Onboarding Ashley Munro IASFAA Conference

Recruitment Average time to fill position is 36 days (Society for Human Resource Management) “When you are buried by the urgent and have a thousand balls in the air, it is so easy to put people that appear to have solutions into key positions…I am convinced that when recruiting and selection is done strategically, that is, thinking long-term and proactively, not based upon the pressures of the moment, it pays enormous long-term dividends….training and development are important, but recruiting and selection are much more important.” -Stephen Covey “When you are buried by the urgent and have a thousand balls in the air, it is so easy to put people that appear to have solutions into key positions…I am convinced that when recruiting and selection is done strategically, that is, thinking long-term and proactively, not based upon the pressures of the moment, it pays enormous long-term dividends….training and development are important, but recruiting and selection are much more important.” Average recruitment time to fill position is 36 days. That’s 36 days where you, or someone else in your office, has been doing the work. How do you feel about that? Are you overwhelmed? Are you desperate to get someone in the position? This is not a session on recruitment or finding the right fit for your office. However, its important to remember that your new employee cannot and should not step into the role of doing the work on day one. It will take time. Ending a recruitment is not the end of your work. You will still be doing this job for the next few months. These few months care called onboarding.

Onboarding Organization Socialization Integrating a new employee with organization and culture Getting new hire tools and information needed to be productive OnBoarding is also known as organization socialization. It begins during the recruitment phase and lasts through the first few months of employment, even up to a year. The first few weeks of onboarding directly affect retention. You are integrating a new employee with the organization and the culture. You are getting the new hire the tools and information they need to be a productive member of your staff and to be successful at the organization. How many of you have heard this term before? Has this been adopted on your campus? If so, you may have little say over how the official onboarding process runs on your campus. However, you have a lot of power in how to onboard a new employee within your office.

Onboarding vs Orientation Can be one-on-one Specific to your department and role On-going Onboarding One time event Formal introduction General for organization Conference style Orientation Its important to note that Onboarding is not Orientation. Orientation is usually a one day event (or even less!) that brings together all new hires from all departments across campus. This is the formal introduction to the university. They most likely look at the mission of the university, the hierarchy structure, and then focus time on benefits and safety. There is little interaction for the participant. Its full of facts that don’t mean much at the time and are difficult to remember. Onboarding can last up to a year. This is your opportunity to highlight your department. What does it mean to work in financial aid? What is the mission or goal of your office? What will this person actually do all day, and how do they fit within your vision and mission?

Discussion What impression do you want new hires to walk away with at the end of their first day? Your new employee is going to go home at 5pm. Their spouse/friend/mom is going to ask “How was your first day?”. How do you want them to respond? So, how do you get there? What can you do to make this happen?

Research You Current Staff Former Staff What made you feel welcome on first day? What made you feel overwhelmed? What do you wish you knew during the first few weeks? What would have made you feel prepared to get started? What would make you feel comfortable walking in to a new environment? What do you remember feeling on your first day? Research: Ask your current staff what they wished they knew during their OnBoarding phase. Find out what overwhelmed them, or what would have make them more prepared. What would make you feel welcome on the first day at a new job? What do you remember about your first day? Ask your staff what they wished they new during their onboarding phase. Ask your staff what overwhelmed them or what would make them feel more prepared. Once you get answers to these questions, you can begin to create an onboarding plan for your office. This should include a list of prep work activities you should have done before your new employee’s first day. We’ll cover some examples, but keep in mind this may not work for you and your office.

Weeks Before Hiring paperwork Office set up Account Access Building & room access Order name tags & business cards Create agenda Onboarding starts before the employee does. There are a few things you can do before the start date to prepare your office for the new arrival: Hiring Paperwork: Send the packet of paperwork to the employee. Some things may need reflection (W4: do you really know what you want to put down?). This allows the employee time to consider options and keeps the paperwork on day one to a minimum. Office Set Up: Is the phone working? Is the computer plugged in? If you have duel screens, are both working? Has the desk been cleaned out? Wiped down? Nothing is more gross than finding someone’s old food in the desk drawers. Don’t leave it for your new worker! Access Accounts: Can you have your IT department set up computer log ins? Or temporary log in? Building/Room Access: Have keys or the form completed and waiting for the employee. Order name tags & business cards: If your office has name tags, have one ready for the new worker. This can help them feel welcome on first day, set the expectation that name tags are required, and help to keep them from standing out. Business cards: they will be meeting new people right away. If you have an assigned email and phone number, order the business cards so they can hand them out. Create an agenda: have a training schedule ready to share on 1st day. The new employee will appreciate knowing what to expect. This also ensures they won’t be left randomly alone with nothing to work on for long periods. Make sure to schedule breaks in that agenda, and to allow for some flexibility: for example 1pm-5pm is working on A, B and C.

Weeks Before: For everyone else Announce the new hire both in person and with email Make sure duties are lined out for everyone on the team so others are threatened by new role or person Assign peer mentor What are the concerns of your staff? Announce the new hire to each individual staff in person and in email. If you rely on email, some folks may not read the announcement in time. If you only talk in person, you might miss someone who was out or unavailable the day you announce. Everyone in the office should be aware that a new employee is starting soon, and know their name. Make sure you are clear about the job duties. Especially if this is a new position within your office. Everyone should be clear about the expectations. Everyone should have an opportunity to meet with you, or their supervisor if there are concerns. Staff could be threatened by a new role, or worried about how the new person will fit within the office. Having a peer mentor is great. Who should the new hire go to if they have questions and you’re not available? Assign this in advance and have a very clear conversation about expectations with this peer mentor before the new hire’s first day. Allow them to contribute to the onboarding plan.

Day Before Call employee to check in the day before: What to bring Where to park How to dress When to arrive Remind them how excited you are to have them join the team The day or two before the first day, call the new hire to check in. Remind them how excited you are to have them joining the team. Also provide a few reminders: What to bring 2 forms of ID for the I9: passport, social security card, etc. BYO water? Water bottle? Coffee? Sweater? Is your office cold/hot? Where to park Do you need a parking pass? Where can you get one? How much are they? Do you need one the first day? If parking is far away, is there somewhere I can temporarily park to bring in my personal items? How to dress Do you have a dress code? Be honest, who in here stresses about how they dress? You want to fit in. Make sure you anticipate that concern in the new employee. They might hesitate to ask, or not think of it until the night before, when its too late to ask. What to arrive Work day starts at 8:00am. Most likely, your new employee will show up early. If your doors are locked, do you want them to sit in the hallway? You should plan to show up early and let them know you’ll meet them at the door. Or ask them to come in at 8:15 or 8:30. Whatever time you agree on- YOU need to be there!!

First Day Have a welcome sign or card with notes from staff Small treat or logo gift Plan a group celebration Ask group to take new employee out to lunch Share agenda Walk them around your immediate area Show how to use equipment Give them time Have your staff create a welcome sign or a card with notes from each staff. Place this in the office or on the desk of the new hire. I have seen these saved for years! It can help create a team atmosphere. Consider having a treat waiting at the office. If your campus has logo items, purchase a coffee mug, or balloon or something. The cheaper office is candy, put a candy bouquet or bowl of candy or treats on the desk. Bring donuts or cake to have a group celebration Ask a group to take the new employee out to lunch. (new FA advisor can be taken out by the other advisors, etc). Share the agenda for the next several weeks: whats the plan? Walk them around your immediate area: show them the breakroom (or where you can store, heat your lunch?), where is the water cooler, where are the restrooms (don’t just say “down the hall”, walk them there). Remember, its overwhelming! So much to remember on your first day. Show them how to work the copier/fax machine: Each one is different, but its probably awkward and hard for the new worker to admit they don’t know something that seems simple on the first day. Show them how to use the equipment, not just where it is. Give them time: The new employee has a lot to remember and think of on their first day. Give them some time to sit at their desk and set it up the way they want. Show them the storage closet or where to get supplies and give them space to get comfortable.

First Week Tour of campus/scavenger hunt Outreach event Introduce to other offices Campus required trainings Check in regularly Not all training will take place the first day, so your schedule will include training sessions throughout the week. Here are a few considerations for your schedule: -Schedule a tour of your campus with your Admissions officers. Even if the employee is from another department, he or she may have never had an official tour. I’ve done our campus tour a few times, and I always learn something new. Consider sending a peer position along with your new employee, to allow for some bonding time. -Outreach event can not only provide training opportunity, but can highlight your mission. Scheduling an outreach event during the first week with a new employee can emphasis the importance of the mission. Visit a high school together, or a plan a FAFSA workshop. -Walk your employee around to important offices: Admissions, Registrar, Bursar, etc. They won’t remember names, but they will learn where the offices are and how often you work with them. -Schedule your campus required trainings. When available, find a session in person. -Check in regularly. Ask them how they feel. Read their unspoken words: are they overwhelmed, underwhelmed, excited?

First Month SMART goals Ask the question: “Is the nature of your job what you thought it would be?” By now, you should know the learning style of your new hire enough to create goals for the next 3-6 months. You should be setting goals that deal with the essence of the job, projects this person is responsible for, and general professional development goals. SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time bound Example: Complete the NASFAA Application module and credential test within 3 months. Return fall scholarship checks for unenrolled students within 1 month. Essence of the Job: Obvious point. You need them to know what they are supposed to do. But you can’t give it all to them at once. For example: Do you have an advisor process PJs on their first day? No. So when will they learn this? Projects: What special projects should they know about? End of term clean up? Process Improvement efforts? Professional Development Goals: This individual needs to grow in general, not just within financial aid or your specific role. Be clear what your expectations are and what resources or options are available. This gives the new person something to work towards, provides clear direction. Don’t forget to follow through! Consider having a calendar that is just for your supervisor role to help track this. Also, now is the time to ask: “Is this what you signed up for?” Now is the time to figure that you. They should know enough of the job and you know enough about them to know if the fit isn’t right. If its not right, don’t force it or ignore it. Do something about it during this probationary phase.

What resources do you use? FSA Coach Sister Dale Brown Summer Institute WASFAA Fall Training State conference or training What resources do you use? FSA Coach SDBSI Summer Institute/Fall training State association training What resources do you use?

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