Our RevOps team was rapidly growing, bringing new full-time members, contractors, and third-party agencies on board at a steady pace. However, the onboarding process lacked consistency, with different teams employing varied methods. This resulted in a disjointed onboarding experience that lacked brand alignment, much like a symphony with every musician playing a different tune.

The Catch: No Standardized Approach

Our problems were clear:

• Existing onboarding flows varied significantly across teams and things felt disjointed.

• There was a shared longing for a more uniform, structured approach, especially when welcoming new full-time employees, contractors, or third-party agencies.

• Consistently altering and managing diverse onboarding procedures was not only time-consuming, but also detracted focus from other vital tasks.

• Without a unified method, newcomers were more likely to feel like they’d been parachuted into a jungle with no map in hand.

The Fix: A One-Size-Fits-All Template (With Room for Customization)

Here's how my manager and I tackled the issue:

• We studied current onboarding flows within our company and compared them with external benchmarks.

• I conducted surveys to assess what was working, what wasn't, and collected improvement suggestions.

• We developed a trio of universally applicable onboarding documents that any team could tailor to their specific needs:

• A welcome slide deck including company info, team-specific info, role expectations, 30-60-90 Day milestones, team specific tool tips, and more.

• A spreadsheet checklist with dedicated tabs for managers and new hires, outlining the first 30 days of onboarding.

• A "Getting to Know You" document that promoted workplace accessibility and neurodivergence awareness.

Today's Onboarding: A Symphony, Not a Solo

Post-intervention, our teams now have a robust, brand-aligned, and thorough suite of resources for onboarding. The new process saves managers time, and newcomers feel more supported and prepared for their new roles. All in all, onboarding now feels more like being welcomed into a harmonious orchestra, rather than a solo performance on an unfamiliar instrument.