Navigating the Onboarding Process: A Guide to a Smooth Transition

28/11/2023

Heidi Winney is the Director of Strategic Career Development, offering career and executive coaching. Her background includes corporate HR management and consulting. Heidi is a Fellow member of CDAA and former CDAA NSW Division President. 

As career development professionals, we help our clients prepare for the first few months in their new roles and organisations. The following tips are also useful for those of us who change employers and need to meet and engage with new managers, and colleagues, and learn new systems and processes.

When starting a new role, you have a short 3 – 6 months window in which to settle in and learn, establish yourself, and assess whether this is the right place for you. It can be both exciting and daunting.

It is the best time to figure out whether you’re on the ‘right bus’ and for the organisation to evaluate whether they’ve hired the right person for the right role. Both parties can and should assess whether they can work together in the longer term and whether the chemistry and compatibility are aligned. 

Preparing for Your First Day:

Before you even walk through the door for your first day, start preparing for your onboarding experience. You may have been given some information from the organisation prior to your start date, if so, make sure you read everything. 

Develop a list of questions that you can ask your new manager such as what the priorities are, any problem areas, issues or challenges you may face, what you need to accomplish, and what is expected of you in the early weeks and months. Find out how often your manager wants to meet with you, and how you should communicate with them, for example, face-to-face, via email, casual drop-in, or formal meetings.

Also develop and practice a short introduction statement about yourself to help people get to know you.

Working from Home:

If the employment contract allows you to work from home some or most of the time, it’s even more important to make an effort to connect with your colleagues in person. Going into the office every day for the first 4 weeks and beyond will help you get to know your manager, their communication style, your team, your extended colleagues, and the layout of the office. You can also observe how people work together.

Building Relationships and Understanding the Culture:

Take the time to listen, learn, and build relationships! It takes time for others to get to know you, ‘who you are’ and for you to establish your credibility. Find out who the key players are, who has the power – both formal and informal, and how decisions are made. Is the culture a ‘we’ culture? How do people communicate with one another? 

Engage with your team members, learn about their roles and expertise, and actively participate in team activities. Not taking the time to understand the culture early on can lead to dissatisfaction, disengagement, and finally separation from your new employer. 

Embrace the Learning Curve:

Onboarding is a time of learning and growth. Approach your new role with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Ask the “what, why, how, who, where, when” questions to help you understand and perform in your role. Seek feedback, and actively participate in training sessions. This proactive approach will accelerate your understanding of the organisation’s processes and expectations.

Don’t Rush into Decisions:

It’s normal to want to know everything as quickly as possible, to read widely, to take a head-down approach, and to get ‘stuff done’ so you can get some runs on the board! However, it is never a good idea for those in leadership and management roles to make big decisions too quickly! 

Take the time to understand! A reminder of Habit 5 in the book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey. In this Habit, he recommends “Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood”.

For Effective Onboarding, Develop a List of Questions to discuss with your new manager on your first day.

• Build a relationship with your manager and understand their management style and expectations of you in the first 3 to 6 months.
• Find out how often and how formally they would like to meet with you, particularly during the first few weeks, and how they like to communicate.
• Take the time to learn, listen, and understand! Get to know your team and colleagues. Get to know how things work, how to get things done, and who the ‘go to’ people are, quickly!
• Avoid office politics and/or cliques!
• Keep a list of the people you’ve met to help you remember their names and what they do. Making notes alongside questions asked will also help you remember them. After the first few months, you are expected to be productive and know at least some of the answers.
• Find a buddy or mentor in the business who can help you navigate the company culture.
• For those in leadership positions, get to know your direct reports’ strengths, experience, and motivators.
• Develop a short introduction statement about yourself to help people get to know you.

In summary, take full advantage of the probationary period to ask as many questions as you need to for you to be productive and meet the organisation’s objectives. It’s a time when you’re allowed to make ‘rookie’ errors!

Having done your best and all of the preparation, if things don’t work out, be prepared to take advantage of the probationary period to exit the organisation. You may only need to give as little as one week’s notice, but make sure you do so without burning bridges. Remember it’s not a personal failure; it’s an opportunity to learn and find a better fit.