GUEST EDITOR Katherine Head
As the learning operations onboarding coordinator, my job is to ensure that new hires have a smooth onboarding experience. That’s a team effort, with the regional director and regional trainer being heavily involved in the process.
Ideally, it takes a team to onboard a new hire in a smooth process. Involving the regional director is also a best practice.
To kick off this collaboration, consider facilitating a mandatory meeting with the regional director and regional trainer about one week before the new hire’s start date. This call serves as a crucial touchpoint where you can outline the learning journey and inform the regional folks about what their new team member can expect during training.
Also use this time to review the regional director’s “action items” in the onboarding process. Given that there are often significant gaps in time between when a director hires a new team member, a reminder of what has changed and what to expect can be extremely helpful. The purpose of this meeting is to provide a comprehensive overview of the onboarding process, discuss roles and responsibilities and conclude with the final step: field certification.
During the call, review the “playbook,” a detailed document outlining all training requirements. This playbook should mirror the onboarding guide provided to new hires on their first day, ensuring consistency and clarity.
It also serves as an essential resource for the regional directors and regional trainers, highlighting specific action items they need to address. These action items detail the necessary steps to ensure that the new hire completes their training on time. For instance, if the new hire must meet with Business Conduct by a specific deadline, the playbook clearly specifies this task and indicates the week in which the new hire is expected to complete the meeting.
In addition to the playbook, review the daily agenda for the incoming new hire, included in the document. The agenda should be broken down by week, providing the manager with a clear journey of what their new hire is expected to accomplish each week.
This structured approach helps prevent managers from unintentionally scheduling meetings or activities that might interfere with mandatory training sessions already scheduled in advance. By having this information upfront, directors can effectively plan their schedules and ensure that their new hires receive the training they need to succeed.
Keeping the director informed and ensuring they understand the steps necessary for their new hire to complete training successfully promotes alignment among all parties involved. This unified approach is essential for creating a positive onboarding experience. I often describe it as having one voice; everyone is on the same page and working toward a common goal.
As you reflect on your current onboarding process, I encourage you to consider whether you are forgetting the manager. Recognizing the critical role that managers play in onboarding can significantly enhance the experience for new hires and set the stage for their success within the organization.
A well-supported manager is instrumental in guiding new hires, ensuring that they transition smoothly into their roles and contribute positively to the team from day one. By fostering collaboration, providing clear guidelines and maintaining open communication, we can create a more effective and cohesive onboarding experience for everyone involved.
Katherine Head is onboarding coordinator, learning operations, commercial learning + development, for Gilead Sciences. Email her at katherine.head1@gilead.com or connect through linkedin.com/in/katherine-h-77a37721b.