4 Opportunities for your global onboarding program
In multinational organizations the onboarding process of new hires is more complex than for other large scale organizations. Being scattered over the globe in different time zones makes it difficult to connect with each other. And the further a person is from the organization’s head office the less likely this person will feel engaged with the purpose and strategical plans. Over the last two years I studied the onboarding process of organizations like Amazon, IBM, Heineken, HP, Microsoft and OPCW (a UN organization), to see how they cope with this challenge. I also gained first hand experience in the process of supporting Rabobank in creating and delivering their global onboarding program, virtually.
I think it is safe to conclude that the Corona crisis opened a couple of doors to have more impact with global onboarding programs.
1. Virtual onboarding programs boost equality and unity
Due to the Corona crisis organizations have experienced a boost in virtual ways of working. The benefit (besides a lot of disadvantages) is that all become more equal. While working from you home office everyone is placed at the same distance from headquarters. It is no longer the prerogative of head quarter staff to be the first to get informed on what is going on during informal talks with the leadership team.
This parallel is also visible in the onboarding of multinational organizations. Before Corona the onboarding programs for head office workers differed from other workers. The new hires of the centralized staff would meet live at the head office, while others in the local branches would sit together with their local teams.
At the moment we see a big shift where all new hires from across the globe are being brought together in a virtual meeting. This makes new hires feel more equal and from day 1 they experience that the company has a global footprint, a boosts for the 1-company feeling.
2. Uniform your corporate story and culture
The virtual global onboarding session for all new hires from across the globe paves the way for delivering a uniform story about the organizations origin, culture, values and plans for the future. Previously we saw that head office would prepare a slide deck and send out movie clips for the local branches to use in their onboarding sessions. But what you didn’t know is how this was used in the local onboarding session (and if it was used). What we see now is that all new hires meet in one virtual session on MS Teams, Zoom or Webex and get the same story and the same experience when they start. Interviews with directors, presentations of key initiatives and discussions are brought in real time and for all to engage in.
3. Building connections worldwide
The concept of a multinational organization is sometimes hard to grasp for new hires. It is one thing to see some dots on a map of the world representing the local branches. It is something completely different to meet a couple of new hires that just started in Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai and Cape Town. The latter opens up communications between the different parts of the world. New hires can get first hand information from their colleagues on local issues and needs. And vice versa the local branches gain access to what is going on in other branches and at head office. By taking full advantage of this opportunity the virtual global onboarding session becomes the start of the new hires worldwide network in the organization.
4. Engage new hires with the purpose
Your new hires had a good reason to choose your organization to work for. They most likely feel attracted to the organization’s purpose, culture and career opportunities. The global onboarding session is a great opportunity to assure new hires that they made the wright choice. By making use of all the options for interactivity in your global onboarding session you can engage them with your purpose and culture. A great way to finalise your session is having all new hires state their personal contribution to the success of your organization. A strong and energetic conclusion of your global onboarding meeting.
“What would it take for employees to bring enthusiasm, creativity, and collaboration to work, in addition to discipline? Connecting your people’s individual purpose with organizational purpose is the critical link.”
— McKinsey Quarterly
Read the full article here: Purpose: Shifting from why to how
What the future will look like for global onboarding programs?
I wouldn’t be surprised if multinational organizations hold on to virtual sessions to connect people to their culture, value and plans. Through interactive sessions on Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Webex new hires can be given a uniform onboarding experience. And besides that there will always be live session as well. These will be more local to boost the networks of new joiners with direct colleagues.
Does this make any sense to you? I am very curious to hear how you run the onboarding program in your organization.
Let’s grab a coffee over a zoom meeting 😊.
Happy onboarding, happy connecting,
Frank Philips
By the way, you can watch the full story of the Rabobank global onboarding program in this video that was made at Onboard.Week 2020