Thoughtful Onboarding: Welcoming Your Next Change-Maker
- Jessica Tomic
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
When reflecting on the work I have been doing with Indigenous organizations over the past few years, I am encouraged by the number of people leaders looking to strengthen their teams by improving the onboarding process(es) that aide their New Hire to feel connected. When working with Indigenous leaders, it is important for HR to partner with and find ways to listen first. Leaders are the ones that are driving change and when we can acknowledge what once was, we can better support and explore the ways for growth. Building a responsive onboarding program that reflects their organization’s culture and values is critical for sustainability. It starts with looking deep into the current methods, looking at what works, investigating any pain points or gaps, and plan for improvements by building capacity from within. Whether your New Hire self-identifies as Indigenous or non-Indigenous, creating a path to allyship is how we help each other. One way this can be achieved is through Onboarding.
Having effective onboarding strategies for your New Hires helps to build your organization’s reputation of trust within the community. Having a well-supported team not only makes your organization stronger, but it also increases employee engagement and retention rates making future recruitment plans even easier. Many organizations have inherited programs and protocols that may have felt limiting or did not reflect their community’s values. This misalignment can have lasting negative impacts on the employee experience. It is inspiring to see more leaders leverage the Onboarding program as a way to impact their communities.
Onboarding a new team member requires in-depth conversations and setting them up with trusted in-house mentors as they work through current realities and plan for the organization’s future. One area that is often discussed is how we can co-create goalposts and milestones that inspires the team to collaborate and celebrate success. Finding feedback strategies that are both culturally responsive and nurtures the capacity to learn are an investment in our most important resource – our people, team members, and community members. This shift in being proactive not only amplifies Indigenous values and voices, but it also demonstrates innovation and increases retention rates.
The impacts of having a strong onboarding process
Onboarding isn't just about filling an empty spot in your Organizational Chart – it is about setting up the New Hire to be your next change-maker and contribute in a meaningful way. It also means that you plan how others inside your organization work together to create space for and connect with your New Hire. It is also important to find the tools that your organization can use to measure success that encourages feedback for your team from everyone – including your New Hire especially if we want the message to ‘stick’. Building out ways to maintain strong connections lead to your New Hire’s ability to learn, process and deliver not only the necessary, but the meaningful work you hired them to contribute.
Ensuring that your New Hire is onboarded well also shows how your leadership team works together to get the right people to do the right things at the right time. I know it can be challenging to navigate family and friend groups within small communities or if you have limited resources. Implementing changes to improve your organization’s functionality is always a welcome adventure.
Key strategies to build a strong onboarding process
Some key strategies that can help organizations build a strong onboarding program:
Recruit with Confidence – Develop clear guidelines as well as provide training to the decision makers to ensure that there is a fair assessment necessary for selecting the right fit.
Effective Onboarding Plan - The first few weeks can set the tone for the New Hire’s entire experience, so it is important to develop a clear plan that introduces workplace policies that provides them with necessary guidance, outlines on-the-job training, role expectations, and communication strategies so as to build confidence and reassure them that they made the right decision in joining your team.
Measure Success and Course Correction – Create, implement, and monitor goals that both your New Hire and leadership team can use to assess progress, encourage feedback, and adjust as needed.
The Onboarding phase is a critical time to ensure your New Hire feels a sense of connection and belonging to their new team, its leadership, and to the organization as a whole. If you're looking for ways to improve your onboarding programs, we'd be happy to help! Investing in your people means that you're investing in the future of your organization and our communities.
From the LIHR team and lead collaborator, Jessica Tomic HR Consultant Jessica@LisaIsaacHR.com
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