Chapter 4

Customizing the New Employee Orientation Workshops

What’s in This Chapter

• Ideas for creating customized approaches to delivering orientation

• Designs for small group and one-on-one sessions

• Guidance on tailoring content to the organization and industry

Helping new hires quickly become productive contributors is critical to your company’s success, so you need to have a robust onboarding program in place that fits your organization’s unique business needs. That fit depends on building a custom approach to orienting new employees.

The materials in this ATD Workshop Series volume are designed to meet a variety of training needs. They cover a range of topics related to new employee orientation and can be offered in many timeframes and formats. By using the expertly designed learning content and activities provided here as a foundation, you can modify and adapt the learning experience by customizing the workshop format, customizing the content and activities, and customizing delivery with technology.

The design of your program depends on these and other unique aspects of your organization:

• Size of the organization

• Number of employees

• Number of locations and geographical spread

• Diversity of employees

• Language

• Technology capabilities

• Budget.

Your training needs analysis will help you prioritize and select the content and activities of highest value for your participants. For more on needs analysis, see Chapter 5 in this volume.

Customizing the Delivery Approaches to Orientation

Although face-to-face orientation sessions are preferable, sometimes it just isn’t cost-effective or practical to bring employees to a central location for training. People are often spread out among remote locations, domestically and globally, which makes bringing them to the corporate headquarters very costly. Other organizations, particularly small to mid-sized ones, have few new employees and, therefore, it could be a long time before they have enough new employees to hold a group session. Although such situations may prevent you from conducting the traditional-style group orientation, you can still develop and administer a structured new employee orientation program customized to accommodate their specific situations.

You can combine and adapt the agendas, activities, and handouts provided in this book in many different ways to come up with the right combination of delivery and format. Some of the most effective new employee orientation programs use a blended approach to learning, with part of the learning delivered in a workshop setting and part through digital or online media. Chapter 7 offers suggestions for leveraging technology in the onboarding process. Here are some approaches to delivery that you can try.

Group Orientation

Group orientation is a powerful delivery method if done correctly. The two-day, one-day, and half-day interactive workshops in this volume are designed to help new employees learn about the organization and its culture and meet and interact with other new hires and key people in the organization. The new employee orientation workshops form the basis of the socialization process and help new employees feel part of the team. These group sessions include lively and meaningful discussions as well as robust, interactive learning activities. Group orientation sessions such as those presented in this book tend to focus on cultural integration, whereas one-on-one or departmental orientation and on-the-job training focus on operational integration.

A Series of One-Hour Sessions

The realities of everyday business life can present constraints and challenges in designing and delivering new employee orientation training. For example, when the group of incoming new hires is small (fewer than 12 individuals), there may simply not be enough participants to make the agendas in Chapters 1–3 work effectively. Also, in some cases, frontline supervisors may have to conduct the training themselves. Because managers and supervisors have many other responsibilities, they don’t have a lot of time to prepare for and deliver new employee orientation training in a single, extended session. Moreover, if the new employees are already on the job and engaged in their specific job-related tasks and responsibilities, it may be difficult to pull them off the job for large blocks of time.

One solution to these challenges is to scale down or chunk the program into manageable segments conducted over a period of weeks and months. The key is to make the process user-friendly. With that in mind, Table 4-1 provides a suggested design for small groups or supervisor-facilitated programs broken down into one-hour segments.

Table 4-1. Design for One-Hour Sessions

Session	Content/Topic	Activities
Session 1	Objectives	• Lecturette
	Getting Acquainted	• Learning Activity 2: Toys Are Us
	Assessing Needs	• Learning Activity 4: I’m Curious
	Background/Philosophy	• Learning Activity 7: All About Us
Session 2	Organization Structure	• Learning Activity 9: Organizational Structure Card Sort
	Products and Services	• Learning Activity 11: Product Expo (peer lessons variation)
Session 3	Policies and Procedures	• Learning Activity 14: In Search Of
	Professional Appearance	• Learning Activity 15: What Not to Wear (or Do)
Session 4	Core Values	• Learning Activity 17: Living Our Core Values
	Ethics	• Learning Activity 18: Taking the High Road
Session 5	Resources	• Learning Activity 19: FAQs
	Terminology	• Learning Activity 20: Newbie Feud (low-tech variation)
	Key Learning Points	• Learning Activity 21: Summary of Key Learning Points

One-on-One Orientation

One-on-one orientation sessions are generally conducted by a manager, supervisor, or trainer and focus on orienting the new employee to the department or team. Chapter 11: The Supervisor’s Toolkit presents tools and techniques for delivering one-on-one orientation.

Just as with group orientation, one-on-one sessions need to be fun and engaging. In most one-on-one sessions, the supervisor sits down with the employee and reviews information. The problem with this approach is that the communication is primarily one way, with the supervisor talking at the employee and then asking: “Do you understand?” This is usually followed by an equally dull: “Do you have any questions?” Both these questions result in “yes” or “no” answers and do little to promote two-way communication between the supervisor and the employee.

To avoid this static data dump, a more interesting and interactive approach would be to start by giving the information to the new employee to read on his or her own. Include content such as the Employee Handbook, brochures describing products and services, and other critical pieces of information that you want the employee to know.

It works well to chunk the information and then set up meetings with the new employee to discuss the assigned material. During these one-on-one sessions, you can “test” the employee’s knowledge and understanding of the material by asking open-ended questions. You might, for instance, ask: “What is our organization’s mission statement and what do you think it means?” You could also adapt some of the same activities you would use in a group session to use with the individual employee. Table 4-2 gives suggestions on some learning activities that the new employee could do individually or together with a supervisor.

Table 4-2. Design for One-on-One Sessions

Content/Topic	Activities
Our Heritage	Learning Activity 7: All About Us
Organization Structure	Learning Activity 9: Organizational Structure Card Sort
Policies and Procedures	Learning Activity 14: In Search Of
Core Values	Learning Activity 17: Living Our Core Values
Ethics	Learning Activity 18: Taking the High Road
Resources	Learning Activity 19: FAQs

Self-Directed Orientation

Self-directed orientation can be useful if combined with one-on-one orientation. A self-directed program involves a combination of self-study activities to be completed by the employee on the job and frequent one-on-one meetings with the supervisor. With this delivery method, the new employee follows a prescribed plan or road map along with checklists, worksheets, and list of resources to access either online, face-to-face, or through Skype or teleconferencing. Depending on the technology capabilities, you could also include online quizzes, interactive exercises, games, and simulations.

Facilitation Training for Managers and Supervisors: A Note for HR Staff

Circumstances may require managers and supervisors to conduct new employee orientation themselves. Because this is not their primary responsibility, the training department or other human resources professionals can be very helpful by conducting training sessions for those who are responsible for conducting orientation sessions at their sites. These training or coaching sessions for managers and supervisors should include the following: • The purpose, objectives, and scope of an onboarding program • The importance of orientation and its impact on performance and turnover • The supervisor’s/manager’s role in the onboarding process • The benefits of proper onboarding for the employee, the supervisor, and the organization • Checklists and other resources to help guide managers and supervisors through the onboarding process • Follow-up and evaluation procedures. Chapter 11 offers a plan including checklists and other tools for the supervisor to use in the onboarding process. One fairly low-cost and low-tech delivery method is to develop a packaged program to be facilitated by the new employee’s manager or supervisor. The program developer would prepare materials, a leader’s guide, and perhaps a video and send the package to each site. Many of the learning activities described in Chapter 12 can be adapted for use with a smaller group or even one-on-one. Similarly, the handouts in Chapter 14 can also be useful with small or large groups.

Online Orientation

Online orientation programs can be used to enhance classroom-based orientation. New employees can access important content such as the organization’s history, vision, mission, values, products and services, and policies and procedures prior to the classroom session. This is particularly valuable for a geographically dispersed workforce or if there is going to be a gap between an employee’s start date and a scheduled group session. (Refer to Chapter 7 for ideas of how to leverage technology to deliver training.)

On-the-Job Training

Once new employees have been introduced to the organization and their departments through the orientation sessions and activities, they will need to develop the proper knowledge and skills required to do their jobs. Most employees receive this kind of training on the job. On-the-job training is a structured process conducted at the employee’s work area to provide the employee with the knowledge and skills to perform job tasks. Unfortunately, far too often on-the-job training is conducted rather haphazardly, resulting in inconsistent performance, lower productivity, and increased employee frustration. Although this kind of training is beyond the scope of this book, it is worth mentioning that a comprehensive onboarding program should include a structured approach to on-the-job training.

Customizing the Content

No matter the format or venue for orientation, the broad categories of information that need to be covered do not change substantially. New employees at other sites still need the same information as those located at corporate headquarters. In general, new employee training programs should address the following topics:

• Company history and context

History

Organization profile

Culture

Mission, vision, and values

Goals and organization direction

Logo, tag line

Senior management team, department heads

Financial position

Locations, building layouts

Organization structure

Products and services

Customers

Competitors

• Compensation and benefits

Compensation, bonuses

Insurance plans

Retirement, deferred compensation

Profit sharing

Time off

Paid overtime

Workers’ compensation

Tuition reimbursement

• Policies and procedures

Work hours

Standards of personal conduct

Ethics

Safety

Emergencies

Computer and Internet usage

Sexual harassment

Parking

Attendance and tardiness

Performance evaluation

• Employee programs and services

Employee assistance program

Mentoring

Employee development

Service and recognition programs.

Although the broad categories of information are common across most organizations, the particular details of the content will be highly specific to your industry and organization. The supplemental materials developed for the agendas in this book have been created with generic content that is broadly applicable across organizations and industries, but, as suggested in the learning activities, you will want to tailor the content of the handouts to your unique business so that your new employees can get the most out of their workshop experiences.

The New Employee binder you create will include the organization’s Employee Handbook and other content already created by your HR department (see Chapters 1–3 for guidance on materials preparation). You will supplement the binder with other handouts throughout the workshops.

The challenge in disseminating this kind of information is to keep it from becoming an “information dump.” Bear in mind that adult learners like to have fun and participate in interactive learning experiences. Be sure to vary the learning and teaching methods regularly (recommended every 10–15 minutes) throughout whatever format training you use to keep the pace active and engaging.

Other Customization Considerations

Expanding the Definition of New Employee

Today’s complex and fluid workplace requires that we expand our definition of who needs new employee orientation. We need to ensure that all employees, regardless of status or location, have access to new employee orientation training. In addition to full-time and part-time employees, remember to include temporary employees, contractors, returning expatriates, and those returning from extended leave. You may also want to include current employees who are starting with a new department or division in the company.

Including the Employee’s Family

Another way to make new employees feel welcome is to involve their families. As mentioned earlier, send a DVD (or link to company website) prior to the employee’s first day. Include a message encouraging new employees to share the information with their families. If possible, schedule site tours in the evening and invite family members to attend. Also, schedule benefits information sessions in the evening so that you can include employees’ spouses or partners.

Being Sensitive to Language, Literacy, and Cultural Issues

In this increasingly global marketplace, many organizations have an international presence. Developers of onboarding programs therefore need to be mindful of language, literacy, and cultural issues.

• Language/Literacy. If your company has locations in other parts of the world, you may need to partner with someone in those locations to translate your program into other languages. Even if English is your organization’s official language, consider that English may not be the primary language of all your employees. Many U.S. companies (particularly in manufacturing) hire workers for whom English is a second language. It is essential to deliver key messages in such a way that all employees can understand them.

• Culture. The same holds true for cultural differences, particularly in international companies. Cultural differences need to be reflected and observed throughout the onboarding process, particularly in classroom-based orientation training. Some activities that work well in the United States may not in another country. For example, a get-acquainted activity that requires the participants to tell something about themselves of a personal nature may not work in a culture where it is considered inappropriate to share personal information in a public forum.

Onboarding Executives and Managers

Although the practices, processes, and programs described in this book apply to executives and managers as well as employees at other levels in the organization’s hierarchy, some practices need to be tailored for executives.

By virtue of their positions, executive and managerial employees need to be brought up to speed more quickly. In addition to all the elements of the onboarding process, they need to interact and begin to develop relationships with their managers, colleagues, and direct reports. They need to learn about the “big picture” and how departments and divisions interact with each other. They also need to have a grasp of the organization’s leadership and management philosophies, policies, and practices and become immersed in the culture and business strategy. You may want to consider designing a separate executive orientation track or supplement one of the workshop agendas provided here with other training and resources. In some cases, new executives or managers may also need additional leadership development.

Using Themes

To be truly effective, new employee orientation training must be enjoyable and show new employees how much the organization values them. Put the time, energy, and money into making it a memorable experience. One way to accomplish this is by establishing a theme and creating the physical environment that reflects it.

For example, you could choose a cruise ship theme. The cruise ship becomes the metaphor for the organization, and just like on a real cruise ship, you would throw a “bon voyage” party to celebrate the beginning of the cruise. In effect, the new employees are celebrating the beginning of their new jobs and career opportunities. Post a sign at the door to the meeting room that reads, “Welcome Aboard the SS [Your Company Name].” Greet each new employee with a Hawaiian lei and a “welcome aboard” packet of materials including some fun things such as mugs, T-shirts, or other logo items. Decorate the room with streamers and balloons. Play party music, and have each new employee pose for a picture as he or she enters the room (just like on a real cruise ship). You can expand the metaphor to include “ports of call” (learning about various departments) and “life rafts” (various resources to contact with questions). Of course, just like on a real cruise ship, you must have food! Now that the new employees are on board, they can set sail on their exciting journey with your organization. Let your imagination and creativity run wild. Try out other themes such as the old west, races, sports, and others.

The Bare Minimum

With any of these customization options, always keep in mind the essentials of training design (Chapter 6) and delivery (Chapter 8). At a bare minimum, remember these basics:

• Prepare, Prepare, Prepare. Ready the room, the handouts, the equipment, and yourself. Familiarize yourself with the content, materials, and equipment. Practice can only make you a better facilitator. The more comfortable you feel, the more open and relaxed you will be for your participants. Many things can go wrong: Equipment can fail, the hotel can double-book your room, your Internet connection may not work, or 10 more participants may show up, as you well know. You simply cannot control all variables. You can, however, control 100 percent of how much you prepare.

• Start With a Bang. The beginning of your session is crucial to the dynamics of the workshop. How participants respond to you can set the mood for the remainder of the workshop. Get to the classroom at least an hour before the session begins. Be ready to welcome and greet the participants. Have everything prepared so that you are available to learn something about them and their needs. Ask them simple questions to build rapport. After introducing yourself, introduce participants to each other or provide an activity in which participants can meet each other. The more time they spend getting to know you and each other, the more all of you will benefit when the session begins. Once the session starts, conduct an opening ice breaker that introduces the topic, ensures participants learn more about each other, and sets the stage for the rest of the seminar by letting participants know that this will be an active learning session. Try a provocative opening to get their attention.

• Don’t Lecture Without Interaction. Your learners like to have fun and participate in interactive learning opportunities. Be sure to vary the learning and teaching methods to maintain engagement. There will be times when you need to deliver information, but be sure to include participants by asking questions, posing critical incidents, incorporating a survey question, or engaging them in a dozen other ways.

• End Strong. Providing time for participants to reflect and create an action plan at the end of a module or the session will help establish learning. Don’t skip this opportunity to encourage participants to take action on something they have learned. Stress the importance of implementing what they learned upon returning to the workplace.

What to Do Next

• Modify or add your own content to an existing agenda from Chapters 1–3 or create your own agenda using the learning support documents included in this book. There is no one way to flow new employee orientation content, but you must ensure that the topics build on one another and that you solidly connect the concepts and ideas together to leverage the most of the learning opportunity.

• Make sure to incorporate interactive practice activities into the design of the workshop.

• Compile and review all learning activities, handouts, and slides you will use for the session. Consider creating your own slides or adding your touches to the slides provided.

• Build a detailed plan for preparing for this session, including scheduling and room reservations, invitations, supply list, teaching notes, and time estimates.