📈 Dave says Onboarding is critical to your success

Author

Dave White
September 11, 2024

In This Week’s Issue

  • Onboarding - so critical / so overlooked - Part 1

  • 📙 Report by Fortune

  • 3 Quick Tips - Background checks

  • 📙 Recommended Reading:

    • How much do you give away for seed and A funding?

  • Parting Thought

  • You can help

How welcomed did your recent new hire feel?

“The first 90 days are critical for a new employee. A proper onboarding process ensures they are aligned with the company’s values, goals, and their own role.”

John H. Fleming, Gallup Workplace Expert

Welcome

Taking a moment to welcome our new members. Let me know how to make this newsletter even better as we go forward.

Onboarding - So Critical / So Overlooked

Part 1: Before your new employee starts

“80% of new hires who receive poor onboarding plan to quit!” - Fortune magazine

Ask yourself 3 questions:

  1. Think of a time you started a new job and did not feel as welcomed as you expected. How did you feel?

  2. How did your recent new hire feel on their first day?

  3. How will your next new employee feel?

⏰ Onboarding Starts the moment the offer is signed

#1 Hiring manager AND CEO make the 1st calls within hours of signing

  • Express your excitement to have them join the team

  • Restate why they are a good fit

  • Restate what you will accomplish together

  • Explain next steps and what to expect

  • Invite them to call you

  • Schedule your next call

#2 Ask them what they expect from their first day, week, month and 90 days

#3. Send an email to state your commitment to their success, outline the next steps, and set expectations

#4 Set them up for a quick start

  • Send their computer, equipment and other materials ahead of time

  • Send paperwork and benefits information to be signed by their first day

  • Set up email and other tools

  • Have their work area and desk set up before their first day

  • If appropriate, send product, organization, and market information

#5 Develop a schedule, agenda, and goals for their first day, week, month and 90 days

  • Include meetings with team members across the company, self study, time with HR to set up benefits and the like, and open time

  • Set goals for each week

  • Send it to them and your team members ahead of time

  • Schedule a call to review and answer questions

#6 Talk to them once a week

#7 Make sure your people know about your new hire

  • Send an email and/or announce this in your next teem meeting

  • Include a brief bio and describe what they will be doing

#8 The day before they start

  • Call your new hire and set the stage for their first day and answer any questions

  • Confirm start time and review the first day’s schedule

  • Confirm with everyone on the first day’s schedule

Part 2 next week: Their first day, week, month and 90 days

Background checks

  1. Know your state’s laws; make sure you conduct legal checks and have a consistent policy.

  2. Tell candidates when you will be conducting checks, make it part of the offer process and get their written permission. (I recommend telling them early in the interview process).

  3. Work with a professional background check company to ensure compliance and consistency.

👉 Excellent article from Indeed

How much of your ownership do you need to “sell” to raise your seed and A round? Peter Walker of Carta put together an awesome post addressing this topic.

Peter Walker on LinkedIn: #startups #dilution #founders #venturecapital | 73 comments

Founders - your peers are selling about 20% of their companies in a seed round and another 20% in the Series A. This target ownership figure seems to be… | 73 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com/posts/peterjameswalker_startups-dilution-founders-activity-7237153837440983043-aQ6O?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Parting Thought

“Onboarding is your opportunity to set expectations, build confidence, and show new hires why they made the right decision joining your company.”

- Sarah Wetzel, Director of Human Resources at Engage

You Can Help

Simply reply to this email and let me know what you think. What would you like to see in upcoming issues? Your feedback is appreciated. Dave

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