Onboarding is the perfect opportunity to get off on the right foot with your new talent and connect them to who you are as an organization. Knowing my passion for growing healthy organizations, clients tell me they have the right procedures in place to ensure new hires complete their paperwork and technical training, but there is something missing.

The tricky part for most is developing a plan to communicate what they value and who they are as an organization, as well as their norms and style of working, so new employees feel able to deploy their gifts without delay. Most organizations already have their list of HR steps for onboarding, but small and medium-sized organizations often lack what I call The Culture Steps, which are necessary for helping people adapt to your desired working style – and even your belief system about how organizations work.

I start by making sure the leadership team knows what it values, and that those values reflect reality rather than a philosophy that is not supported through actions. If the organization has not yet formed a values statement, I help them think out loud about what is important to them. I also share what values I observe through my interactions with them, helping them craft a short, defined list of what matters most to them.

I continue to observe and ask about their communication style and behavioral norms, so we can identify organizational habits or actions they wish to encourage in new recruits. The understanding we gain through this process of discovery becomes a useful springboard from which I start group and individual conversations with new hires that will help them get clarity on how to settle in as early as possible. I combine the above into interactive team development sessions to introduce new hires to the organization, what makes it tick, and what is expected of them on an interpersonal level (rather than just a technical one). This provides a sense of connection to the organization and, for some, the first spark of imagining themselves as a future leader within the organization.

The onboarding process is supported with TTI Success Insights behaviors and motivators (or EQ if preferred) assessments to help build each individual’s self-awareness – they cannot adapt to their new environment and the working styles of their colleagues without first understanding themselves. This is followed up with coaching sessions for each individual to identify and grapple with which parts of their new employer’s style will come easily for them, and which will require them to grow and develop.

New hires are empowered to track their own progress through the program, while HR maintains a customized checklist that integrates their onboarding items with The Culture Steps. I’m passionate about delivering the best onboarding experience possible. I believe shared values and good working relationships are essential to effective teamwork. If you’d like to know more about onboarding services, please contact me.