Good onboarding helps employees get on BOARD faster

We've all heard first-day-on-the-job horror stories. The ones in a hierarchical setting that felt to the new team member as if everyone forgot someone new was starting.  

How is that kind of experience supposed to make someone want to work hard for a company? How does that translate into an all-in, happy, motivated team member? 

A thoughtful and comprehensive new employee onboarding process sets the tone for employment. It’s a sign that the company wants to set someone up for success and helps new hires feel welcomed.  

At treetree we always knew we wanted onboarding to be a strength of ours.   

It not only shows the caliber of our organization but is also proven to create a better business.  

Research from Gallup’s “State of the American Workplace Report” indicates that the metric that matters most is engagement among employees, particularly engagement soon after joining a company. 

“Engaged employees are more present and productive; they are more attuned to the needs of customers; and they are more observant of processes, standards and systems. When taken together, the behaviors of highly engaged business units result in 21% greater profitability.” 

On top of that, people get up to speed faster, have feeling of unity from the start and are more productive in the first 90 days. In a small business like ours, time in that first 90 day window matters. It makes the new team member more confident and translates to the quality of their work in team members' and clients' eyes.

Here’s how we do it.  

Set the office vibe off the bat 

The same swag greets every tree on the first day: a welcome card signed by all the trees, their business cards, the treetree handbook, a plant (yes, a potted plant), an org chart (with faces) and more. Their technology is set up and ready to go, their calendar is loaded with onboarding events. I am shocked by the number of people who tell me this is astounding to them based on prior experiences. They are blown away that they have a business card and a computer, let alone anything already plugged into their calendar. This forethought goes a long, long way.

They never wonder if we’re happy, let alone if we even remembered, that they are here. The excitement is palpable when there’s a new tree in the house.  

Words we love to hear to describe our onboarding prep and process are refreshing, thoughtful and comprehensive.  

How can you show your unique culture and help a new hire feel welcome and prepared on their first day? 

Have a prep plan for the first day, week and month 

Our administrative director does an amazing job of setting things up to help people transition in the first day, first week and first month. She knows how trees should be acclimating at 30, 60 and 90 days and has check-ins to make sure they are progressing.  

In the first week, new trees are assigned a “tree buddy” who is the person that ensures the new tree has all their questions answered (“Where’s that one conference room called?”) and throws a 30-day party tailored to the new tree’s tastes. We’ve had rosé floats, Hot Cheetos, vibrant fiestas and more.  

In the first 30 days, I sit down with the new tree to explain our values and also take them to lunch to get to know them and hear more about what has surprised them. I make sure to pick their brain about what seems odd to them, and what's done poorly before they get too comfortable with our ways of doing things.

What are a few key meetings that your new employee can have that make sure they are up to speed and acclimating well?  

Don’t skimp on your handbook 

Our handbook has had many iterations. It focuses on the core stuff someone needs to know but also the unspoken stuff that helps someone be effective in our treehouse. We want it to be engaging and truly give a vibe.  

Our administrative director is also in charge of walking through the handbook with the new tree. With a singular person responsible for giving that overview, we don’t have to leave it up to the individual hiring manager to give their interpretation of it. Everyone’s experience is consistent. 

In the past year, we knew we had to evolve the handbook. After all, it couldn’t just be about unlimited hummus and paid holidays. We needed to address PTO and our confidentiality agreements, as well our values and what makes us special.  

While we evolved to include more the traditional and required HR components, we couldn't lose the treetree flavor. So, we found the balance between policy and vibe. We worked with HR to make sure we addressed everything we have to legally, without making it a snooze fest. 

Ask for feedback 

Finally, we formally ask for feedback about the onboarding process through an e-survey each week for the first month. In which areas do they feel like they’re not getting enough? How does it compare to other places? How could we have better set them up for success?  

All of this focus on onboarding correctly from the start helps us get employees on board with our culture that much more quickly.