Starting a new job is a daunting prospect. You're embarking on what will likely be one of the defining moments of your life. While it's not as monumental as the birth of your first child or a marriage, a new job will largely define your life for years to come.
How companies onboard new employees makes a huge difference to a new hire's chances for success. A company that does it right turns a stranger into a company family member and a newbie into a pro. A company that does it wrong is likely to have new hires that feel alienated, unengaged and unproductive.
We caught up with three New York tech companies to see how they do onboarding.
Responses from Stephanie Mardell, Head of People at Button:
What does day one entail for a new employee?
Before joining the Button team, we encourage all of our employees to send a welcome note to our newest Buttonian. We’re always excited to bring on a new team member to our growing company and we want them to feel it!
On day one, s/he will come into a desk fully stocked and ready to go, including their ideal computer setup, a welcome letter from our CEO, and a ‘welcome’ gift from each department representing a unique fact, characteristic or piece of history within that group. Some go with an inspirational read (e.g. “Humans of New York” is a popular one) or a mini-robot you have to assemble yourself.
Each new employee also gets a ‘Button Buddy’ to help guide them through their time at the company. On day one, this often means answering questions about our catered lunch, nearby coffee shops or help setting up their computer/desk. It also includes a lunch out of the office to get to know one another.
At the end of day one, we host a rooftop happy hour in honor of our new Buttonian for everyone to gather, mix and mingle in a more casual setting. We ultimately want to ensure s/he has a warm welcome and feels at home in their new workplace.
What about after a month?
The first full week at Button entails getting an insider view into every department at Button, led by the head of each department. This includes a look at Button branding with the design team, the founding story with our CEO Mike Jaconi, an overview of the sales process and much more. We have a core value of transparency at the company and we want our newest employee to feel confident that they understand every aspect of what we do and, more importantly, feel confident in asking any questions they may have about the different parts of Button’s business.
Beyond the first week, each employee has an opportunity to participate in additional training across a variety of subjects such as interaction styles, leadership, public speaking, interview training, etc. Growing individually and organizationally is one of our core values and we encourage employees to continuously improve in whatever way they see fit.
What about after a full year? Do employees fall into a schedule?
A lot happens within a year at Button! On a quarterly basis, we have our off-site company retreats where we present our company's quarterly plans and take time to build as a team outside of the office. This is also a time where we reflect on both our team and personal goals for the upcoming quarter.
Our business moves quickly and can change at times due to new partners, a shift in technology, industry events and an array of other things. While this can adjust an employee’s overall schedule, they’ll have a routine with their team as well as quarterly goals to work towards.
Responses from Michaelle Leirer, Director of People Services at Animoto:
Can you walk me through the 'day-one' experience for new hires?
Creating a positive and memorable onboarding experience is important for us at Animoto. We want all our new hires to feel welcomed and like they are a seasoned member of the team from day one.
Our new employees start on Mondays and have most of the day planned out for them. They are greeted by their managers and have a welcome bag waiting for them on their desk. Inside the bag are important instructions, like how to set up their computers, etc. Shortly after arrival, we do an orientation that covers topics like company history, values, goals and a benefits overview.
At noon there is a company-wide meeting that begins by introducing new hires with a video they created using Animoto. After the meeting we provide lunch and new hires eat with team members in a casual environment.
We schedule an office tour for all our new employees within their first few days and make sure they have the proper tools and information they need to be successful.
That's quite a busy first day. Do things calm down after a full month?
At their one month anniversary, our hope is for new employees to be well integrated into the company. They've spent their first weeks meeting key stakeholders, learning their role, and building relationships.
Within that first month, all of our new hires participate in a new hire breakfast with our CEO. This helps them hear about the company history and strategy first-hand and allows them to start building a relationship with our CEO. We value honesty and openness and believe each employee should have exposure to executives on a regular basis.
If a new hire is a manager of a team, they've also participated in additional management training and are building trust with their team.
And what about after a year? Do people start to fall into a rhythm?
A year at Animoto can often feel like many years.
After a year, new hires are fully ingrained employees, contributing at 100 percent. They've had the chance to take part in larger company events, like our mid-year and end-of-year gatherings, as well as our volunteer day and other internal social functions. These events help further relationships with others in the organization. They also offer opportunities for folks who don't usually work together to partner on various activities.
We hope that within a year at Animoto our employees understand their career path, and how they can grow with us. We want employees to feel they are building key skills and are exposed to opportunities that will keep them engaged at Animoto for years to come!
Responses from Betsy Ayala, Talent Marketing Manager at Greenhouse:
What does day one entail for a new employee at Greenhouse?
All new hires, including new hires from San Francisco, come to the New York office for onboarding. Onboarding at Greenhouse is a carefully crafted experience that lasts for the duration of your first week.
During that time a new hire is assigned a "buddy." Your buddy takes you on a tour of the office, introduces you to several people along the way, is your go-to for any questions big and small. On your first day, all new hires and their buddies grab lunch together.
Throughout the first week, onboarding sessions are led daily by various people across the company who cover different aspects of the organization. For example, you'll learn about customer success, sales, IT and diversity at Greenhouse. Also, one session is always lead by Jon, our co-founder, who really enjoys meeting and spending time with new hires on their first day.
That's quite a week. What are things like after a full month?
After the onboarding week the People Team will host a monthly onboarding session to fill in the things that don't get covered on the first week. During this time we introduce new hires to topics such as tech at Greenhouse or interviewing at Greenhouse.
What about after a full year? Do employees fall into a schedule?
We are a fast growing startup and things change often. Our leadership team does a fantastic job of keeping everyone up to speed and being transparent about changes and upcoming events.
Know of a company that deserves coverage? Let us know or tweet us @builtinnewyork.
