Orientation Pitfalls and Onboarding Tips

The ultimate goal of acculturation onboarding is to assist new hires in becoming productive as quickly as possible. This is accomplished by providing information, training, and socialization in a supportive environment. Unfortunately, many companies lose sight of these objectives when they develop an orientation program.

It's not uncommon for HR and management to make the mistake of focusing on tasks rather than goals. For example, Human Resources may dump too much information on the new hire in an attempt to get their part in the process over with so they can hand the employee off to someone else. The employee's supervisor and coworkers may view integrating a new team member as a distraction from their own work - especially in a fast paced environment. These attitudes and actions can create a chilly reception for an individual who would otherwise be excited about starting a new job.

New Hires' Need to be Recognized

HR author Barbara O'Toole offers a wealth of ideas for ways to make a new hire feel welcome in her article "Orientation vs. Integration" at about.com. Integrating an individual into your corporate culture isn't something that only happens on an official level. Each department member plays a role in creating a truly welcoming environment. However, this effort can be supported by management. For example, if coworkers are given an extra 20 minute break to eat cake and celebrate a valued addition to their team on the new hire's first day, this creates instant good will.

Training Should be Ongoing and Accessible

AllegroHR's Acculturation Portal offers a variety of opportunities for employers to provide training and orientation in a way that isn't overwhelming. For example, visuals, audio, and text can be used to demonstrate how the new employee fits into the corporate structure and the objectives/functions of his or her job. This is a great supplement for an in-person discussion about job expectations with the new hire's supervisor.

It is important for new employees to know that they can revisit this information online as many times as necessary so they don't have to memorize it all in one sitting. Alternating online orientation modules with face-to-face mentoring also provides some breathing room for individuals to assimilate information without feeling like someone is "breathing down their neck". This process can begin in HR and then continue for as long as necessary while the new hire is settling in.