Lifestage

onboarding & offboarding

An effective onboarding strategy begins with a comprehensive assessment of the previous year's efforts. Start by reflecting on last year’s strategy, analyzing feedback from last year’s hires, and identifying which goals you were or were not able to meet. Next, seek input from key stakeholders, including leaders and current staff, to identify what you need to refine in your current practice to ensure that onboarding serves new hires by providing them with the 4 C’s: connection, culture, clarification, and compliance. (Offboarding coming soon!)

Effective onboarding must be designed around defined outcomes and goals that are aligned with the organization’s core values and priorities. Include specific success metrics for each of the 4 C categories (i.e., connection, culture, clarification, and compliance), as well as broader metrics such as increased new hire satisfaction and reduced attrition.

Strong onboarding creates connections that directly impact staff retention. Matriculation starts the moment a job offer is accepted – frequent communication is critical for keeping new hires “warm” until their first day. Formal orientation typically comprises the first weeks on-site and should clearly define the expectations and culture of your organization. Importantly, ongoing support throughout the entirety of the first year will help mitigate feelings of self-doubt and low self-esteem that are common among new hires as they adjust to their new roles.

Onboarding provides new hires an excellent opportunity to build genuine connections with people across the organization. Use a thoughtful approach to involve staff across levels of power and identity to ensure a diversity of voices, experiences, and expertise are highlighted throughout the onboarding process. Importantly, make sure onboarding responsibilities span HR and school networks to maximize synergy, and respect veteran staff time when requesting their involvement.