Page 238 - Successful Onboarding

The Onboarding Margin Life Support System • 219

In a lesser way, an onboarding element should also be written into the job
responsibilities of all senior employees who interface with new hires. To be
systemic, onboarding needs to be part of the organization’s fiber, and for
that to happen, established employees need to bring the “onboarding ethic”
and values to life. Unless formal responsibilities clearly address onboard-
ing, this process risks devolving into a rote exercise with little meaning or
impact.
Integrated process automation and tracking software can support the
efficiency and effectiveness of metric evaluation. HR can input training
completion and training rates, while web-based self-assessment tools for new
hires help monitor productivity/capability assessments, objective tracking
and completion rate, equipment receipt, and satisfaction surveys. Starbucks
uses its onboarding software suite to track metrics like Time to Complete
Training, Time to Capability, Time to Receiving Equipment and Tools,
and Retention. The telecommunications company Sprint Nextel uses
automated reporting software to track metrics such as the following:

First-year Retention,
Time to Training Completion,
Time to Productivity, and
Time to Receiving Needed Equipment and Tools.

Senior management monitors these metrics regularly and reviews them
annually, setting objectives for the following year. As a result of the imple-
mentation and tracking of key performance metrics, Sprint Nextel has
seen a stronger onboarding program that has driven quicker productivity
and higher retention. Time to productivity has decreased by more than
30%, and retention rates have risen by more than 20%.
Incorporating onboarding into existing feedback mechanisms, such as
departmental and annual corporate surveys, can provide important
insights from untapped sources. Drawing opinions from a broader pool of
participants provides greater perspective on the role of onboarding in the
corporation and increases awareness. It also elicits feedback and ideas that
may otherwise be overlooked.
HR might insert questions directly pertaining to new hires, such as,
“Was your computer delivered before you arrived?” or “If you could