They say first impressions are the most lasting.
So, in between all the necessary admin — filling out paperwork, getting email set up, logging into an ever-growing array of software applications — it’s important for companies to make new hires feel like a valuable part of the team right from the start.
A well-executed welcome doesn’t just benefit incoming employees, either. Gartner research has found that a successful onboarding program can boost an employee’s performance by 15 percent and motivate them to put 20 percent more effort into their work.
When a new team member is given the resources and training to perform their job confidently, they can jump right into their role. And when questions inevitably do arise, they’ll know who to turn to and feel comfortable enough to ask.
Of course, remote onboarding presents a unique set of challenges in terms of fostering a sense of belonging, but the past three years have given employers a chance to refine their processes and figure out what works.
At SimplePractice, Jacquelyn Palmquist, a people strategy and programs specialist, credits a mix of culture-building social activities and dedicated product training for keeping its distributed team connected as the company grows.
Game maker Exploding Kittens, meanwhile, prioritizes open communication, inviting new hires to ask questions and provide feedback as they get acclimated. Finally, at UpKeep Technologies, a buddy program and virtual interest clubs make it easy to build relationships with new colleagues.
Built In Los Angeles chatted with culture leaders and new hires at the three companies to find out how their teams ease the transition for new employees.
SimplePractice helps healthcare providers manage their practice more efficiently by streamlining administrative tasks.
How does your company welcome new hires?
Starting a new job can be overwhelming, but at SimplePractice, we have a robust virtual onboarding program called Basecamp to ensure new hires feel welcome and supported from day one. In our distributed work environment, we believe it’s essential now more than ever to establish a strong culture right from the start for the success of our company and team. That’s why we built our program to include a thorough onboarding scavenger hunt, hands-on product training and engaging social sessions where new hires meet our teams and learn more about our culture and values.
Our goal is to empower our new hires with the tools they need to succeed in their roles and contribute to our customer-oriented mission.
How do these efforts build a firm foundation for new hires to succeed during the initial onboarding period and beyond?
By participating in our onboarding program, new hires gain valuable knowledge about our company, groups and products.
From the start, Basecamp also encourages cross-departmental relationship building, fostering a sense of camaraderie and collaboration. We recognize it’s important to do this early on to remove any potential barriers and ensure a smooth transition for our new hires. At the end of the day, we want to equip them with a deep understanding of our business and instill a lasting confidence that’ll serve them well beyond their onboarding experience.
New hires are absorbing a lot of information, so streamlining whenever possible helps them focus on learning.”
What tips would you share with other leaders looking to foster a sense of belonging for new hires?
For leaders looking to nurture a sense of belonging for new hires, having an open-door policy and creating an environment that encourages open communication is paramount. Encouraging new hires to ask questions and provide feedback helps them overcome any challenges they may face.
Also, setting aside sufficient time during the onboarding process is crucial. This allows new hires to establish a strong foundation before jumping into their role-specific responsibilities. New hires are absorbing a lot of information, so streamlining whenever possible helps them focus on learning. Continually refining this balance ensures a smooth and supportive entry into the organization.
UpKeep Technologies simplifies facility management with mobile-first, cloud-based technology.
How did your company or your immediate team make you feel welcome after joining?
During my very first week at the company, I truly felt that UpKeep’s three-day onboarding process made a significant impact in making me feel welcomed and excited as a new employee.
The first days consisted of meeting with different executive leadership team members, getting to know more about the company and even meeting with our CEO Ryan to hear the story of how UpKeep came to be. It was such a great experience to know how much support was coming from the team. My immediate team even sent me a video before my first day to congratulate and welcome me.
After a few months here, I would definitely say that this momentum and support haven’t changed. From so many remote culture-building experiences, I’ve felt I’ve gotten the chance to continue building relationships across the team and feel a strong sense of belonging.
Our buddy program has been fundamental in creating a sense of belonging and has created a fun environment where you feel welcomed on your first day. New hires are paired with a buddy who has been at UpKeep for at least six months and can be a friend, provide guidance and introduce them to other people in other departments.
Our buddy program has been fundamental in creating a sense of belonging.”
As a new hire, how did you benefit from these efforts?
The efforts around the three-day onboarding process and our buddy program gave me a sense of belonging at the company early on, which was instrumental in my first few months. My buddy and I got to connect on a number of different topics, and it made me feel more relaxed that I had someone to ask questions to whenever I needed.
During the first two weeks at UpKeep, we are also assigned an account presentation to ensure we fully grasp the product and how it helps our customers. During the preparation process, I was grateful that the team was there to offer support and answer any questions to make sure I felt comfortable and prepared for the presentation. It was comforting to know that the team supported and encouraged my success. The account presentation fully prepared me for upcoming projects and knowledge behind the company mission, which continues to benefit my journey with the company.
Based on your experiences, what would you recommend leaders at other companies do to make new hires feel a sense of belonging?
I am grateful to be a part of a company that continues to develop and focus on culture-building initiatives. At UpKeep, the culture of recognition is implemented every day at work, and we have a direct channel for employees to send shoutouts to celebrate achievements, big and small. It truly makes you feel recognized and appreciated at work, which is something I definitely recommend other leaders follow and implement.
Being a remote-first company, it may seem difficult to build a strong sense of culture or make time to develop relationships outside of your immediate team. But I truly appreciate UpKeep’s ability to focus on these remote-building experiences; they really make all the difference in the workplace.
During my onboarding, I found it so great that UpKeep offers 20-plus interest-based clubs on Slack. It’s so fun to join these clubs with people who share similar interests and participate in events to virtually meet and bond. I’m in the cooking club, and we had a virtual class to cook mochi together via Zoom. It was such a fun event, and it got us to all take a step away from our computers and connect over delicious food.
Exploding Kittens is a game and entertainment company that has created nearly 30 person-to-person games.
How does your company or your immediate team welcome new hires?
We know that the people we bring into Exploding Kittens are as key to our success as we are to theirs. With that symbiosis in mind, we implemented an intensive onboarding practice to build a supportive two-way relationship from day one. New hires get weekly check-in emails, a comprehensive guide to the company and a detailed role breakdown and itinerary from their manager, as well as a list of suggested questions they might ask as they get started.
Two of the biggest cultural tasks we include are our employee instruction manual and our playtesting sessions. The instruction manuals are a way for us to get to know our employees’ work style — we want to respect the human behind the role, and this ensures that we’re not making assumptions. Playtesting is obviously an integral part of our business and our culture. New hires are taken through an introductory playtesting session where they are instructed on the playtesting process and get to play one of our in-development games.
Our employees have been at the center of our ethos since the beginning, and we believe that our onboarding process is just the start of an incredible workplace experience.
How do these efforts build a firm foundation for new hires to succeed during the initial onboarding period and beyond?
A stellar onboarding experience is crucial to the employee lifecycle and integral to retaining our incredible talent. Our focus is on a foundation of transparent communication — which we continue at all of our meetings — and easy access to information. When you’re a new employee, nothing is more frustrating than having to wing it and take charge on your first day on the job. Including several members of the company in the onboarding process gives the new hire multiple access points for asking questions and further understanding the company culture without leaving it up to them to introduce themselves.
The instruction manual and unconscious bias training are part of our fledgling DEI program. For Exploding Kittens to have a strong DEI foundation, we need to spotlight the importance of inclusion from the start. These resources are a great way to show our commitment to both individual and collective inclusion practices. Additionally, hiring managers are given several resources for their initial one-on-one meetings, and new hires are encouraged to provide two-way feedback when and if they feel comfortable.
The best way to know the effectiveness of your process is to ask.”
After the initial onboarding and new hire period, how do you continue fostering a sense of belonging for team members?
At the end of the new hire’s first week, they’re sent a survey through Culture Amp. It’s a scorecard for our system: “How did we do?” “Was there anything we missed?” Our people processes rely on employee feedback, because even if you think you’ve thought of everything, something can fall through the cracks. The best way to know the effectiveness of your process is to ask.
We send a more robust version of this survey at their 30-day mark, which adds questions about manager conversations, access to resources and initial learning and development thoughts. Luckily, we’ve had stellar feedback so far, but every now and then, you’ll learn that a manager wasn’t as involved as you’d hoped they would be. In that case, you have to get more granular during the next onboarding cycle and maybe check in with the managers a bit more.
We also have a lunch and learn program, where we ask employees to volunteer an hour or so to teach their coworkers pretty much anything. It initially started with workplace skills like how to give a presentation but quickly turned into more of a hidden-talent showcase. We want to celebrate the unique interests of our employees and encourage them to bring that humanity to the workplace
