Everybody involved in the onboarding process would be wise to keep in mind what Scott Bedbury learned while working for one of the most powerful brands in the world. While on a coffee hunting expedition with Dave Olsen, Starkbuck’s chief coffee buyer, Bedbury, author of A New Brand World: Eight Principles for Achieving
Brand Leadership in the 21st Century, inquired about the secret to Starbuck’s branding success. What was – to use anthropologist and philosopher Gregory Bateson’s famous term – the critical “difference that makes a difference?” What mattered the most? Was it all about the coffee beans? Was it the ambience they so assiduously create? Was it the employees they hire? What particular part of their winning combination mattered most? After pondering Bedbury’s question and weighing the variables, Mr. Olsen responded: “EVERYTHING matters.”
When it comes to onboarding, Everything Matters. Every choice, every action, every communication has potential consequences. Not only does every choice have a consequence in terms of how quickly an employee gets up to speed, every choice communicates to the employee something about your organization. Poorly organized, “fly by the seat of your pants” orientations communicate something very different about an organization than does a well organized, professionally delivered program.Recognizing the importance of having new hire orientation reflect and support the company’s culture of excellence, Eric Wood, President of EnviroSense, Inc., requested that his HR team conduct an “orientation makeover.” Because every action carries an implicit message, their new orientation program communicates to employees a message consistent with the company’s culture, mission, and values.
Notes Eric Wood, President of EnviroSense:
In our business, high levels of performance and attention to detail are critical and expected of every employee. In order to ask for this level of performance, we want to make sure we show our employees the same commitment.
The level of support provided to employees after leaving orientation also communicates an important message. Using a “sink or swim” approach to onboarding communicates a loud “We don’t care about or value you” message, while an onboarding process that provides new hires with a mentor and periodic check-ins sends employees the kind of message that leads to engagement and loyalty.
At Community Living Association, a non-profit organization that provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities, employees frequently complained about how awkward it was going into a new home when they were both new to the job and a stranger to their future client. To remedy this, new CLA employees no longer have to “cold call” their new client. Instead, a staff member who already knows the clients makes the introduction. By demonstrating their concern for their new employees’ comfort CLA’s management obviously communicates a far different message than if they had adopted a “That’s just how it is… deal with it” stance. Another significant Moment of Truth that matters greatly is whether your orientation focuses on rules and regulation and neglects the inspirational component of being a new employee. Making orientation primarily about rules and regulations communicates something very different about an organization than an orientation with strong “We’re happy you’re here”, “You’re part of a great organization,” and “This is why your job is so important” messages. One says “This is just another job” the other “You’re part of something great… and you matter.” A corollary of the “Everything Matters” principle is “Little things can make a big difference.” For instance, at Northeast Delta Dental, recognized as the Fourth Best Small Company to Work for In America by the Great Places To Work Institute, senior level managers come to orientation to talk with new hires about what their specific department does – helping them understand the big picture -- and the important role the new hires will play in contributing to the company’s goals – thus, linking their individual “little pictures” with the big picture. Doing this matters. It taps into two of the most important human needs, the need for meaning and purpose – to do something worthy with one’s life – and the need to matter, to know that one makes a difference.
The HR department at NEDD doesn’t stop there, though. To make sure each speaker’s presentation is as relevant as possible, executives are briefed ahead of time about who will be attending and what department they will be joining. This allows them to tailor their remarks to make them most relevant to this particular audience. Such attention to detail and professionalism matters. It tells new employees: “You’ve just joined a company that does things right… You’ve joined a world class outfit.”
In summary, “Everything Matters” will be one of the most useful guiding principles to use when making strategic and operational decisions related to onboarding. Applying this principle means bringing greater attention and mindfulness to each and every facet of the onboarding process. Because of it’s broad applicability and importance, the principle of “Everything Matters” will be a reoccurring theme throughout this white paper.
Brand Leadership in the 21st Century, inquired about the secret to Starbuck’s branding success. What was – to use anthropologist and philosopher Gregory Bateson’s famous term – the critical “difference that makes a difference?” What mattered the most? Was it all about the coffee beans? Was it the ambience they so assiduously create? Was it the employees they hire? What particular part of their winning combination mattered most? After pondering Bedbury’s question and weighing the variables, Mr. Olsen responded: “EVERYTHING matters.”
When it comes to onboarding, Everything Matters. Every choice, every action, every communication has potential consequences. Not only does every choice have a consequence in terms of how quickly an employee gets up to speed, every choice communicates to the employee something about your organization. Poorly organized, “fly by the seat of your pants” orientations communicate something very different about an organization than does a well organized, professionally delivered program.Recognizing the importance of having new hire orientation reflect and support the company’s culture of excellence, Eric Wood, President of EnviroSense, Inc., requested that his HR team conduct an “orientation makeover.” Because every action carries an implicit message, their new orientation program communicates to employees a message consistent with the company’s culture, mission, and values.
Notes Eric Wood, President of EnviroSense:
In our business, high levels of performance and attention to detail are critical and expected of every employee. In order to ask for this level of performance, we want to make sure we show our employees the same commitment.
The level of support provided to employees after leaving orientation also communicates an important message. Using a “sink or swim” approach to onboarding communicates a loud “We don’t care about or value you” message, while an onboarding process that provides new hires with a mentor and periodic check-ins sends employees the kind of message that leads to engagement and loyalty.
At Community Living Association, a non-profit organization that provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities, employees frequently complained about how awkward it was going into a new home when they were both new to the job and a stranger to their future client. To remedy this, new CLA employees no longer have to “cold call” their new client. Instead, a staff member who already knows the clients makes the introduction. By demonstrating their concern for their new employees’ comfort CLA’s management obviously communicates a far different message than if they had adopted a “That’s just how it is… deal with it” stance. Another significant Moment of Truth that matters greatly is whether your orientation focuses on rules and regulation and neglects the inspirational component of being a new employee. Making orientation primarily about rules and regulations communicates something very different about an organization than an orientation with strong “We’re happy you’re here”, “You’re part of a great organization,” and “This is why your job is so important” messages. One says “This is just another job” the other “You’re part of something great… and you matter.” A corollary of the “Everything Matters” principle is “Little things can make a big difference.” For instance, at Northeast Delta Dental, recognized as the Fourth Best Small Company to Work for In America by the Great Places To Work Institute, senior level managers come to orientation to talk with new hires about what their specific department does – helping them understand the big picture -- and the important role the new hires will play in contributing to the company’s goals – thus, linking their individual “little pictures” with the big picture. Doing this matters. It taps into two of the most important human needs, the need for meaning and purpose – to do something worthy with one’s life – and the need to matter, to know that one makes a difference.
The HR department at NEDD doesn’t stop there, though. To make sure each speaker’s presentation is as relevant as possible, executives are briefed ahead of time about who will be attending and what department they will be joining. This allows them to tailor their remarks to make them most relevant to this particular audience. Such attention to detail and professionalism matters. It tells new employees: “You’ve just joined a company that does things right… You’ve joined a world class outfit.”
In summary, “Everything Matters” will be one of the most useful guiding principles to use when making strategic and operational decisions related to onboarding. Applying this principle means bringing greater attention and mindfulness to each and every facet of the onboarding process. Because of it’s broad applicability and importance, the principle of “Everything Matters” will be a reoccurring theme throughout this white paper.
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