T&D Mag Article Jan 2011
- 1. WORKPLACE R // x All Aboard! A pharmaceutical company learns how to align its talent with strategy to engage employees and achieve business sustainability. The following story was told by initiative as a means to jumpstart culture workshops conducted quarterly. The Nettie Nitzberg, principal of WOW! assimilation from the day employees classroom-style sessions provided transformations. were hired, and to cultivate employee new hires with information about their career development throughout their roles within the global organization. CLIENT>> lifetime of service at the organization. Participants completed an innovation A mid sized global pharmaceutical Once they accepted their positions, exercise, discussing how the company company new hires were provided access to the could improve its processes and better company’s web portal where they were serve the community. The workshops PROBLEM>> welcomed to the company; introduced to also focused on mobility and career The company had been without an the organization’s culture, history, and development within the organization, employee onboarding program for structure; and given HR paperwork to educating employees about the training several years. It sought a best-in-class review. A new-hire toolkit was also sent and development opportunities method to differentiate itself from to the hiring manager and HR staff to available to them, including a focus on competitors, create greater employee help them prepare for a new employee’s charitable giving. Finally, new hires engagement, and attract and retain high- first six months of onboarding through enjoyed quarterly “launch lunches” performing talent. administrative and development tasks. with their classes—a time to share A peer sponsor program was information, meet the company’s DIAGNOSIS>> developed in conjunction with the executives, and network. During an action learning initiative onboarding initiative. Employees seeking for high-potential employees, an development opportunities were selected RESULTS>> onboarding program idea was born. and matched to new hires as mentors. New employees’ rates of productivity Nitzberg was hired to help the company All new hires, as well as those promoted increased as a result of the program. implement the program. internally, interns, and co-op students, Because employees engaged in completed the onboarding program— development discussions and plan- METHODS/TOOLS>> even senior-level executives. ning within their first several months Nitzberg worked with a variety of internal In addition to the web-based on the job, retention also increased. staff during a 12- to 15-month period to and peer sponsor components, the Additionally, the toolkits activated the launch the program. She branded the program was comprised of half-day performance management process on employees’ day of hire. LESSON LEARNED: Onboarding is a talent management initiative. As such, it should be housed within the talent management function and treated as a long-term process (including preboarding, onboarding, and postboarding) to be most successful. 80 | T+D | JANUARY 2011 Photo by Veer