Onboarding Program Situation
A large recreation and leisure retailer with 150 locations wanted to create an onboarding program for their retail employees that would orientate them to all the retail departments within the organization.
Analysis
First, Synergistx met with the retailer’s key associates, partners, and learning and development team members to determine onboarding needs and goals. In designing a program that created opportunities for personal growth and career advancement, Synergistx developed a roadmap to introduce new associates to each department. With intention, learning methods incorporated blended learning techniques.
The program plan provided a new way of tracking employee onboarding and retail learning. An additional goal of the program entailed creating a tool that reflected the retailer’s business, provided ongoing reference for employees throughout their careers, and remained easily accessible by all team members.
Solution
In sum, Synergistx developed a pocket-sized manual that employees could easily carry with them at all times. The manual’s information, grouped into three general areas, focused on every department within the company. Specific sections covered onboarding, orientation, and critical activities. Each of the sections then split into four levels of learning activities for new employees. Team leads received an additional section dedicated to identified learning activities. A checklist at the end incorporated key information for department managers to review with employees. Events such as self-paced activities, partnered activities, and hands-on training strengthened employee learning. Coupled with the events, various forms of multimedia training such as videos and eLearning reinforced retention.
In addition to providing employees with an outline of required learning activities, the manual provided a way for employees to indicate when they completed each learning activity. This training solution equipped new employees with a way to easily access the following:
- Detail questions for further discussion during the onboarding process
- Discuss concepts with coaches/mentors
- Interact with managers
- Partner with other employees
- Interact with customers during the learning process
The learning program was extremely successful within all of the organization’s 150 locations. Associates completed the onboarding process and efficiently achieved the program’s goals. Because of the preparation, employees, equipped for success, have the knowledge and tools they need to excel in their positions.