Planning a Successful New Employee Onboarding (NEO) Program

Starting a new job may be one of the most stressful events in our lives. While there is much talk about job change frequency in the 21st century, I’d say that what remains constant from past generations to today is the concern for how successful we will be in our jobs.

According to a 2016 Human Capital Institute survey (http://www.hci.org/hr-research/onboarding-outcomes-fulfill-new-hire-expectations), respondents believe the most effective onboarding practices for reducing time to proficiency are Performance feedback from Manager (80% of respondents), Training Classes (76%), and Written Performance Goals and Timelines (61%).
Falling in as less effective behind these responses are the common peer mentoring, social learning, and self-paced training. This says to me that new employees respond to specific, goal-oriented, and direct interactions with someone of authority in the new company.

While busy managers may prefer pairing a new employee with a peer for orientation and training, that mindset leaves out an important part of the experience: feeling valued by the company and management. Managers are responsible for the growth and success of the organization and their employees. Being absent from the NEO process sends the wrong signal.

A good NEO program weaves in and exemplifies your company culture. It communicates the principles that guide your purpose and actions. It teaches your teams how to be successful and why they should stay working for you. A NEO program should go as far as needed to ensure employee understanding and buy-in of who you are what you do.

​A good NEO program includes these elements:

• direct contact with all members of the employee’s new team during interviewing and within the first days on the job
• pre-hire work assignments to acclimate and engage the employee from the start
• a team-oriented assignment on day one
• relevant training
• acclimation to the workplace and company culture
• frequent follow-up sessions with managers

These and other activities should guide your creating and implementing a NEO program that works to get employees working confidently and productively from day 1. If this seems daunting and not in the expertise of your internal team, there are outside experts who can assess your company’s needs and help you implement a NEO program that will ensure the success of, not only your new employees, but those transitioning to new roles within your organization.