Supervisor’s Guide to

Onboarding A Strategic Workforce Planning Program Resource

Helping new employees get off to a running start

D H R
Department of Human Resources
County of Los Angeles
Table of Contents
PREFACE ............................................................................................................................. 3
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 3
BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................................. 3
PURPOSE ..................................................................................................................................... 3
WHO SHOULD USE THIS GUIDE?...................................................................................................... 3
ONBOARDING OVERVIEW ................................................................................................... 4
DEFINITION .................................................................................................................................. 4
HOW ONBOARDING IS DIFFERENT FROM AN ORIENTATION .................................................................... 4
THE IMPORTANCE OF ONBOARDING .................................................................................................. 5
ONBOARDING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ....................................................................................... 5
GUIDELINES FOR A SUCCESSFUL ONBOARDING PROCESS ..................................................... 8
PREPARING FOR THE ONBOARDING PROCESS....................................................................................... 8
DURING THE ONBOARDING PROCESS ............................................................................................... 13
AFTER THE ONBOARDING PROCESS ................................................................................................. 14
EXECUTIVE ONBOARDING ................................................................................................. 15
CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 17

Appendix A – Supervisor Onboarding Checklist

Appendix B – Sample Welcome Letter and Development Guidelines
Appendix C – Peer Advisor Onboarding Checklist
Appendix D – Sample Welcome Packet and Development Guidelines
Terminology Guide
Role Relationships Handout
New Employee Checklist
Office Floor Plan
Map of Surrounding Area
Appendix E – Sources
Appendix F – Authors
Preface
County executives are the leaders in implementing change management efforts by
shaping culture through demonstrating and reinforcing what is valued. The
information presented in this Guide can assist County executives in making
onboarding a departmental priority. Building upon information presented
throughout the Guide, an Executive Onboarding section is included in this Guide to
present information that focuses on the needs of new County executive-level staff.

Introduction
Background
The Department of Human Resources’ Strategic Workforce Planning program
provides resources to help departments achieve the County’s Strategic Plan Goal of
Operational Effectiveness. As part of this effort, this Supervisor’s Guide to
Onboarding provides information to managers and
supervisors about helping new employees quickly Research and
adjust to their new jobs and work environments. The
conventional wisdom
steps taken to ease new employees into their roles
can have long-reaching effects on their job both suggest that
satisfaction, productivity, and capacity to provide employees get about
effective service. 90 days to prove
themselves in a new
Purpose job. The faster these
The purpose of this Guide is to present general employees feel
information that can serve as a useful foundation for
welcome and
developing an onboarding process. Specifically, it has
been developed to help you achieve the following prepared for their
goals: jobs, the faster they
will be able to
• Understand what onboarding is
successfully contribute
• Recognize the importance of onboarding
to [the job].
• Create a process for successful onboarding
• Evaluate the impact of an onboarding process - Society for Human
Resources Management
Who Should Use This Guide? Onboarding Employees:
Maximizing Success
This Guide was written for you, an individual manager
or supervisor seeking to enhance the onboarding
process you implement for your new employees. Please make sure you are already
familiar with your department’s procedures for processing and transitioning newly-
hired or newly-promoted employees.

3
Onboarding Overview
Definition
Onboarding is the process of helping new employees become engaged, productive, and successful
members of your team. It includes all of the activities that occur to make them feel welcome and
help them transition to their new jobs and work environments. Onboarding should occur with
employees in one or more of the following categories:
• New to the County. New employees need help becoming familiar with the procedures and
culture of the County and your department, division, and/or unit. If it is their first job, they will
also need help becoming familiar with the working world.
• New to your department, division, and/or unit. While County employees who transfer within
our organization already have some familiarity with County culture, they will nevertheless need
to understand and adjust to the unique characteristics of your specific department, division,
and/or unit.
• New to a supervisory position. New supervisors will have as many new procedures and
challenges as employees who are new to the County. Onboarding will help guide their
transition into a supervisory role.
This Guide uses the term “new employees” to represent all of these employees.

How Onboarding is Different from an Orientation

Onboarding is often confused with new hire orientations. Although they occur in a similar time
frame, the onboarding process is different from an orientation. The following table highlights the
major differences between an onboarding process and a typical new hire orientation.
Orientation Onboarding
Duration Usually a few hours, but can Varies depending on the job and the needs
sometimes take place over a of the employee. It usually continues for
few days at least the first 90 days to the end of the
probationary period, or until the employee
is adjusted and fully productive.
Participants Human Resources Human Resources representative(s),
representative(s) and new supervisor, coworkers, and new employee
employee
Organizational Discussed in general or given Discussed in relation to the employee’s
Mission to the employee to read specific role in achieving the mission

Expectations & Discussed at a general level Discussed within the first week in relation
Roles or not discussed at all to the employee’s specific role

Methods of If included, survey of the new Turnover rate, time to productivity,

Measurement employee’s satisfaction with satisfaction with the onboarding process,
the orientation etc.

4
The Importance of Onboarding
Most new employees begin work with enthusiasm. Ineffective onboarding, however, can cause
them to quickly become frustrated. An ineffective onboarding process can include the following:
• Overwhelming amounts of information and paperwork on the first day
• Unavailable workspace and work tools (e.g., computer and supplies)
• Uncertainty over who to approach with questions or concerns
• Unclear or inconsistent work expectations Organizations with a
standard onboarding
Proper onboarding helps new employees maintain their enthusiasm. It
also can reduce their time to productivity, help prevent turnover, and process experience:
establish a positive first impression that can be sustained throughout their • 54% greater new
County careers.
hire productivity

Onboarding Roles and Responsibilities • 50% greater new

Several individuals play a role in creating a successful onboarding process: hire retention

• Human resources representatives have a supporting role in the • Two times the level
onboarding process. In addition to several administrative functions, of new hire
their responsibilities include helping you coordinate onboarding tasks, engagement
overcome onboarding obstacles, and ensure your onboarding process
compliments departmental procedures. - M. Lombardi
The Aberdeen Group
• Supervisors (YOU) have the most important role in the onboarding Onboarding 2011:
The Path to Productivity
process because you have the most interaction with new employees.
Your responsibilities are the following:
 Customize onboarding practices and tools
 Select current employees to help guide new employees
 Define roles and your expectations for new employees
 Check in with new employees to provide feedback and support
 Discuss onboarding obstacles and successes with Human Resources Representatives
• Peer Advisors are current employees on your team who help new employees adjust to their
new jobs. Peer advisors’ responsibilities include the following:
 Interpret policies and procedures
 Introduce new employees to their coworkers
 Advise new employees about challenges they may encounter
 Answer questions that are too trivial perhaps for new employees to ask you
 Share information about workplace culture, unwritten rules, and office traditions
Peer advisors for new supervisors offer informal guidance on how to perform the following:
 Establish credibility as a supervisor
 Position initiatives to be accepted in the department, division, and/or unit
 Utilize new resources or tools that are now available to the new supervisor
 Navigate new work interaction dynamics (e.g., coworkers becoming direct reports)
The case study on the next page illustrates the positive effects of including a peer advisor role in an
onboarding program. It also highlights successful implementation of some of the other
recommendations described in this Guide.

5
 Onboarding Case Study
Organization
XYZ Corporation

Organization Profile
XYZ Corporation provides communication and aviation electronic solutions. The company employs
approximately 20,000 people in over 60 locations worldwide.

The Situation
The company experienced high turnover costs due to a significant number of new hires leaving in
their first two years. Leaders within the company began to recognize the need to create a
consistent, positive experience for new employees to help them integrate into the workplace.

Initiative
Leaders at XYZ Corporation needed to accomplish the following goals through an onboarding
program:

• Create a positive impression of the company.

• Foster a sense of purpose.
• Effectively integrate new employees into the workplace.

Many of the problems new employees were encountering seemed to result from an inconsistent
communication approach. To fix this problem and accomplish the program goals, the following
methods were developed and implemented:

• Sending welcome letters and information packets containing details about company benefits,
policies, and procedures to new employees before they begin working.
• Using leader checklists to ensure that workspaces are setup prior to a new employee’s arrival.
• Inviting new employees to informal gatherings to introduce them to other new hires.
• Pairing current employee “sponsors” with new employees through a mentoring program that
introduces new employees to current staff and helps with the new employees’ development.

Results
One year after the program was implemented it was determined to be a success. New hires
expressed their satisfaction with the onboarding program. According to one new employee,
“Everyone was so helpful in my training that I was immediately making progress and contributing.”
Existing employees also noticed a difference in new employees. A manager noted, “When I first
started at XYZ Corporation seven years ago, there was no computer or phone waiting for me. With
a formal onboarding program in place, we’ve noticed that our new employees begin feeling
comfortable right away.” Program managers gathered information from all new employees
throughout their first year to constantly update and improve the onboarding experience.

6
Major Components
Of Effective Onboarding
According to the Society for Human Resources Management, there are four distinct “building block”
components of successful onboarding programs. It is important to leverage each of them in your
specific onboarding process. The components, called the “Four C’s,” are described below.

Description
Compliance Includes teaching employees basic legal and
policy-related rules and regulations

Clarification Refers to ensuring that employees understand

their new job and all related expectations

Culture Includes providing employees with a sense of

organizational norms – both formal and informal

Connection Refers to the vital interpersonal relationships

and information networks that new employees
must establish

The next section of this Guide provides specific guidelines on structuring your onboarding process
to include these important components.

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Guidelines for a Successful
Onboarding Process
Several guidelines for you to consider as you structure your onboarding process are provided
below. Using these guidelines as a foundation, customize the onboarding process to reflect the
specific needs of the new employee and the unique elements of your department, division, and/or
unit. A sample Supervisor Onboarding Checklist can be found in Appendix A to help you keep track
of onboarding tasks.

Preparing for the Onboarding Process

• Work with your departmental Human Resources representative to track new employees through
the hiring process. This will help you plan when to start the onboarding activities.
• Begin communicating with new employees before they start working. A personal phone call,
email, and/or letter from you at the conclusion of the hiring process can help build or renew
new employees’ connection with you and their new job, which is particularly important if the
hiring process was lengthy.
Onboarding Tools
Congratulate new employees on being selected and communicate the
following to them:
• Your enthusiasm about working with them
• Work site details (e.g., security, parking, public transportation)
• Information about the dress code
• Pay information (i.e., when they will receive their first check)
• Names of the team members with whom they will be working
A sample welcome letter and guidelines for developing one are provided
in Appendix B.

• Notify your team that new employees will be arriving soon. Share introductory information
about the new employee (e.g., “Robert Johnson will be joining us as an Analyst. He went to ABC
University and has worked for XYZ County”) to facilitate initial conversations when the new
employee arrives. Additionally, obtain updates from the team about assignments or team
projects that will involve the new employee.
• Select a peer advisor. This should be a friendly, outgoing, high-performing employee who is
knowledgeable about the following:
 The new employee’s job
 Your work style and how the team interacts
 The history and culture of the department, division, and/or unit
Whether you select an employee to fill the role, ask for a volunteer, or divide the
responsibilities of the role among several members of the team, ensure that each peer advisor
has enough time to properly serve in the role.

8
• Prepare peer advisors to fulfill the responsibilities of their role. Discuss your expectations and
emphasize that while the primary purpose of the role is to help new employees, it also
demonstrates peer advisors’ interpersonal skills. Explain how serving in the role relates to the
peer advisors’ own career and developmental goals.
Onboarding Tools
A sample checklist for peer advisors to use can be found in
Appendix C. It lists their major activities in relation to helping
new employees. Customize the checklist to meet the needs
of your department, division, and/or unit and provide it to all
peer advisors.

• Prepare a welcome packet for new employees. The onboarding process should help new
employees understand the department’s mission, vision, priorities, and culture. Unlike the
County of Los Angeles Employee Handbook which provides general information for all
employees, the welcome packet contains useful reference information tailored specifically to
employees in your department and on your team. Example documents to include are listed
below.
 Terminology Guide. New employees often have difficulty understanding what is being
communicated to them because the terms are unfamiliar. A terminology guide defines
these terms, which helps to lessen this frustration and lead to faster learning.
 Role Relationships Handout. Unlike an organization chart that outlines general
structural/functional relationships, a role relationships handout provides specific,
concrete examples of how positions, teams, units, and divisions interact in relation to
your team and/or the new employee’s position.
 New Employee Checklist. There are many administrative activities that new employees
must complete during their first weeks on the job. A checklist helps them keep track of
these activities and related information.
 Office Floor Plan. Most new employees perceive a new office to be a confusing maze of
cubicles, conference rooms, and hallways that they must navigate. An office floor plan
helps guide them from one place to another.
 Map of Surrounding Area. Just as new employees need help becoming familiar with
their surroundings in the office, they may need help with their surroundings around the
office. Knowing where to go for lunch and run errands (e.g., dry cleaners, bank, or post
office) can help them feel connected.
Onboarding Tools
A sample welcome packet can be found in Appendix D. It
includes examples of each of the documents listed above, as
well as guidelines for you to consider as you develop your
own materials.

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• Prepare workspaces before new employees arrive. 1 Not having work tools and a designated
space to work can be very frustrating for new employees. It prevents them from being
productive and feeling “situated.” It also suggests that you did not anticipate or plan for their
arrival. Depending on your worksite, a prepared workspace can include the following:
 A clean desk
 Office supplies (e.g., pens, notepad, stapler, tape, etc.) Best-in-Class
 A functioning computer and phone organizations realize the
 Email and phone directories for the department, division,
significance of starting
and/or unit 2
 Equipment operation manuals (e.g., how to set up and the onboarding process
check voicemail) before new hires begin
 Procedural information about the work of the team (e.g., employment. They are
standard operating procedure and writing style guide) more likely to start the
 Any other equipment necessary for the position (e.g., onboarding process
safety gear or uniform) upon the acceptance of
A prepared workspace can include the physical objects listed an employment offer
above as well as other tools new employees need to do their work and before the first day
(e.g., email address, Internet access, long distance calling on the job.
authorization, etc.). Be sure that any forms for acquiring these
tools are ready for new employees to complete when they arrive. - Aberdeen Group
All Aboard: Effective Onboarding
The sooner these forms can be processed, the sooner new Techniques and Strategies
employees will be able to work as fully-functioning members of
your team.
• Prepare for discussions with new employees. To improve onboarding success and ensure that
you are prepared to guide new employees through their period of adjustment to the job, take
the following actions before new employees arrive.
• Understand Your Work Style. Your team must understand and work with your work style
(e.g., how you interact with them and involve them in decision-making). Rather than having
new employees figure this out through experience, describing your style early during the
onboarding process will help them more quickly adjust.

• Identify Your Goals and Expectations. Although your expectations of employee-involvement

in goal-setting may change over time, it is your responsibility to determine what new
employees will accomplish during their first few weeks or months on the job. You will have
different goals and expectations for new employees depending on their position and
specific work projects and assignments. Considering this information before new
employees arrive will help ensure that they can begin working on achieving some goals and
meeting your expectations right away.
Setting goals that follow the S.M.A.R.T. format helps new employees understand what is
expected of them. The example on the following page compares two goals in relation to
meeting the requirements of this format.

1
Human resources will notify and work with you to ensure that the workspace fulfills any reasonable
accommodation needs, if required.
2
Countywide directories are available on the Intranet (http://web.co.la.ca.us/lacounty).

10
 S.M.A.R.T. Goal Example
S. M. A. R. T.
Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-bound
Clearly state Define how Ensure the Relate the Describe a
what should be completion will outcome is outcome to a deadline for
accomplished. be determined. attainable. real need. completion.

Goal A: Develop a comprehensive presentation about all your project research.

Specific What kind of presentation?
Measurable What does “comprehensive” mean exactly?
Achievable Which project? All projects?
Relevant Why? For what audience?
Time-bound By when?

Goal B: Develop 5-8 PowerPoint slides with speaker notes about your Project X research.
Discuss the purpose, method, findings, and recommendations. Bill will present
the slides at the managers’ meeting next Thursday. Email me a draft by 1pm on
Monday.
Specific PowerPoint slides with speaker notes about Project X
Measurable Address purpose, method, findings, and recommendations
Achievable Research for a single project can be summarized in 5-8 slides
Relevant For Bill to present at the manager meeting
Time-bound By 1pm on Monday

As you can see from this example, goals that follow the S.M.A.R.T. format (i.e., Goal B) are more
complete than goals that do not (i.e., Goal A). They provide sufficient detail that helps lead to their
successful completion. Especially because the first few months on a new job can be stressful for
new employees, they will appreciate that you provide them with this level of detail, as appropriate
for their position. It will help them become productive faster, which benefits them, you, and the
team.

Additionally, employees who are new Management Appraisal and Performance Plan (MAPP)
participants will need assistance developing relevant and effective performance measures that
adhere to MAPP standards.

11
• Prepare for discussions with new employees (cont’d)
• Determine New Employees’ Information Needs. Different employees have different
information needs. Their specific work history will guide what information to convey and
how detailed you should be in describing it 3. Consider the following questions to help you
evaluate a new employee’s information needs:
 How much work experience does this new employee have?
 Does this new employee have previous experience in the public sector?
 Does this new employee have previous experience in the County?
The table below describes different types of information new employees may need to
understand. Although a combination of individuals can be involved in sharing this
information, YOU are primarily responsible for ensuring that it is conveyed.

Information Category Examples

Countywide Mission, vision, and values ● Organizational
structure ● Human resources policies (e.g.,
absences, holidays, breaks, benefits, etc.)
Departmental Mission, vision, and values ● Decision-making
process/chain of command ● Timekeeping system
● Work schedule options and overtime policies ●
Procurement procedures ● Cell phone use/texting
policies
Location Office floor plan ● Parking and public
transportation ● Emergency exits/evacuation plan
● Security requirements (e.g., keys) ● Map of the
surrounding area ● Water/Coffee club information
Job Procedural guides ● Career ladder ● Training
needs
Team/Work Unit Your work style ● Review and feedback process ●
Regularly-scheduled meetings ● Procedural guides
● Role relationships

Individual Employee Your goals and expectations ● Role ● Training

needs ● Work schedule (including breaks)

3
Although work history provides a basis for considering employees’ needs before they arrive, you may need to
modify your approach after observing and working with them on the job.

12
During the Onboarding Process
The onboarding process usually occurs at least during the employee’s first 90 days on the job to the
end of his/her probationary period, or until the employee is fully productive. The actual time
needed will vary depending on the job and the needs of the employee. Below are several activities
that you can undertake to facilitate new employees’ transition during
this period of career adjustment. Because research
• Set aside time to meet one-on-one with new employees, shows that the
particularly during their first few days on the job, to show them trajectory of a new
that they are important to you. You should use a combination of hire’s success is set as
formal (e.g., scheduled) and informal (e.g., casually stopping by early as the first two
their desks) meetings throughout the onboarding process. weeks, it is important
• Convey information in small, manageable pieces to promote to make the first day a
understanding. Remember that adjusting to the job can be special one.
overwhelming for new employees. They will probably not retain
what is shared during long, “marathon” meetings in which you - Society for Human
cover many topics in-depth. Only discuss information as it is Resources Management
Onboarding Employees:
needed and spread the remaining information throughout the Maximizing Success
onboarding process, if possible.
• Share stories with new employees. Stories recount past situations, events, and experiences that
can be used as learning tools for new employees. Stories can provide the following benefits:
 Exemplify organizational values
 “Bring to life” why certain practices exist, which provides a perspective that may reduce
resistance and ease the adjustment to learning something new
 Illustrate the achievements of individual employees to show you appreciate employees’
contributions and to inspire new employees to make outstanding contributions
themselves
When sharing a story, be mindful of its purpose (e.g., to inform, advise, warn, educate, inspire,
etc.) and convey it so the message is clear.
• Define roles by showing new employees how they fit into the “big picture.” New employees
often leave organizations because their experience does not match what they expected. When
defining roles, be realistic and straightforward in specifying how new employees’ roles impact
the department, division, and/or unit. The Role Relationships Handout is a particularly useful
tool for facilitating this discussion.
• Engage new employees in fun, interesting ways. Onboarding can include non-traditional
methods for helping new employees adjust to their new jobs. Some ideas are described below.
 Arrange lunches and receptions to provide social networking opportunities. This can
help begin the process of building relationships, which is especially important for newly
promoted supervisors or managers.
 Use interactive tools to facilitate learning. For example, create an online “scavenger
hunt” to encourage employees to find information about the functions of County
departments. These activities are most useful in the first week of employment for
employees who are new to the County.

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• Follow-up over the first few weeks or months. Your goal is to convey information and show
support to new employees during the onboarding process and throughout your time working
together. Be sure to complete the tasks listed below.
 Ask how the employees are managing the workload.
 Actively listen to and address any concerns that new employees have.
 Discuss whether your and the new employees’ expectations are being met.
• Track performance throughout the probationary period. Be sure to monitor new employees’
performance to ensure they are meeting the needs of the job. Recognize employees for early
work accomplishments and help employees maintain the momentum of success. Address
performance issues immediately to potentially correct actions before they become patterns.

Ultimately, the probationary period is the final step in the hiring process and represents the
point when the final determination on whether new employees are deemed qualified for their
new roles. As the supervisor, it is your responsibility to certify new employees’ appointments
and to act accordingly within the time-bound evaluation period.

After the Onboarding Process

Below are several activities that you can undertake to evaluate and improve your onboarding
process for new employees in the future.
• Measure the impact of onboarding. This includes your own assessment of the effectiveness of
onboarding employees on your team (e.g., Did it take less time than you expected for the new
employee to begin contributing to the work of the team? Are you able to retain new
employees?), as well as providing information to help human resources understand the impact
of onboarding (e.g., by completing a survey on new employee engagement and productivity).
• Gather feedback from peer advisors. Peer advisors can provide useful insight, such as whether
any questions new employees ask require lengthy/repeated explanations before the new
employees grasp them. This may indicate that more training is needed and/or that there are
some areas new employees find challenging.
• Gather feedback from new employees. Solicit new employees’ suggestions for improvements
to the onboarding process, as they will have a different perspective after being on the job for a
while. Asking for this kind of feedback demonstrates to new employees that their opinions are
valued. Implement employees’ reasonable and valuable suggestions to ensure continuous
improvement of your onboarding process.

14
Executive Onboarding
This Guide discusses onboarding guidelines and activities that are useful Estimates of outright
for and applicable to most position levels throughout the County (i.e., failure in the first 18
entry-level to upper management). However, new employees in
months range from
executive positions can also benefit from planned and meaningful
activities to assist them during their periods of career transition and 38% to over half, and
adjustment. Executive onboarding differs from traditional onboarding many more executives
because of the unique challenges new executives face. For example: fail to be as successful
as was predicted in
 New executives are often hired or promoted to implement
strategic initiatives that require changing the status quo rather the hiring or
than fitting into it. promotion phase.
 They must navigate among widely competing stakeholder
When leaders in a new
agendas and pressures to accomplish work for the organization.
 New executives are often confronted with a “sink-or-swim”
situation don’t build
expectation based on having already acquired a high-level of the right kind of
experience and expertise. foundation early in
their incumbency,
Executive onboarding must prevent executive derailment and expedite
the executive's contribution to optimizing strategic achievement. In
they may never get
addition to implementing an onboarding process as previously described the right traction.
in this Guide, managers of new executive-level employees can benefit Organizations can
from implementing the following additional guidelines:
increase the number
• Explain situational nuances to help the new executive grasp the of leaders who
often unwritten rules and practices that impact the leading of a become powerfully
department. Provide and discuss all relevant information that will effective…by
orient the new executive and enable him/her to make strategic equipping them with
decisions early. This information can include the following:
resources and
 organizational history and characteristics
 departmental mission, vision, and strategic objectives programs that
 key metrics, regulatory guidelines, and authority structures maximize their
 human resources, budget, and contracts procedures integration.
 norms of communication - Center for Creative
 biographies and resumes of senior-level direct reports Leadership
Executive integration: Equipping
• Facilitate relationship-building with key stakeholders by assigning a transitioning leaders for success
senior-level mentor/sponsor/coach who can perform the following:
 make formal introductions to direct reports and senior staff
 introduce the new executive to external stakeholders
 arrange formal/informal meetings with senior staff to share knowledge and build trust
 create regular networking opportunities
• Clarify performance goals and objectives by outlining individual and department performance
expectations, communicating issues requiring immediate attention, identifying constraints and
likely barriers to performance, providing feedback, and facilitating leadership development.

15
The case study below illustrates the positive effects of an executive onboarding process.

Executive Onboarding
Case Study
Organization
ABC Corporation
Organization Profile
ABC Corporation is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets.
The company employs approximately 290,000 full-time associates.
The Situation
The banking and financial services industry average for executive derailment is 40 percent.
Initiative
Between 2001 and 2006, the company hired 189 external executives, and more than 200
internal candidates went through a formal executive onboarding process. The company has
three major goals for its executive onboarding program:
• Minimize the high costs of executive derailment
• Accelerate executive performance results
• Facilitate a smooth integration experience for new executives.
The executive onboarding program incorporates the following:
Onboarding Tool Purpose Timing
Written Onboarding Helps new executives organize and Provided during
Plan prioritize the onboarding process first week
Leadership Tools Helps new employees understand the Provided during
leadership frameworks at the company first week
Key Stakeholder Allow for important flows of information During first two
Meetings and for expectation setting months
New Leader-Team Helps accelerate the development of During first 2-3
Integration relationships between the new executive months
and his/her team
New Peer Integration Helps accelerate the development of During first 2-3
relationships between the new executive months
and the rest of the executive team
Stakeholder Check-In Help diagnose potential problems, receive During first 3-4
Meetings developmental feedback, and create months
solutions
Executive Networking Help new executives connect and network Held quarterly
Forums with other executives

Results
The organization now has an executive success rate of 88 percent.

16
Conclusion
This Supervisor’s Guide to Onboarding has defined and outlined the importance of onboarding,
including differentiating it from an orientation. Through the two case studies provided, the Guide
has illustrated effective onboarding implementations at other organizations. In describing the roles
and responsibilities of the individuals involved in making an onboarding process successful, the
Guide has presented onboarding as a collective approach to integrating employees who are new to
the County, new to a department/division/unit, and new to supervisory roles. As described,
onboarding is important not only for line staff, but also for new supervisors, managers, and
executives.

Using the framework and customizable tools provided in this Guide can help you implement an
onboarding process that incorporates the four major components for effectiveness (i.e.,
compliance, clarification, culture, and connection). Intentional and meaningful onboarding efforts
will enhance your new employees’ engagement, job satisfaction, and most importantly, their career
success. We encourage you to use the principles, guidelines, and tools described in this Guide to
give your employees a running start to a bright future.

17
Appendix A
Supervisor Onboarding Checklist

1. Before the New Employee Arrives

□ Call, email, and/or send a letter to welcome the new employee and provide necessary
information for his/her first day of work.
□ Create your onboarding welcome packet.
□ Select a peer advisor.
□ Ensure that your staff knows when the new employee is arriving.
□ Obtain brief status updates of projects that will involve the new employee.
□ Ensure that a work space is prepared.

2. On the New Employee’s First Day

□ Welcome and set aside time to meet one-on-one with the new employee.
□ Encourage the new employee to ask questions and voice his/her concerns. Make sure to
be available to provide answers in a timely manner.
□ Introduce the new employee to his/her peer advisor.

3. During the First Week

□ Have work assignments ready so that the new employee can feel productive right away.
□ Discuss goals and training schedule. Help remove any obstacles that may make the goal
unattainable.
□ Make sure that the peer advisor and the new employee are meeting.
□ Ensure that the new employee is obtaining key information (e.g., benefits, timecards,
departmental communications, etc.).

4. Throughout the First 90-days to the End of the Probationary Period

□ Meet regularly with the new employee to discuss achieving and setting new goals; the
employee’s work pace; and how the employee is adjusting.
□ Consistently provide positive and constructive feedback to help the new employee keep
his/her performance on track.
□ Be available to answer questions or address concerns.
□ Ensure the new employee is meeting all necessary personnel.
□ Determine whether or not the new employee’s expectations are being met. Discuss
specific experiences and examples.
□ Ask for feedback regarding the onboarding process and the new employee’s experiences.

Appendix | 18
Appendix B
Sample Welcome Letter

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL SERVICES
HEADQUARTERS
1234 MAIN STREET • LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90012
(213) 555-2406 • FAX (213) 555-0387
SUSAN JONES
SPECIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR

August 27, 2015

Robert Johnson
4567 Center Street
Los Angeles, CA 90010

Dear Robert,

Congratulations and welcome to the Research Unit of the Department of Special Services! I
am looking forward to being your new supervisor and working with you on your projects and
assignments. Your first day of work is coming up very soon, and I want to give you some
information to help you get ready.

I have been informed that your orientation with human resources is at 8:30 am on Wednesday,
September 16 at headquarters (you should have already received notice and instructions from
them). Please report to our office at 6789 Main Street immediately after the orientation ends.

If you are driving to our office, you can park in one of the visitor spaces near the entrance to the
building. We will issue your parking decal and gate card for the employee parking lot before
the end of the day. If you are taking public transportation, the Main Street and Victory stop is
the one closest to our office.

When you arrive, check-in with the receptionist and wait in the lobby. Mary, Lynn, Ryan, and
Paul are all excited that you are joining our team, and one of them will come to the lobby to
greet you. I will meet with you sometime after you get settled in your new workspace. We will
discuss your work schedule when we meet, but expect your first day to end at 5:00 pm.

Also, just to let you know, everyone in the office will be wearing jeans on September 16 in
support of a “Blue Jeans for Babies” charity event. If you like, feel free to dress accordingly that
day. Traditional business attire is expected otherwise.

Lastly, I wanted to inform you about our payroll system so you can make any necessary plans.
Unfortunately, it takes a few weeks to get new employees processed in the system. Since
September 16 is your first day, you will receive your first paycheck on October 15. It will be for
a full month’s salary.

I hope that this information is helpful. If you have any questions, call me at (213) 555-9412 or
email me at [email protected]. Otherwise, see you on the 16th!

Sincerely,
Hilary Jackson
Hilary Jackson
Special Services Assistant Director

Appendix | 19
Appendix B (continued)
Guidelines for Developing a Welcome Letter

1. The tone should be professional, but still friendly and personal. Try not to make it
sound like a form letter.

2. Convey your excitement about working with the new employee.

3. Include relevant details about the following:

• Parking and public transportation
• Security measures
• Dress code
• Work schedule for the first day
• Pay information (i.e., when they will receive their first check). Many new employees
are frustrated to find out that it will take them a full month to get paid. The sooner
they can be informed of this, the sooner they can make any necessary financial plans
or arrangements.
• Special events taking place on the new employee’s first day. You want the
employee to be able choose to participate in these events and not “stick out” from
the rest of the team.

4. Include the names of the people with whom the new employee will be working. This
will help the new employee begin remembering names. “Putting a face to a name” is
easier than trying to keep track of new names and new faces on the first day.

5. Encourage the new employee to contact you with any questions or concerns.

Appendix | 20
Appendix C
Peer Advisor Onboarding Checklist

Introduction: The goal of onboarding is to help new employees quickly become successful
members of your department, division, and/or unit. As a peer advisor, you will serve as a
resource for new employees to help them in this process. Use this checklist to ensure that you
are completing the necessary activities.

□ Take the new employee on a tour of the facilities, including break rooms, restrooms, copy
rooms, and emergency exits.
□ Share information about how office snacks and beverages are obtained (e.g., if they are
purchased by an employee group or if it is a “pay as you go” system).
□ Explain how to use office machines such as the copier or scanner.
□ Show where supplies are kept and explain procedures for obtaining them.
□ Explain the building security procedures.
□ Share information about unwritten office rules or departmental traditions such as casual
Friday.
□ Explain any voluntary office programs that are currently taking place (e.g., wellness programs)
and inform the new employee how he/she can take part.
□ Share information about formal and informal social activities that take place outside of work,
such as recreational sports teams.
□ Share information that you found helpful as a new employee.
□ Be available for questions from the new employee.
□ Give honest answers and maintain confidentiality when appropriate. For example, you do not
need to tell your supervisor about a minor embarrassing incident that happens when the new
employee is learning or doing something new. However, you should report any major
violations that have significant impact on the new employee, other employees, the County, or
your department, division, and/or unit.
□ Remember that the new employee’s work styles may not be like your own and that he/she
does not have to perform a task exactly as you would.
□ Use your experiences to inform the new employee of any challenges unique to his/her role.

If you are a peer advisor for a new supervisor, complete the following additional activities:
□ Advise on how to build new relationships with previous peers who are now direct reports.
□ Advise on how to manage more ambiguous tasks or assignments.
□ Explain how quickly changes can be implemented and accepted within the County and/or the
department, division, and/or unit.
□ Help establish connections with important personnel central to the new supervisor’s role
(e.g., upper management and other supervisors).
□ Provide honest feedback about how work styles between the new supervisor and the direct
reports are fitting together or conflicting.
□ Set-up meetings to introduce the new supervisor to important personnel within and outside
of your department.

Appendix | 21
Appendix D
Sample Welcome Packet

Terminology Guide
Research Unit • Department of Special Services

Welcome! As you interact with us to complete your projects and assignments, we may
occasionally use terminology that is unfamiliar to you. To help you get “up to speed”
quickly, we have compiled this list of explanations for commonly used terms. We hope
that you find it useful as you adjust to working on our team. Please let us know if there
are any terms that we forgot to include so that we can update this list.

9/80: An alternative work schedule where you work 80 hours over 9 business days and take the
10th day off. The 10th day is called your RDO.
AP: Appraisal of Promotability. These are evaluations that supervisors complete for employees
applying for promotions. There are two kinds of APs: Commentless (CAP) and Traditional
(TAP).
Board: “This came down from the Board.” The County Board of Supervisors. These five elected
officials govern the County. Board assignments have priority over most other assignments.
CSR: Civil Service Rules. These are the legal guidelines that direct how we carry out the County’s
human resources function. They help ensure our processes are fair. They rarely change.
DHRM: Departmental Human Resources Manager. The Director of Personnel delegates these
individuals the authority to perform may human resources functions for their departments.
DPSS: Department of Public Social Services (a list of other common department acronyms is
provided in your welcome packet). Frequently, when we use this term, we are referring to
the physical location of a nearby DPSS office. It is down the street at 3435 Wilshire, and we
often use rooms there to conduct job analysis studies, written tests, and interviews.
DSS: Department of Special Services. Your department! The best place to work!
Master Calendar: Normally, we use this term to reference examinations run on a regular
schedule because there are on-going, continuous hiring needs for these job classifications
(e.g., Intermediate Typist Clerk) across multiple County departments. Exams that are not
Master Calendar generally have only occasional hiring needs and/or one department that
hires the job classification.
RDO: Regular day off. You earn one RDO for every two-week period that you work on the 9/80
work schedule (see 9/80). Most of us have our RDOs on Fridays, but you may be able to
choose another day.
Run: “Who is running the exam?” This refers to the department that administers a particular
examination (e.g., posts the bulletin; accepts and reviews the applications; contacts the
applicants; etc.). Sometimes it also refers to the specific analyst within the department
who is in charge of these activities.
Page 1 of 6

Appendix | 22
Appendix D (continued)
Sample Welcome Packet

Role Relationships Handout

Research Unit • Department of Special Services
This handout describes employee roles an Analyst interacts with while performing typical job
duties.

Role Primary Interaction(s) The Results

Department Head • You may provide periodic written or The Department Head is
Oversees all functions verbal updates to Department apprised of critical
of a department. Heads regarding high-level, high- information about filling
priority, or sensitive examinations. important vacancies.

Departmental HR • DHRMs request our services for job You will have
Manager (DHRM) analysis and test development appropriate subject
Oversees the HR projects for their departments. matter experts for your
functions in a line • You provide DHRMs with criteria for projects.
department. selecting subject matter experts for
these projects.

Exam Analyst • You provide exam analysts with This helps Exam
Administers the exam current and historical information Analysts create job
process. about job analyses and tests. bulletins and coordinate
• You may also answer questions or various aspects of the
provide information to help them exam process.
conduct job analyses or train raters.

Subject Matter Expert You will work with SMEs during your job The tests you develop
(SME) analysis and test development projects. will accurately reflect
Provides accurate job They provide information to help you the requirements of the
information understand the job. job.

Appeals Unit Appeals staff ask you to provide This helps the Appeals
Investigates and information about job analyses and tests Unit effectively respond
responds to formal as part of some of their investigations. to candidates’ appeals.
appeals about the
exam process

Budget Unit • DHRMs provide our budget unit Departments are billed
with financial information and and our department is
payment for our services. paid appropriately for
• Budget staff provide billing codes for the work that you
you to use on your timecard to track perform.
hours spent on projects.

Appendix | 23
Appendix D (continued)
Sample Welcome Packet

New Employee Checklist

Research Unit • Department of Special Services
New employees often receive an overwhelming amount of information in the first few days on
the job. The purpose of this checklist is to help you keep track of the information you have
received and the information you still need to obtain. Most of these items will be covered
within the first week; however, it may take up to the first month of employment to complete
the list.

□ Date of new employee orientation: __________

□ Receive employee handbook

□ Receive employee directories (e.g., phone and email)

□ Fill out State/Federal Tax forms and I-9 form

Contact Name: ________________ Phone/Email: ________________________

□ Fill out direct deposit form (Optional)

Contact Name: ________________ Phone/Email: ________________________

□ Deadline for completing the Sexual Harassment Training via the Learning Management
System: _________________

□ Employee Benefits
Orientation Date: __________ Deadline for Enrollment: ________________
Contact Name: ________________ Phone/Email: ________________________

□ LACERA (Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association)

Orientation Date: __________ Deadline for Enrollment: ________________
Contact Name: ________________ Phone/Email: ________________________

□ Work schedule: _______________________

□ Find out procedures for reporting an absence

□ Receive identification card

□ Obtain parking decal and/or make public transportation arrangements

□ Complete and obtain required signatures for forms concerning work equipment and tools
(e.g., email address and Internet access), as needed

□ Receive employee number

Appendix | 24
Appendix D (continued)
Sample Welcome Packet

OFFICE FLOOR PLAN

Department of Special Services
6789 Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Appendix | 25
Appendix D (continued)
Sample Welcome Packet

1. Camy’s ($) 10. IHOP ($$) 19. Carl’s Jr ($)

2. Koko’s Pizza & Chicken ($) 11. Jack in the Box ($) 20. Togo’s ($)
3. Café Metropolis ($) 12. Hao Chi Kitchen ($) 21. Avenue 2 Grill ($)
4. Subway ($) 13. Seongbukdong ($$) 22. Bistro on the Boulevard ($)
5. The Boiling Crab ($$) 14. My Thai ($$) 23. Simply Pho You ($$)
6. King of New York Pizzeria ($) 15. Spoon and Chopsticks ($) 24. Ondal ($$)
7. Tomatillo Mexican Grill ($) 16. Anima Pizza and Pasta ($$) 25. Soot Bull Jeep ($$)
8. Chipotle ($) 17. Paris Baguette ($) 26. Jun Won Restaurant ($$)
9. Denny’s ($) 18. Star BBQ ($$) 27. Taco Bell ($)

($) = Under $10 ($$)= $11 - $30

Appendix | 26
Appendix D (continued)
Sample Welcome Packet

Grocery Stores Gas Stations/Auto Care Cell Phone Carriers

1. Vons 10. Shell 20. Verizon
2. Ralphs 11. Chevron 21. Sprint
3. Ralphs 12. 76 Auto Care 22. AT&T
13. AutoZone 23. T-Mobile
Pharmacies 14. V5 Car Wash
4. Rite Aid Other Stores
5. CVS Banks 24. Big 5 Sports
6. Walgreens 15. Citibank 25. Radio Shack
16. Wells Fargo 26. Staples
Post Office/Shipping 17. Chase 27. Galleria Cleaners
7. U.S. Post Office 18. Bank of America 28. Angel Cleaners
8. UPS Store 19. Bank of the West
9. FedEx Metro Stations
29. Wilshire/Western
30. Wilshire/Normandie
31. Wilshire/ Vermont

Appendix | 27
Appendix D (continued)
Guidelines for Developing a Welcome Packet
Terminology Guide
• Tell the employee why you are providing the guide and ask for help improving it. Ask members
of your team what terms should be described and how to define them.
• When possible, include a reference to how the employee might actually hear the term used
(e.g., “This came down form the Board” in Board definition).
• Instead of just stating “what” the term means, include details like history and future direction to
provide perspective (e.g., “…rarely change…” in CSR definition).
• Refer to other terms on the list and materials in the welcome packet to enhance learning.
• Try to maintain a light, conversational tone in the document (e.g., “The best place to work!” in
the DSS definition). However, be sure to remain professional.
• Interpret what the term really means to the employee in a practical, meaningful way (e.g.,
“Frequently, when we use this term…” in DPSS definition).
• Provide details about the team to help the new employee learn about and fit in with the culture
(e.g., “Most of us have our RDOs on Fridays…” in RDO definition).
• Include all commonly used terms, even if the guide becomes lengthy. For example, the guide
developed for one unit in the Department of Human Resources has more than 46 entries.
• Alphabetize the terms for easy reference.
Role Relationships Handout
• Have current staff track all of their interactions for a given period of time to determine what
roles to include on the handout.
• Order the role relationships according to frequency of interaction (i.e., role with most
interactions are listed first).
• Describe the results of the interaction in relation to achieving a goal or directive of the
operation.
• Include names and contact information for the employees in each role, if possible.
New Employee Checklist
• Ask members of the team what items should be included on the checklist and ask for feedback
from new employees about improving it.
Office Floor Plan
• Label cubicles and offices with the name of the employee who sits there.
• Include the new employee’s name and cubicle location.
• Include other units, sections, and divisions that occupy the same office space.
• Designate emergency exits, break room/lunchroom, copy room, conference rooms, etc.
Map of Surrounding Area
• Internet mapping websites (e.g., Google Maps) are useful tools for creating and customizing
maps.
• Survey your current staff for restaurant or other business recommendations.
• Include relevant information such as price, type of food, distance from office, etc. to make the
map truly useful for new employees.

Appendix | 28
Appendix E
Sources
Aberdeen Group. (2008). All aboard: Effective onboarding techniques and strategies. Retrieved from
http://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/sites/default/files/whitepaper/csod-
wp_onboarding-techni-strat_2008.pdf

Bauer, T. N. (2010). Onboarding new employees: Maximizing success. Retrieved from Society for
Human Resources Management Foundation website:
http://www.shrm.org/about/foundation/products/documents/onboarding%20epg-
%20final.pdf

Harmeyer, E. (2008). On-boarding our new employees. Horizons, 13(4), 5-7, 13. Retrieved from the
Rockwell Collins website:
http://www.rockwellcollins.com/Our_Company/Horizons/~/media/Files/Unsecure/Pages/H
ome/Horizons/Horizons_Vol13_Issue-4_2008.ashx

Laurano, M. (2013). Onboarding 2013: A new look at new hires. Retrieved from Aberdeen Group
website: http://aberdeen.com/research/8383/ra-strategic-onboarding-talent/content.aspx

Lombardi, M. (2011). Onboarding 2011: The path to productivity. Retrieved from

http://www.talentwise.com/files/Onboarding_2011_-_The_Path_to_Productivity.pdf

Pricewaterhouse Coopers Saratoga. (2006). Best practices for retaining new employees: New
approaches to effective onboarding. Retrieved from http://www.pwc.com/en_us/us/hr-
saratoga/assets/retaining_employees_onboarding.pdf

Riddle, D. (2009). Executive integration: Equipping transitioning leaders for success. Retrieved from
Center for Creative Leadership website:
http://www.ccl.org/leadership/pdf/research/ExecutiveIntegration.pdf

United States Office of Personnel Management. (2011). Hit the ground running: Establishing a
model executive onboarding program. Retrieved from
http://www.opm.gov/WIKI/uploads/docs/Wiki/OPM/training/Hit_the_Ground_Running_Est
ablishing_a_Model_Executive_Onboarding_Framework_2011.pdf

Appendix | 29
Appendix F
Authors

Angela C. Hawkins, Human Resources Analyst IV

Angela holds an MBA and has over 13 years of public-sector human resources experience involving
succession and workforce planning; recruitment and selection; survey and training program
development and implementation; and other human resources activities. She has presented at a
regional conference sponsored by the International Public Management Association – Human
Resources and has been published in its publication.

Marc C. Shartzer, Principal Human Resources Analyst

Marc holds an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and professional certificates in Human
Resources Management, Project Management, Technical Writing, and Business Management. He
has over 15 years of professional experience in public, private, and consulting organizations. His
areas of practice include selection research and test development, succession and workforce
planning, organizational surveys, recruitment, training, compensation administration, and other
human resources activities. He has presented at regional and international conferences and has
been published in professional journals.

David Miller, Human Resources Analyst IV

David holds an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and has 5 years of public sector
experience involving recruitment, exam development and administration, classification,
compensation, training, and agency-wide research. He has presented at a regional conference and
has been published in professional journals.

Appendix | 30