Page 154 - Successful Onboarding

“Connections That Count”—Empowering Employees by Nurturing • 141

Table 4.1 Interpersonal Network Elements—Sample Tactics (Continued)
Onboarding
Phase Element Sample Tactics Application Advice
• Active • Prepare the stakeholder maps and • Helps navigate the bureaucracy, know
introduction use them as a tool to make who is who, and who one should go to
by mentors introductions between the new with questions
and managers hires and the existing staff • This is an “active” responsibility for
• Mentor or peer sponsor serving mentors—not just pointing new hire in
actively as a connector within the right direction, but talking to the
their teams or local assignments person to be introduced so he or she is
• Provide introductions of new hires ready for the new hire’s call
at team meetings • Can begin at Orient, then carry
through for integrate and excel
• Distinguish • Give the new hires a name and • Naming the cohort helps create an
new hires as a establish cohorts identity for them
distinct group
Integrate • Ongoing • Consortium networking with local • Building an internal network should be
networking new hires from other orgs one of the key new hire goals during
opportunities • Online networking tool on new the first 90 days, both with other new
hire portal (created during hires as well as experienced employees
orientation, but really used and leadership
further into tenure) • Programs should provide mechanisms
• New hire affinity group events and activities for new hires to identify
“Lunch and learns” with other employees with like professional
experienced employees and personal interests and build
relationships with them
Excel • Ongoing • Consortium networking with local • In addition to continuing company
networking new hires from other orgs based networking opportunities from
opportunities • Networking tool on new hire the earlier stages, orgs may want to
portal provide chances to grow networks
• New hire affinity events “Lunch within the local community
and learns” with experienced • Joint networking events with new hires
employees at other local orgs are an effective
• Personal invite from company means for new hires to build extra-
leader for coffee, lunch, work relationships and attachments to
or dinner the local community
• End of year summit—those who • Also good for early career support so
have had key successes should be people can be proud of their
presenting them accomplishments and show they’ve
made progress