DON’T LEAVE ONBOARDING TO CHANCE

When I was young, I was always happy whenever a friend invited me to their house for dinner. Even back then, I was endlessly curious about humans and it was fun to get a behind-the-scenes look at another family.

But I was always a little bit nervous, too — every family has its own way of operating.

Do you say grace first? Do you have to eat everything on your plate? Do people talk or is the TV on? Does one person lead the conversation? Do we take our plates to the kitchen sink when we’re done or just leave them where they are?

The list of unknows was long. No two families are the same and no matter how well you may have known your friend, once inside the family system, things were different. Fortunately, and except for the “green bean incident” (don’t ask), I don’t remember any huge faux pas. But with each new experience, I always had to feel my way along.

Candidates who arrive to start a new job are in a similar position. Like a family, each company has a unique culture — a way of doing things. It’s rarely rational or obvious, but not knowing “how things work around here” in early days can irreparably damage how the candidate is viewed by the company and vice versa.

That’s why a well-conceived and administered onboarding process is so important.

Success is Contextual

Last week, I was chatting with a physician who had only been in industry for a year — things were not going well. He did not understand the norms and culture of the company, nor was he getting feedback. In his well-intended desire to show how good he was, he was stepping all over the nonobvious culture. So I asked: “What kind of onboarding did you have?” I was not surprised to hear, “Basically nothing.”

Sadly, this is all too common. Nearly every company has a formal administrative onboarding process: setting up payroll, sharing org charts, issuing computers and software, granting network permissions, etc.

But that’s only part of what’s needed. Companies are made up of humans and humans learn to behave in certain ways, especially when they are grouped together. Dropping somebody into a company, scheduling one-on-one meetings, and expecting them to just tease things out on their own is unlikely to end well.

Take decision-making, for example. If your previous company placed a high value on getting input from everyone before acting, you may use the same approach in your new role. But maybe the new company prizes independence and quick movement. You think you are doing what’s right… they think you are slow and indecisive.

A first-time move from academia can be especially challenging — the “norms” are completely different and require even more attention. Physicians are used to being in charge and may be reluctant to ask questions (they feel they are supposed to arrive with all the answers) or admit they don’t understand. They are drinking from the proverbial firehose and can have difficulty retaining information and prioritizing. They are also less likely to get the feedback they need. Without a lot of prolonged handholding they can easily go off the rails (see our white paper here ).

The point is, and as with my teenage dinner experiences, the do’s and don’ts in any given company are nearly endless. Does each person speak their turn in a meeting? Is conflict and opinion sharing encouraged? How much detail should be provided when explaining planned actions? Where are the political landmines? Who are the influencers?

There’s no logic; it’s just culture.

The early days are especially critical. Impressions are being made and the cement hardens pretty fast as others in the company form opinions about the new hire and the new hire forms opinions about the company. Early stumbles are hard to correct.

Some Suggestions…

• Foster trust. Early traction and long-term success rests on building trust, but it is often given lower priority. This is especially important with peers. These are the people who can help navigate the company, reveal the unwritten rules, and point out where a person’s style may be misaligned. Informal group exercises and assessment tools are extremely valuable, as are one-on-one meetings designed to help align with individual stakeholder objectives.

• Ensure clarity around strategic priorities. Crystal clear, constant communication regarding what matters most, especially in early days, helps prevent a new person from focusing their efforts in the wrong place.

• Feedback and more feedback. It’s hard to provide too much — and make sure it’s two-way. What’s obvious to insiders may be completely missed by newbies.

• Formalize your approach. The more you can standardize the way you assimilate new people into your company, the more likely you are to help them experience a smooth transition.

• For senior hires, consider an executive coach. An experienced coach can guide and enhance the process, accelerate the time to fully functioning, and help avoid early missteps that can have long-term consequences.

The first few months are a special time for someone new to the company. It’s an opportunity to significantly influence how quickly they contribute, how well they fit in, and how they feel about the organization overall — all of which leads to better business results.

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