Focus Magazine - Summer 2015 - 21

COVERSTORY

program. Every trainer has a peer mentor with whom they
are asked to meet weekly during the first 12 weeks of
onboarding. Another component that makes the BristolMyers Squibb onboarding program unique is the inclusion
of stakeholder discussion guides. A key role of the trainer is
to influence stakeholder relationships, and we created
discussion guides to help them conduct productive
conversations and meetings.
e new program also includes diﬀerentiated
onboarding tracks for home-oﬃce trainers, regional fieldsales trainers and the training leaders. Beyond the
onboarding program for the ongoing trainer development
program, even more customized tracks are available based
on where the trainers want to take their careers.

Breaking Barriers
e biggest barrier to the success of an onboarding
program is competing priorities for the new trainer's time.
e first two weeks are critical for all new employees in
terms of building knowledge and skills for their new roles.
A major reason our program has been successful is that we
ensure that,
from the start,
focus is placed
almost
exclusively on
onboarding
during those
first all
important
weeks in the
role.
Feedback
from the end
users has been
fantastic. e
materials have
been described
as a breath of
fresh air,
particularly
compared to experiences within organizations where
onboarding activities are less robust or even non-existent.
Trainers report that the majority of their questions are
addressed in the materials provided, and as a result, they are
able to focus on doing their jobs, as opposed to searching
for answers.

LTEN & Onboarding
As members of LTEN, the
Bristol-Myers Squibb team has
taken advantage of the LTEN
6Ds workshop to assist in the
onboarding curriculum.
Trainers also have access to
Dona Bone
LTEN membership and often
attend the LTEN Annual Conference after their
first year in the training group.
"I have used my annual attendance at the LTEN
conferences to find out what the latest is in the
industry around onboarding, project management
and vendors" said Dona Bone, project manager,
USP Sales & Access Learning, with Bristol-Myers
Squibb. "The knowledge I acquired was very
helpful in creating the onboarding program for
Bristol-Myers Squibb."
For more information on 6Ds and other LTEN
workshop offerings, visit www.L-TEN.org.

In Conclusion
e challenge faced at Bristol-Myers Squibb is not
unique in the industry. As a company or portfolio grows, as
teams turn over, or as budgets tighten, the vital tasks
involved in building the training organization can become
starved for time and resources. Companies need to be
willing to take a step back and invest the time and thought
into addressing the problem. e importance of trainer
onboarding must be recognized, and a well thought out
process must be put in place to enhance and create value.
No matter how good a program may be, without the
proper resources, roll-out plan, pull through, and
accountability, the onboarding program stands little chance
of success. Having a successful trainer onboarding program
is critical because of the domino eﬀect it will have on the
rest of the organization. Well-prepared trainers will deliver
better training to field teams, which ultimately has a
positive impact on the eﬀectiveness of your business and
your ability to deliver for your customers. I

Candice Lenkowsky (candice.lenkowsky@bms.com) is director, worldwide training design & development, Bristol-Myers Squibb. Dona Bone
(dona.bone@bms.com) is project manager, USP sales & access learning, Bristol-Myers Squibb. John Bye (jbye@campbellalliance.com) is
general manager, Campbell Alliance Learning Solutions. Stephen Daniel (sdaniel@campbellalliance.com) is director, Campbell Alliance
Learning Solutions.

FOCUS | SUMMER 2015 | www.L-TEN.org

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Focus Magazine - Summer 2015

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