First Days — Thoughts on Employee Onboarding in a Virtual World
Think back to your last “First Day.” Maybe it was your first day at a new school, a new job, in a new church, on a new team, or in a new volunteer group. Were you excited? Nervous? Did you feel ready? Did you have everything you needed? I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about “First Days.” In fact, I’ve personally had all of those types of first days I just mentioned this year. If you look at my resume, you’ll see that I’ve had a few first days as an employee over the years as well. I’ve also been responsible for quite a few “First Days” and I care passionately about what that experience looks like for the new person. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way.
First days can seem overwhelming for both parties involved. Both parties want the experience to go smoothly, to feel seamless and be exciting, but no matter how many rounds of interviews someone has gone through, it still kind of feels like we’re meeting for the first time on the first day! Now that everything is virtual, we’re faced with another layer of complexity that could feel paralyzing. All of the typical first day questions and emotions are only amplified by the fact that we won’t be physically together and our lifeline to the outside world is now via Zoom or Slack or email. It might feel like it’s impossible to deliver a first day experience that’s welcoming and personal via Zoom, but I’d argue that it’s not only possible, it’s essential. It might take a little extra planning and some creativity, but I promise, it will be worth it!
Be Prepared
I learned the most about the importance of preparation in employee onboarding from a wonderful Starbucks store manager named Lindsey who was my mentor when I got my very first set of store manager keys. Lindsey is by nature one of the warmest, most welcoming and funniest people you will ever meet. Starbucks’ onboarding program has a “First Impressions” component that includes preparing a coffee tasting for the new partner (employee), but Lindsey certainly didn’t stop at just the program guidelines, although she did select an amazing Kenyan coffee to pair with a lemon cake. She thoughtfully prepared and personalized everything, down to hand making me a new name tag for the brand new green aprons she also selected for me. Everything I needed to start, down to the sharpies that I would proudly mark cups with was set out neatly, waiting for me, with my name clearly displayed.
Lindsey’s philosophy was that by being prepared and making it personal it demonstrated to the new partner that we were ready for them, expecting them, and were excited for them to be joining the team. She explained that the first day, first impression was so important because it would set the tone for the new partner’s entire experience with the company and be the foundation for their view of and future contributions to the culture of the brand. It was important to her that everything be organized and setup in advance of the new partner walking through the front door of the cafe. She was so right! I’ve setup new hire workstations and classrooms hundreds of times over the past ten years and every time I get excited reactions of “oh this is for me?! Wow, this is so thoughtful!” I think of Lindsey and the impact she had on me and so many other partners by being the absolute best at being prepared and making that first impression on that first day a great one.
What does it look like to be prepared in a virtual onboarding experience? It starts with great communication! I know, I know. That sounds way too simple! But think about the Lindsey example. She didn’t set off fireworks or call in a marching band, she simply thought about everything I would need, before I even knew to ask for it and had it ready. Emailing and communicating everything from scheduling expectations, to contact info and what to wear (yes, even though it’s Zoom) is so helpful and takes the guesswork and a lot of anxiety out of first days. For my most recent first day (today!) my company even sent me a “First Day Playlist” on Spotify to keep my excitement and energy high! No detail is too small! Be clear in your communication, add pictures for reference, above all be human. You can tell when an email is templated, so can your new employee.
Be Thoughtful
Starting someplace or something new, no matter how exciting, is always a little stressful. Try to remember what it was like to be new from your own experience. If it’s been a little while since you’ve been new, source some feedback from someone else who has recently been the new person on the team. Like Lindsey did, work to anticipate the needs of your new employee before they even realize that there is a need! To me, one of the biggest compliments is, “wow, you’ve really thought of everything!”
My current leader crafted a beautiful welcome basket for me in advance of my first day based on items she thought I would love (and wow, was she right)! Not only did she take the time to assembly a thoughtful selection, she hand wrote a card, and personally delivered everything to my home. It doesn’t get more thoughtful than that, right?! If your new employee is remote, or maybe you don’t live close enough to drop a basket off, a handwritten note is still possible, e-gifts make it easy to personalize or even allow the employee to pick something from a selection. Maybe your company has a new hire kit that get’s sent out to everyone, just add a personal note. Whatever the gesture, it doesn’t have to be grand, or expensive. The point is to show that you care and that you have thought about your new employee.
Being thoughtful goes beyond gifts, t-shirts and notes. One of the toughest things about joining a new team in an all virtual world is meeting the right people in the organization. Think about who this person needs to be introduced to, but go beyond that and make an effort to introduce them to people and groups beyond their immediate team that will not only be great professional resources, but are all around great people to know! Add your new employee to the critical, team Slack channels, but make an effort to show them some of the fun ones too, you know, like #pets or #quarantinecooking. Help them find ways to get connected and feel part of the greater community and culture. Remember, what Lindsey said, the first day, first impression lays the foundation for the employee perception and experience of the company’s culture.
Be Flexible
Things will go wrong. That’s not new! Things could (and did) go wrong when we were onboarding 100% in the office too! As the facilitator of the onboarding experience, you set the tone. Know who your resources are and don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” or ask for help. My favorite phrase from my years in Apple retail is “I don’t know, let’s find out!” I always tell my teams that I’m not someone who will just make up an answer to get them to go away! “I don’t know, let’s find out” has allowed me to build trust and confidence with my new team member and frequently has given me the opportunity to learn something myself, and make a valuable introduction to a resource for the new employee.
I mentioned above that I’ve had a few first days this year. In July I moved to a new city and found a new church family. In August I went back to school after being away from formal education for more than ten years. Today is my first day at a new company, on a new team, in a new role! I’ve had a lot of first days and I’m grateful for every single one of them. That doesn’t mean they’ve all been perfect, but I’ve met amazing people, who care so much along the way. I’m so excited for my new role and to be a part of making some incredible “first day” experiences for others. There’s not one “right answer” for first days, especially these days. Make them personal, be thoughtful, be prepared and be flexible with your new employee and with yourself. Amazing things are done by people who care!
