TM - August 2007 - (Page 18) recruitment & retention assessment & evaluation compensation & benefits performance management learning & development succession planning Promoting the Values Senior leaders have both the privilege and responsibility of the “bully pulpit” from which to tell new employees, “This is what it really means to be a part of this organization.” The onboarding process provides a unique opportunity, not only to communicate the vision of the organization but to match the words with actions that reinforce the company’s values. For example, consider a corporation that is focused on innovation to drive its top-line results. To bring this to life, a senior executive might sponsor a brainstorming session as part of the onboarding process, bringing together new hires with longtime employees and outside experts to address a specific innovation challenge. Including representatives of multiple disciplines might stimulate even more fruitful discussion while introducing new employees to their colleagues across the organization. By the same token, risk aversion is all too common a norm in many organizational cultures (and a major roadblock to innovation). This is often particularly true with new employees who are still trying to navigate their way and make good first impressions. Leaders can provide valuable examples of successful risk taking as part of the onboarding process, and they should be sure to reward both new and seasoned employees for their contributions. Building Networks for Success Addressing the Unique Aspects of Global Onboarding A new employee might say joining an organization is like learning a new language, and when companies recruit many employees from outside their traditional operating environment, this statement might need to be taken literally. To be successful, a global onboarding program must address the unique cultural differences among regions, including locallanguage support and bandwidth considerations for distance learning. Often, companies find themselves without the proper space, equipment and personnel to effectively bring new hires up to speed rapidly. This is especially true for companies that expand into locations within emerging economies, where they are often hiring significant numbers of new employees with a short time horizon. Further complicating matters, many of these employees might have limited experience in an international corporate setting, making a successful onboarding experience even more critical. Technology can begin to mitigate some of the challenges in assimilating employees who are far from headquarters. Some organizations are creating simulated projects in virtual worlds such as Second Life, in which new hires can solve problems as part of a global team without the risk associated with a realworld project. Second Life also can be used to bring together retired employees who can share their knowledge and experience with newcomers without the constraints of geography and time zones. Linking to Learning One reason many new employees give for leaving an organization is that they failed to establish relationships with co-workers and partners. This is not only a loss for the employee but for the company, as well, because new workers can bring new life and connections into existing networks. Indeed, new employees who are able to establish social networks and are encouraged to bring in ideas and relationships from the outside tend to perform higher than average and have a greater degree of job satisfaction. Unfortunately, some corporate cultures, at least implicitly, encourage employees to go at it alone — the onboarding mantra might as well be “sink or swim.” This is particularly ironic, given that numerous studies of social networks and business performance indicate going it alone might not be the best strategy for optimal performance. For example, in a study published in the MIT Sloan Management Review, researchers Keith Rollag, Salvatore Parise and Rob Cross highlight the importance of creating opportunities for individuals to build their personal networks as part of their initial assignments. This focus on network development enables new employees to build the support systems that are critical to gain access to information, develop a sense of trust when addressing sensitive issues and build a common context and corporate vocabulary. Successful companies recognize an important part of onboarding is enabling individuals to find the resources they need to be effective in their new positions. Recognizing individuals can digest only a certain amount of information before beginning their jobs, a successful onboarding program provides guidance not only on what to do but where to get information, advice and counsel on how to be successful in a new role. For one technology company, the need to rethink its onboarding paradigm occurred when the need arose to train several thousand new salespeople in a short time. The company recognized that a significant amount of on-the-job knowledge was required to sell effectively, so it set out to develop a learning experience that not only leveraged coursework but also incorporated mentoring, collaboration and knowledge management. Therefore, it designed a program that not only allowed employees to tailor their learning experience to their particular needs (i.e., experienced outsiders versus university hires) but also tap into the knowledge and experience of others within the company. This experience was built on a series of activities known as the PARR process, in which sales professionals were asked to: • Prepare to address a particular skill (through 18 August 2007 talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com http://www.TalentMgt.com
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