ENGINEERING
Assembling the Core Team
Onboarding Process
A well-executed onboarding process helps new hires quickly adapt to the team, tools, and workflows, ensuring productivity from the start.
Why it's Important
Accelerates integration into the team and reduces ramp-up time.
Builds confidence and a sense of belonging for new hires.
Reduces the risk of turnover due to poor first impressions.
How to Implement
Prepare a structured onboarding plan before the hire’s start date.
Assign a mentor or buddy to each new hire for guidance.
Provide clear documentation of processes, tools, and goals.
Schedule regular check-ins during the first 30-90 days to gather feedback and address challenges.
Use AI-driven onboarding tools to automate repetitive tasks like paperwork and tool setup.
Available Workshops
Team Introductions Exercise: Schedule interactive sessions for new hires to meet the team and understand individual roles.
Workflow Training Sessions: Conduct live demos or workshops on critical tools and processes.
Expectations Alignment Workshop: Clarify individual and team goals, KPIs, and workflows.
Codebase Walkthrough: Provide a guided tour of the codebase, explaining architecture and standards.
Feedback Session: Schedule a group workshop to gather and act on onboarding feedback.
Mock Project Exercise: Engage new hires in a small, low-stakes project to practice collaboration.
Deliverables
Completed onboarding checklist for each new hire.
Documentation of team workflows and processes.
Early feedback reports from new hires on their onboarding experience.
How to Measure
Time to first meaningful contribution.
Feedback from new hires on onboarding clarity and effectiveness.
Early retention rates for hires after 90 days.
Team feedback on how well new hires integrate into workflows.
Real-World Examples
GitLab
Uses comprehensive onboarding documentation to help remote hires get up to speed quickly.
Buffer
Incorporates cultural onboarding into the process, including values discussions and open Q&A sessions.
Zapier
Focuses on automation and documentation to streamline onboarding for distributed teams.
Get It Right
Prepare all necessary resources before the new hire’s start date.
Make the process interactive and engaging.
Encourage open communication and provide multiple feedback channels.
Ensure clear ownership of onboarding responsibilities.
Use iterative feedback to continuously improve the process.
Don't Make These Mistakes
Overloading new hires with information on day one.
Neglecting to introduce team culture and values during onboarding.
Failing to provide clear documentation of processes.
Leaving new hires to figure out tools or workflows on their own.
Ignoring onboarding feedback and missing opportunities for improvement.
Provided courtesy of Tricia Ballad, Tech Leader
Disentangled Tech