The Art of Onboarding
Walking into a new room and feeling everyone’s eyes on you can be nerve-wracking. That initial awkwardness of being the new person eventually fades as you become integrated into the team. When joining a new company or project, there’s always an adjustment period where you’re absorbing information about people, processes, and products. This period, commonly known as onboarding, is crucial for new team members to get up to speed and start contributing effectively.
Every company and team has its own onboarding process, varying in duration and intensity. It’s often a period of both anxiety for the new hire and mutual discovery. A friend who has experienced onboarding from both sides of the table says it takes at least three months for someone to reach full capacity in a new role.
I’ve been actively involved in onboarding new hires and have learned from my former technical lead, Nilson Júnior, that providing comprehensive support is essential. This includes granting necessary access, explaining company ceremonies, addressing technical questions, and fostering a welcoming environment. Having entered the tech industry in my 30s with experience in other fields, I’ve developed strategies to accelerate my own onboarding and that of others.
The goal of onboarding is to help new hires quickly find their footing and become productive members of the team. Here are five key strategies:
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The Detective’s Questions: When entering a new environment with unfamiliar people, it’s natural to have many questions. Historians, doctors, detectives, and researchers from various fields share a common approach based on the scientific method: a simple set of questions that can be counted on one hand – What? When? Where? How? Why? By jotting down answers and new questions as you encounter them, you can better understand the information and identify knowledge gaps.
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The Rules of the Game: While the detective’s questions provide a solid foundation, understanding the business is also crucial. Every software application serves a specific purpose. Ask questions like: Who is the end-user? What value does the product deliver? What are the current initiatives and challenges? Why were these initiatives chosen? How does this app differentiate itself from competitors? What are the industry’s jargon and terminology?
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Expectations and People: Joining a new team comes with a set of expectations. Beyond the initial anxiety and first impressions, there are also projections from leaders, colleagues, and clients. Relationships are the heart of any workplace. Understanding each person’s role, their daily tasks, and their working style is crucial. Similarly, it’s important to clarify what is expected of you. Are you replacing someone? Filling a skills gap? Leading a team? Having a clear understanding of expectations helps you align your skills with the role’s requirements.
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Charting Your Course: Once you have a basic understanding of the business, technology, people, and expectations, it’s time to set goals. Perhaps you’ve identified a knowledge gap in a particular technology or business area. Or maybe you see an opportunity to contribute using your existing skills. The key is to identify areas for improvement and create a plan to address them. This could involve taking a course, joining a study group, or seeking mentorship.
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Individual Action, Collective Process: While onboarding is primarily the responsibility of the new hire, it’s also a collective process involving management, technical leads, and the entire team. A welcoming and supportive environment can significantly speed up the onboarding process. If you’ve been through onboarding before, reflect on your experience. What worked well? What could have been improved? Sharing your insights with others can be beneficial.
In conclusion, onboarding is a journey of discovery that can be both exciting and challenging. It’s an opportunity to learn new skills and contribute to a new team. By actively seeking information, building relationships, and setting clear goals, you can make the most of this experience.
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Image: Apollo 11 moments before landing on the Moon. Source: OpenVerse - license Creative Commons 2.0.
This is a translation of a post in portuguese. The original text can be found here: A arte do onboarding