What aspects of your onboarding process have proven most effective at bringing high-potential new hires up to speed quickly?

We emphasize early exposure to real projects, pairing new hires with experienced colleagues who guide them through our processes. We welcome challenges from new team members and encourage them to question why we do things a certain way, as this accelerates learning and integration.

We pair new hires with buddies and ensure they meet key people and access process documentation. However, the most effective onboarding occurs when an immediate problem or incident arises, prompting intense team collaboration. This quickly reveals hidden talents and fosters strong team bonding, which is crucial for a new employee’s success.

We have an onboarding academy where new hires shadow peers across the IT team and other departments. After a full tour, they can revisit team members who are most relevant to their interests or roles. This approach provides a well-rounded, humanizing experience and helps new hires acclimate quickly. We aim to complete this process within the first 30 days, followed by a pulse check at 90 days to assess progress.