1. CBI Health Group Staff Education Sessions
Onboarding of New Employees

2. Why are we talking about this?
Onboarding isn’t simply about learning the names of abbreviated services, about timelines for when reports have to be sent out, about what kinds of health benefits you have access to, etc.
It’s about socially integrating into a new environment, which can be a very nervous and anxious time for a new employee
Everyone else knows each other, has developed inside jokes with one another, and has built friendships that may extend beyond the four walls of the clinic

3. Why are we talking about this?
The purpose of this workshop is to find out what kinds of things we’re now doing for new staff when they come on board, but it should also serve as an exercise in reminding ourselves how intimidating it can be to start work somewhere new, and what role we all can play to minimize that sensation for others

4. Onboarding versus Orientation
There’s a big difference between onboarding and orientation
Orientation includes only some of the characteristics of onboarding, such as going through training checklists, talking about company policies, and describing performance targets
Onboarding goes beyond covering the technical aspects of learning your new job tasks, and includes the socialization processes, such as ensuring that someone takes the time to introduce the new staff member to everyone else, and that there is a “buddy” in place that the new staff member can go to with questions
We want our new staff members to not only competently carry out their new tasks, but also feel like valued members of the clinic team. Not just someone hired to fill a need because someone else left

5. Designated Roles Tour Guide
We need someone to initially greet the new employee when he/she arrives on their first day, so that right from the start, they know that we have been looking forward to their arrival
Responsible for introducing them to co-workers and touring the clinic
Could be anyone, so long as they provide warmth and enthusiasm in this capacity
Are there folks willing to serve in this capacity at our clinic?

6. Designated Roles Buddy
A buddy would be someone willing to make a conscious attempt to integrate the new employee into the clinic team, who encourages the new employee to participate in any social activities attended by clinic members
A buddy is someone the new employee can confide in when expressing anxiety or concerns, someone who feels ready to take on the role of “friend”, rather than simply co-worker
Are there folks willing to serve in this capacity at our clinic?

7. Designated Roles Mentor/Trainer
The mentor/trainer position will ideally be carried out by someone working at the clinic, although in some cases a senior regional mentor may be available to provide assistance
The role will vary depending on the experience level of the new employee, so newly-hired novice therapists/admin staff might be asked to shadow the trainer, whereas seasoned veterans might be ready to jump right into treatment
Are there folks willing to serve in this capacity at our clinic?

8. Welcome Package
New employees will be given a Welcome Package that includes all the usual items (business cards, name tag, etc.) but also a folder with the following information:
Welcome to the organization, overview of our company’s history, what we now do across the network, including Research, Fundraising, and Best Practices
What to expect over the course of the day, the week, and the upcoming months
Brief descriptions of staff members, including work and personal info
Overview of Employee Benefits Plan and Group RRSP info
Who’s who at the Corporate Office
Summary of CBI Health Group divisions (i.e. Hospital Services, Home Health, Eldercare, etc.)

9. Welcome Package
The purpose of giving this package is to get them excited about working with us…to get the “wow” factor across right off the bat!

10. First Day
New employee greeted by the “tour guide”, introduced to everyone and shown around the clinic
Administrator will then meet employee to provide Welcome Package and go over paperwork and briefly describe policies and procedures
Manager or administrator (depending on new employee’s position) will go over job responsibilities, explain what role they play in the overall picture, inform who will act as buddy and mentor, discuss education options, and talk about clinic culture
Rest of the day is spent job shadowing with mentor (if novice therapist or admin staff), or seeing clients on their own (if more experienced)
At lunch, buddy sets aside time to eat with new employee to ensure that he/she is integrated with group

11. Second Day
Job shadowing to continue with explicit training on checklist topics as they relate to work functions carried out on second day
Introduction to clinic’s computer system, CBI webmail, and cbi.ca and cbihealth.com websites

12. End of First Week End of First Month
Many items on job-specific training checklist have been covered
Discussed individual scorecard targets in the employee’s Performance Management Plan, and how they are measured, with manager
Discussed short & long-term goals (i.e. exploring learning opportunities) with manager
End of First Month
Continuation of regular meetings with manager that serve as opportunities to ask additional questions, voice concerns, and request support

13. End of Third Month
Completion of a skills/strengths questionnaire, such as the Gallup organization’s “Strengthsfinder” tool, with follow-up discussion with manager to consult on how these strengths can be applied at work
Training and development needs addressed in a concrete action plan
Review of performance to date, including competencies specific to the individual’s position
Consistently meeting monthly now with manager to review PMP targets
Recruiter to make 3-month phone call to explore new employee’s experience