Need Help with Onboarding #onboarding #knowledge-retention
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Lydia Jamenya
Dear KMers,
I need help with putting in place and onboarding and OffBoarding package for a large organisation.
I work for an organisation that has over 1000 staff, and where there are usually many reassignments. The problem is that, while we have a package, it is over 20 pages, which means new people don’t take the time to read it when they come to the country. Any advise on how this can be improved? We also don’t have an offboarding process that helps us retain knowledge from people leaving, any advice on how to go about this? Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Lydia The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments is intended for specific individuals or entities, and may be confidential, proprietary or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete this message and do not disclose, distribute or copy it to any third party or otherwise use this message. The content of this message does not necessarily reflect the official position of the World Food Programme. Electronic messages are not secure or error free and may contain viruses or may be delayed, and the sender is not liable for any of these occurrences. The sender reserves the right to monitor, record and retain electronic messages. |
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Fred Nickols
Lydia:
I think what you want to do is get the new hires to familiarize themselves with what is in the onboarding package so they can find what they need when they need. One way to do this is to prepare a set of questions that are answerable by looking in the package. Each question should indicate the page in the package on which they can find the answer. Completing and submitting their answers is part of the onboarding process and must be completed and submitted. (I did this years ago to get construction site superintendents to familiarize themselves with the union contract so they could better deal with the union reps. The questions accompanying written materials are known technically as an “adjunct program.”)
Regards,
Fred Nickols, Consultant
My Objective is to Help You Achieve Yours
From: main@SIKM.groups.io <main@SIKM.groups.io> On Behalf Of Lydia Jamenya
Sent: Tuesday, July 6, 2021 3:58 AM To: main@SIKM.groups.io Subject: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding
Dear KMers,
I need help with putting in place and onboarding and OffBoarding package for a large organisation.
I work for an organisation that has over 1000 staff, and where there are usually many reassignments. The problem is that, while we have a package, it is over 20 pages, which means new people don’t take the time to read it when they come to the country. Any advise on how this can be improved? We also don’t have an offboarding process that helps us retain knowledge from people leaving, any advice on how to go about this? Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Lydia
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Robert L. Bogue
Lydia –
I think there are two key ways to improve the process.
First, create chunks that are understandable. 20 pages is a lot. Creating an index of sorts that explains what is where is a good start. The more the information can be packaged in a way that allow people to process it easily the more readily that it will be used.
Second, they need to know why THEY need to know what is in that section and why they want to interact with it. One of the ways that I explain it is to write teasers that get people interested in the content. There’s a video about it at https://thorprojects.com/blog/archive/2019/08/06/time-to-talk-tantalizing-teasers/
Finally, I’d offer that as much as I have an aversion to gamification, creating a simple map like a candy land / Life type board that shows people the steps to being a part of the team, the more likely they are to work their way through the packet. (because the packet completion is connected with being a part of the organization.)
Rob
------------------- Robert L. Bogue O: (317) 844-5310 M: (317) 506-4977 Blog: http://www.thorprojects.com/blog Want to be confident about your change management efforts? https://ConfidentChangeManagement.com Are you burned out? https://ExtinguishBurnout.com can help you get out of it (for free)
From: main@SIKM.groups.io <main@SIKM.groups.io> On Behalf Of
Lydia Jamenya via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, July 6, 2021 3:58 AM To: main@SIKM.groups.io Subject: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding
Dear KMers,
I need help with putting in place and onboarding and OffBoarding package for a large organisation.
I work for an organisation that has over 1000 staff, and where there are usually many reassignments. The problem is that, while we have a package, it is over 20 pages, which means new people don’t take the time to read it when they come to the country. Any advise on how this can be improved? We also don’t have an offboarding process that helps us retain knowledge from people leaving, any advice on how to go about this? Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Lydia
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Nick Milton
The other thing you might consider, when it comes to the onboarding package, is to house it on a wiki and to create a community of practice for onboarded staff. You can then ask the community of onboarders to update the wiki.
What you think they might need to know, may not be exactly what they found they had to learn, and by giving them ownership of the content you may end up with a richer outcome.
Nick Milton www.linkedin.com/company/knoco-ltd email nick.milton@... blog www.nickmilton.com twitter @nickknoco Author of the recent book - "The Knowledge Manager’s Handbook"
"Ambition without knowledge is like a boat on dry land."
From: main@SIKM.groups.io <main@SIKM.groups.io> On Behalf Of Lydia Jamenya via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, July 6, 2021 3:58 AM To: main@SIKM.groups.io Subject: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding
Dear KMers,
I need help with putting in place and onboarding and OffBoarding package for a large organisation.
I work for an organisation that has over 1000 staff, and where there are usually many reassignments. The problem is that, while we have a package, it is over 20 pages, which means new people don’t take the time to read it when they come to the country. Any advise on how this can be improved? We also don’t have an offboarding process that helps us retain knowledge from people leaving, any advice on how to go about this? Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Lydia
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Murray Jennex
I'm currently onboarding at a university and I have a little different take. The onboard package is nice but by itself not real helpful, my problems arise as I start doing my job and I have lots of process questions. Some are anticipated and some aren't. I suggest organizing the onboard package by job function and have a communicated place where the new hire can find it. Of course, my real suggestion is to have onboard mentors. I did research on new members to an organization several years ago and found that new members don't use the written guidance much, they prefer to talk to people. As I write this I realize I am doing the same thing, I talk and email people with my questions and don't refer to the onboard packet. Is it laziness? I don't think so, what I found back then and find now is that my context as a new member is very different than HRs. My onboard packet is set up for new professors, I'm retired from one university moving to this one. My experience and context is completely different than that of a young new hire and this university hasn't anticipated that. All that said, I just don't think you can create an onboard packet that fits everyone and every context and you will need to be prepared for face to face interactions, hence having mentors. thanks.....murray jennex -----Original Message-----
From: Fred Nickols <fred@...> To: main@SIKM.groups.io Sent: Tue, Jul 6, 2021 3:17 am Subject: Re: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding Lydia:
I think what you want to do is get the new hires to familiarize themselves with what is in the onboarding package so they can find what they need when they need. One way to do this is to prepare a set of questions that are answerable by looking in the package. Each question should indicate the page in the package on which they can find the answer. Completing and submitting their answers is part of the onboarding process and must be completed and submitted. (I did this years ago to get construction site superintendents to familiarize themselves with the union contract so they could better deal with the union reps. The questions accompanying written materials are known technically as an “adjunct program.”)
Regards,
Fred Nickols, Consultant
My Objective is to Help You Achieve Yours
From: main@SIKM.groups.io <main@SIKM.groups.io> On Behalf Of Lydia Jamenya
Sent: Tuesday, July 6, 2021 3:58 AM To: main@SIKM.groups.io Subject: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding Dear KMers,
I need help with putting in place and onboarding and OffBoarding package for a large organisation.
I work for an organisation that has over 1000 staff, and where there are usually many reassignments. The problem is that, while we have a package, it is over 20 pages, which means new people don’t take the time to read it when they come to the country. Any advise on how this can be improved? We also don’t have an offboarding process that helps us retain knowledge from people leaving, any advice on how to go about this? Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Lydia
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments is intended for specific individuals or entities, and may be confidential, proprietary or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete this message and do not disclose, distribute or copy it to any third party or otherwise use this message. The content of this message does not necessarily reflect the official position of the World Food Programme. Electronic messages are not secure or error free and may contain viruses or may be delayed, and the sender is not liable for any of these occurrences. The sender reserves the right to monitor, record and retain electronic messages. |
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Murray Jennex
Lydia, I sent another post with my advice but wanted to emphasize something I said in that post. My research on new members is that they won't read the materials, they want to talk to people. My finding was that new members want to learn the context and culture of the organization and the package doesn't do that and I'm not sure one can be created that does. I suggest using mentors.....murray -----Original Message-----
From: Lydia Jamenya <lydia.jamenya@...> To: main@SIKM.groups.io <main@SIKM.groups.io> Sent: Tue, Jul 6, 2021 12:58 am Subject: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding Dear KMers,
I need help with putting in place and onboarding and OffBoarding package for a large organisation.
I work for an organisation that has over 1000 staff, and where there are usually many reassignments. The problem is that, while we have a package, it is over 20 pages, which means new people don’t take the time to read it when they come
to the country. Any advise on how this can be improved? We also don’t have an offboarding process that helps us retain knowledge from people leaving, any advice on how to go about this? Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Lydia
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments is intended for specific individuals or entities, and may be confidential, proprietary or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete this message and do not disclose, distribute or copy it to any third party or otherwise use this message. The content of this message does not necessarily reflect the official position of the World Food Programme. Electronic messages are not secure or error free and may contain viruses or may be delayed, and the sender is not liable for any of these occurrences. The sender reserves the right to monitor, record and retain electronic messages. |
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David Eddy
Lydia -
Set up like a scavenger hunt. Have a binder with people & functions the new hire needs to talk with to verify whatever collection of functions & people the new person will need to know. “Joe Smith works on function X… go ask him what works & what gets handled as exceptions..." - David |
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Patrick Lambe
Hi Lydia
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Some great suggestions here already. Some principles I have found useful: 1. Onboarding is a process not a document. 2. Integration and getting up to speed is as much about people connected to the role as about knowledge for the role. 3. Humans can’t absorb a lot of new information all at once, and we don’t need to know everything all at once. We did a very successful onboarding support project some years back called “The First 30 Days”. It was a booklet meant to guide new hires, their buddies (per Murray’s suggestion) and their reporting officers. I say successful, because this was over 10 years ago. I mentioned it as a suggested approach for a different client recently, and one of the people on the client management team had been onboarded in that original organisation using that process and remembered it vividly as having been very helpful. Each double page spread identified tasks on a timeline: Pre-arrival - ensuring things are in place First Day - Basic orientation, meeting buddy and reporting officer, job hygiene factors (workplace, physical orientation, etc) First Week - Orientation to role: key responsibilities and the information/knowledge resources and people associated with them Second Week - Immersion: working through key tasks in detail, getting involved in meetings, making introductions Third Week - Reflection: sit down with Buddy and Reporting Officer and reflect on the learning in the first two weeks, filling in gaps Fourth Week - Looking Forward: sit with Reporting Officer and think about any development or support needs for the first 6 months. Of course, 30 days is arbitrary, though it is the most critical period. It might extend further. When you think about onboarding as a process on a timeline, and as social as well as technical and organisational, then a lot of onboarding content can be shunted to a general resources site that would help anyone in that role on a self-help basis, and the key stuff they need in the first month can be chunked out. P
Patrick Lambe
Partner Straits Knowledge phone: +65 98528511 web: www.straitsknowledge.com resources: www.greenchameleon.com knowledge mapping: www.aithinsoftware.com 
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Hi Lydia,
I developed a large Strategic Onboarding program for a large government department a few years ago and, while the context is quite different, here are a couple of ideas to consider for the Onboarding program. 1. Put any materials in a form that's readily available and used by them. This could done a variety of ways (e.g a tech platform or App for office workers, or something like bulletin/info boards for non-office staff,...) An Informational checklist-type form for new hires (important information they may/will need to know) can be a very good starter and reference doc for them. 2. Assign 'buddies' for the first 30 or 60 days to help with those 'where do I go/How do I' questions. Alternatively assign designated staff members as go-to 'champions' for questions pertaining to certain topic areas (e.g. IT, HR, forms, supplies, security, operational function A, operational function B, etc). Check in on the new hires periodically throughout the 30 or 60 days to make sure they are getting settled in, and then a little while later (month or two?) to get ideas for improvements. 3. Consult with the managers for the new hires to see what the new hires need to learn in the 'getting up to speed' stage (different orgs can have 30 days - 1 year or more in this stage), and identify common needs and the most effective and efficient method of delivering it. It can be quite surprising to managers what new hires know and don't know. Whenever possible use internal 'organizational learning' practices to share knowledge, identify experts, build collaboration, etc. KEY: Make sure you know exactly what their needs are and how best to satisfy those needs. Offboarding: 1. An Exit checklist form can be a useful way to ensure all necessary steps are taken when a person is going to leave (e.g. security, keys, passwords, equipment, forms, cards, etc). 2. Departing employees with important knowledge or experiences can be asked to hold information/debrief/learning sessions with remaining staff. Having someone else (e.g. senior operational person, training analyst or business analyst) to help coach the departing employee prepare a thorough and useful debrief session could be advisable. 3. It may seem obvious but all essential work materials/documentation should be complete and organized properly. This step is seldom done well. Hope it helps. Cheers Paul Paul McDowall Know How Works
Ottawa, Canada
Cell: 613-796-7257
Email: KnowHowWorks@...
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/paul-mcdowall/4/92b/430 |
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Great advice!
Thanks! Ginetta -- Ginetta Gueli Information & Knowledge Manager | Project Manager |
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Hello, In the unit where the new person goes, there usually is a senior officer to show him/her the ropes for a month or 2. The new recruits also have a reception with the Director General or the Deputy Director-Generals, usually just to welcome them and give a little “pep“ talk about the organization’s mandate. New hires are also given internal mentors (and coaches), if they wish, to help them navigate themselves in the Secretariat. They usually have them for 3 months or so. For offboarding, we started a “chat-show type of event, called “WTO In Person”. It’s like a TV show with a host, guest and an audience. It’s a very informal “entre nous” internal event where anecdotes, lessons learned, aha moments, passions (professional or personal) and messages to the next generation are shared. It’s actually a fun and relaxed lunchtime event where the focus is not just about the employee but also the individual. In the individual units, some are now making efforts in organizing exit interviews as well as process mapping for their replacements. But unfortunately not all do this systematically or intentionally yet. Our records and archives people meet with departing staff to see what informal notes need to be archived for future use. Though, depends if the person leaving is cooperative. Hope this helps. Best, Ninez World Trade Organization (WTO) On 7 Jul 2021, at 07:32, Ginetta Gueli via groups.io <ginetta.gueli@...> wrote:
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Lydia Jamenya
Thank You all for your insights, very useful indeed!
Best, Lydia
From: main@SIKM.groups.io <main@SIKM.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Paul McDowall via groups.io
Sent: 07 July 2021 05:19 To: main@SIKM.groups.io Subject: Re: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding #onboarding
Hi Lydia,
Know How Works Ottawa, Canada Cell: 613-796-7257 Email: KnowHowWorks@... LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/paul-mcdowall/4/92b/430 The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments is intended for specific individuals or entities, and may be confidential, proprietary or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete this message and do not disclose, distribute or copy it to any third party or otherwise use this message. The content of this message does not necessarily reflect the official position of the World Food Programme. Electronic messages are not secure or error free and may contain viruses or may be delayed, and the sender is not liable for any of these occurrences. The sender reserves the right to monitor, record and retain electronic messages. |
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Stephen Bounds
Hi all, I have been reading these super-useful exchanges with great interest and feel compelled to ask the question: As a KM community, how do we move beyond anecdote and sharing of individual experience in this area? Onboarding and induction is surely one of the most universal and
impactful knowledge practices any organisation implements. I can
hardly think of a more useful place for us to develop and
systematize a 'best practice' KM approach (with staff exit likely
coming second). In terms of the six "S" factors required to demonstrate
a clinical approach:
I see lots of great information to draw on already. How do we
take this to the next level? Cheers, ==================================== Stephen Bounds Executive, Information Management Cordelta E: stephen.bounds@... M: 0401 829 096 ==================================== On 6/07/2021 5:58 pm, Lydia Jamenya
wrote:
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Hi Stephen,
I agree with you about elevating the focus and trying to look at the onboarding process from a clinical approach, If I may add 1 more question: Where does the line cross between KM and Learning and development, because (at least in Israel) onboarding is mainly handled by L&D?. Assuming an organization has those 2 departments, does it make sense that KM will make sure that the needed knowledge is available for the L&D department, and the L&D will provide the learning technics for the knowledge provides by the KM? Thanks, Tami |
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Murray Jennex
I'll think more on this Stephen but the first question that comes to mind is what in the purpose of onboarding and is it the same in all organizations? At the base level the purpose should be to introduce the new person to the basics of the organization and I can see that being a common standard, but at the high level it should also be to introduce the new person to the organizational culture and that I don't see as a standard approach....murray jennex -----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Bounds <km@...> To: main@SIKM.groups.io Sent: Wed, Jul 7, 2021 7:43 am Subject: [SIKM] META: Need Help with Onboarding Hi all,
I have been reading these super-useful exchanges with great
interest and feel compelled to ask the question: As a
KM community, how do we move beyond anecdote and sharing of
individual experience in this area?
Onboarding and induction is surely one of the most universal and
impactful knowledge practices any organisation implements. I can
hardly think of a more useful place for us to develop and
systematize a 'best practice' KM approach (with staff exit likely
coming second).
In terms of the six "S" factors required to demonstrate
a clinical approach:
I see lots of great information to draw on already. How do we
take this to the next level?
Cheers,
Stephen. ==================================== Stephen Bounds Executive, Information Management Cordelta E: stephen.bounds@... M: 0401 829 096 ==================================== On 6/07/2021 5:58 pm, Lydia Jamenya
wrote:
Dear KMers,
I need help with putting in place and
onboarding and OffBoarding package for a large organisation.
I work for an organisation that has over
1000 staff, and where there are usually many reassignments.
The problem is that, while we have a package, it is over 20
pages, which means new people don’t take the time to read it
when they come to the country. Any advise on how this can be
improved? We also don’t have an offboarding process that helps
us retain knowledge from people leaving, any advice on how to
go about this? Any insights will be highly appreciated.
Lydia
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments is intended for specific individuals or entities, and may be confidential, proprietary or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete this message and do not disclose, distribute or copy it to any third party or otherwise use this message. The content of this message does not necessarily reflect the official position of the World Food Programme. Electronic messages are not secure or error free and may contain viruses or may be delayed, and the sender is not liable for any of these occurrences. The sender reserves the right to monitor, record and retain electronic messages. |
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Patrick Lambe
It is also to help people get up to speed in their new roles, and again that’s as varied as the roles themselves.
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Patrick Lambe
Partner Straits Knowledge phone: +65 98528511 web: www.straitsknowledge.com resources: www.greenchameleon.com knowledge mapping: www.aithinsoftware.com 
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Stephen Bounds
Thanks for your thoughts Tami, Murray, and Patrick. So what I'm hearing is that a well-run onboarding process consists of:
Some people might split (3) - (5) into an "induction" process separate from "onboarding", but let's assume they are all part of the same basic process for now. I'm sure many people have experienced what might be termed a "shadow" induction as well - "The clipboards they give us are rubbish, go to Officeworks and get one of the $20 ones there instead. Don't talk to Bob for anything, he's incompetent but won't get fired because he is friends with the boss; get Sally's help if you can instead. Oh, and only ever claim 30 minutes of lunch even if you take the full hour - everyone does it." Did I miss anything major? Would you drop any of these? While the specifics of onboarding may differ, I still think it's
worth thinking about why these categories of activities matter,
how they can be objectively performed better or worse, and
organisational factors that might warrant a change in approach. Cheers, ==================================== Stephen Bounds Executive, Information Management Cordelta E: stephen.bounds@... M: 0401 829 096 ==================================== On 8/07/2021 9:51 am, Patrick Lambe
wrote:
It is also to help people get up to speed in their new roles, and again that’s as varied as the roles themselves. |
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I’d also add that one salient key point you need from your induction is how/where to find out what you need to know once you find out what that is. Inductions typically go big on the corporate spiel of mission, strategy and values and so on, but what turns out to really matter may be different. Where can I hang my coat; do I get my own storage space; how do I do expenses; what if my under desk drawer is locked and has no key (real life from previous job - luckily I’d found the company A-Z by then and found out who could help - actually I was stunned they fixed it overnight). It’s also about knowing where and how to find out … because in induction I don’t yet know the furniture issues yet to face me!
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Robert Taylor Sent from mobile On 8 Jul 2021, at 13:52, Stephen Bounds <km@...> wrote:
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Murray Jennex
I'd add a couple of things:
1. What the organizational values and how they impact work
2 How does the organization make decisions (do this a little later in the process)
3. What are the strategic goals and how do you specifically fit into them thanks....murray -----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Bounds <km@...> To: main@SIKM.groups.io Sent: Thu, Jul 8, 2021 5:52 am Subject: Re: [SIKM] Need Help with Onboarding Thanks for your thoughts Tami, Murray, and Patrick.
So what I'm hearing is that a well-run onboarding process
consists of:
Some people might split (3) - (5) into an "induction" process
separate from "onboarding", but let's assume they are all part of
the same basic process for now.
I'm sure many people have experienced what might be termed a
"shadow" induction as well - "The clipboards they give us are
rubbish, go to Officeworks and get one of the $20 ones there
instead. Don't talk to Bob for anything, he's incompetent but
won't get fired because he is friends with the boss; get Sally's
help if you can instead. Oh, and only ever claim 30 minutes of
lunch even if you take the full hour - everyone does it."
Did I miss anything major? Would you drop any of these?
While the specifics of onboarding may differ, I still think it's
worth thinking about why these categories of activities matter,
how they can be objectively performed better or worse, and
organisational factors that might warrant a change in approach.
Cheers,
Stephen. ==================================== Stephen Bounds Executive, Information Management Cordelta E: stephen.bounds@... M: 0401 829 096 ==================================== On 8/07/2021 9:51 am, Patrick Lambe
wrote:
It is also to help people get up to speed in their new roles, and
again that’s as varied as the roles themselves.
P
Patrick Lambe
Partner Straits Knowledge phone: +65 98528511 web: www.straitsknowledge.com resources: www.greenchameleon.com knowledge mapping: www.aithinsoftware.com 
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Fred Nickols
Years ago, long before “onboarding” was of interest, I developed for the old AT&T Yellow Pages organization, what was called a “Getting Up to Speed” manual. We called it “GUTS” for short managers used to give it to new hires and newly assigned people. Some would say, “Here, let’s see if you’ve got the guts to work here.” Managers and employees both valued the manual. Fred Nickols Solution Engineer & Chief Toolmaker Distance Consulting LLC On Jul 8, 2021, at 2:40 PM, Murray Jennex via groups.io <murphjen@...> wrote:
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