to set the tone for future trust and collaboration.

I believe that the best way to integrate a new employee into the company is to be honest with them first. Help new employees become familiar with the company culture, the work environment, their colleagues, responsibilities and provide them with the necessary tools and resources to perform their job effectively.

Part of a flexible program is the ability to offer any training that occurred in a new hire's absence. We often send the recording if it's virtual or schedule time with them one to one. Creating an online course to use as a backup for those last minute scenarios helps ensure we aren't sacrificing the learner's experience.

Foster a culture that values flexibility and encourages team members to adapt to changing circumstances and unexpected challenges. Prepare alternative training materials and resources that can be used if primary plans encounter delays or issues. Be open about any challenges the team may be facing and how they are being addressed, reinforcing trust and collaboration. Recognize that each new hire may have different needs or learning styles. Implement a buddy system where experienced team members can help new hires navigate their onboarding journey, offering guidance and support.Create opportunities for new hires to collaborate with peers, facilitating knowledge sharing and fostering a sense of belonging.

Despite having a structured onboarding process, things happen that can cause delays. Communication is again key. Being proactive, thinking of workarounds for potential delays and communicating the new plan with stakeholders will keep them engaged and accountable. Make sure your customers know what they are expecting, can see the value in every step of onboarding and understand that their feedback will be taken into account to make the process even more air tight.

Design a well-planned and structured program: the new employee should feel that he/she is expected and that there is adequate planning for the onboarding, depending on the type of onboarding (remote or face-to-face). A good onboarding program should have a clear structure and a defined duration and this should be clearly understood by the internal trainers and the onboarding employees.

Schedule consistent one-on-one meetings to discuss progress, answer questions, and provide support. This helps new hires feel valued and heard. Use tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom to create a space for informal interactions, allowing new hires to connect with team members easily. Organize casual virtual coffee breaks or lunch sessions where new hires can meet team members in a relaxed setting. Acknowledge and celebrate achievements, no matter how small, to boost morale and motivation. Highlight stories of other team members who have successfully navigated their onboarding, inspiring new hires and reinforcing community.

Regularly update new employees on the situation, reassure them of their importance to the team, and provide them with any relevant information to keep them informed and engaged. Additionally, offering virtual meetings, training sessions, or team-building activities can help bridge the gap and foster a sense of belonging for new hires. Encourage open communication and create opportunities for them to ask questions, share concerns, and interact with their colleagues despite the physical distance.

It is necessary to customize the Onboarding experience, it is important to adapt it to each new employee according to the position and functions. Provide a clear vision of the expectations and objectives of the job, they need to know from the beginning what is expected of them, what their goals are and how they will be evaluated.

Administer surveys to new hires at the end of their onboarding period to gather insights about their experience, including what worked well and what could be improved. Review feedback to identify common themes or recurring issues that affected multiple new hires. Gather feedback from current employees who participated in the onboarding process, including managers, mentors, and trainers. Use the insights gained from feedback and analysis to make targeted adjustments to the onboarding process. Establish regular intervals for reviewing and updating the onboarding process to ensure it remains relevant and effective.

The other thing to consider is competing events or priorities. When scheduling and setting deadlines for training completion, we must be aware of any recurring team events such as stand ups, company-wide initiatives, holidays, SME time off, etc.