M AY 2 008
GettinG On Board
A Model for Integrating and Engaging New Employees
e Partnership for Public Service is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to revitalize the federal government
by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works.
Booz Allen Hamilton has been at the forefront of management consulting for businesses and governments for more than 90
years. Providing consulting services in strategy, operations, organization and change, and information technology, Booz Allen is
the one firm that helps clients solve their toughest problems, working by their side to help them achieve their missions.
Booz Allen is committed to delivering results that endure.
In recent years, the issue of revitalizing our federal workforce has received increased attention, ranging from the Gov-
ernment Accountability Office’s designation of strategic human capital management as a government-wide high-risk
area to the White House’s inclusion of human capital as one of the five areas of focus for the President’s Management
Agenda. While this new emphasis on our federal civil service is encouraging, we must be careful not to think of the is-
sue too narrowly. Many people equate tackling government’s human capital challenges with successfully recruiting top
talent, but that is only one piece of a broader picture. No component of human capital management has been more
overlooked by our federal government than the process of integrating new employees into their agency work environ-
ments — a process increasingly called onboarding.
To address this underappreciated issue, the Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen Hamilton teamed to analyze
how federal agencies integrate new employees. We systematically gathered information about onboarding practices
across the federal government. rough research on private sector practices, focus groups with new federal employees
and interviews with agency officials, we assessed how best to meet the needs of new employees from the time they
accept a new job through their first year of service. is report, “Getting On Board: A Model for Integrating and
Engaging New Employees,” outlines our findings and offers recommendations that agency leaders and human capital
professionals can use to integrate new employees into their agencies more quickly, effectively and productively.
As the nation faces increasingly complex challenges, our federal employees need to be fully productive and fully en-
gaged as quickly as possible. We hope this report will help federal leaders improve onboarding programs at their agen-
cies, because doing so will ultimately help them operate more effectively and efficiently.
Sincerely,
Max Stier Abe Zwany
President and CEO Vice President
Partnership for Public Service Booz Allen Hamilton
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iv
INTRODUCTION 1
ONBOARDING OVERVIEW 2
STRATEGIC ONBOARDING MODEL 6
CONCLUSION AND IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS 14
APPENDIX A: METHODOLOGY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 16
APPENDIX B: PARTICIPATING FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS AND OFFICIALS 17
APPENDIX C: BEST PRACTICES ONBOARDING CHECKLIST 19
APPENDIX D: PREFIRST DAY COMMUNICATION PLAN 20
APPENDIX E: TOOLKIT FOR MANAGERS 21
APPENDIX F: EMPLOYEE REFERENCE GUIDE 23
table of contents
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
iv
After playing his first game, does a rookie or newly-
acquired free agent instantly become a veteran who no
longer needs extra coaching and additional evaluation to
ensure he is assimilating well to his new team and fully
utilizing his talents? Of course not. Sports franchises
understand that a player’s first year with a team is dis-
proportionately important to his long-term professional
development and his relationship with his new employer.
From the moment a new player is acquired to the last
game of his first year, that player is still considered a
rookie and receives extra attention and guidance.
e same principles apply to the regular workplace. at
is why effective organizations increasingly focus on in-
tegrating new talent and providing new hires with the
tools they need to succeed throughout their first year.
e private sector has even given this process a new name:
onboarding. A growing body of research illustrates the
potential impact of effective onboarding. When done in-
telligently, it improves employee engagement and perfor-
mance. It increases employee retention. And it accelerates
the time it takes for a new hire to become productive.
e Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen Ham-
ilton set out to examine how our federal government
does when it comes to onboarding new employees. We
found, for most new federal employees, that opening
sports hypothetical is not reality. Few agencies approach
onboarding strategically, and most simply view orienta-
tion for new hires as a short-term, mechanical activity
to get new employees started. Instead of a rookie season,
onboarding for many federal employees boils down to
opening day.
More specifically, this research revealed seven key find-
ings about federal onboarding policies:
ere is no consistent approach to onboarding in the 1.
federal government.
Onboarding-related activities often lack a focus on 2.
the mission, vision and culture of the organization.
e onboarding process typically fails to integrate 3.
the activities of stakeholders or hold them account-
able for success or failure.
Onboarding is inconsistently executed across em-4.
ployee groups and locations.
Agencies are interested in using technology to sup-5.
port onboarding, but few have invested in develop-
ing these capabilities.
Most agencies gather immediate feedback on orien-6.
tation but do not measure the long-term impact of
onboarding activities.
Agencies with more sophisticated onboarding activi-7.
ties often integrated them as part of larger retention
strategies.
is report diagnoses the current challenges facing fed-
eral onboarding and presents a model for strategic on-
boarding, which can serve as a guide for agency reforms.
is model outlines a set of overriding principles that
underpin effective onboarding programs. It identifies
key stakeholders and clarifies their roles in the process,
breaking down the onboarding process into five distinct
time periods and explaining what agencies should be do-
ing during each phase.
e conclusion of this report includes a series of recom-
mendations for how best to implement this model.
Effective onboarding is hardly a panacea for all of gov-
ernment’s human capital challenges. But it is one of the
easiest and most cost-effective ways to enhance employee
performance and improve retention. If sports franchises
can figure this out and make it work for them, there’s no
reason federal agencies can’t do it too.
executive summary
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
1
Two dollars and 85 cents.
at’s how much change
was left in the desk of a
new federal employee.
We know this, because he
showed up for his first day
at work with no computer
at his desk and nothing better to do than count the loose
change carelessly left in his drawer. While he may have
been lonely that morning, he is unfortunately not alone.
Far too often, federal employees have negative experi-
ences at the onset of their new jobs, often as the result of
small, easily avoidable mistakes. ese errors might be
small, but they can have a large impact on a new worker’s
view of government service. What federal agencies do, or
don’t do, to correct these situations will influence their
ability to manage their workforce effectively.
While many agencies understand that making a favor-
able first impression through the recruitment process is
immensely important, it is often not reinforced during a
new hire’s first year on the job. In contrast, the private
sector increasingly leverages onboarding as a way not
only to engage new employees, but also to retain them
and accelerate their path to productivity. Onboarding is
the process of integrating
new employees into an or-
ganization and equipping
them to become successful
and productive. e fed-
eral government needs to
share this focus and invest
in effectively integrating
its most valuable resource
— its people.
In fiscal 2007, the federal
government hired more than 195,000 new employees
into the civil service, and that number is likely to increase
in the coming years.
1
With nearly a third of the full-time,
permanent federal workforce projected to leave govern-
ment in the next five years, the majority through retire-
ment, our government faces the challenge of filling hun-
dreds of thousands of vital jobs.
2
For “mission-critical”
1 Fedscope Accession data, FY 2007, 107,000 full-time permanent and
almost 88,000 full-time temporary hires. Many of the temporary hires are
expected to convert to permanent hires over time.
2 Partnership for Public Service projections from OPM data.
positions alone, our federal
government will need to fill
nearly 193,000 vacancies
by 2009.
3
As the national
labor market tightens, par-
ticularly in high-skill areas
such as information tech-
nology, engineering, business and finance, the federal
government will face fierce competition from the private
sector and other levels of government. Many agencies
are planning for this situation by focusing on the first
step — recruiting needed talent. However, they often fail
to recognize that effective onboarding is needed to turn
new hires into productive employees who will contribute
over the long term. e looming retirement wave offers
a rare opportunity for the federal government to invest
in the crucial second step — comprehensive onboarding
programs that will quickly and effectively engage a large
new cohort.
To determine how agencies integrate new employees
and to identify best practices, the Partnership for Public
Service and Booz Allen Hamilton conducted a literature
review, identified leading private sector practices, held
focus groups with current federal employees and inter-
viewed agency officials at
several departments and
their subcomponents.
4
We gathered data from
the federal organizations
through structured inter-
views, often with one or
more staff from the hu-
man capital office.
While many agencies em-
ploy innovative tactics, al-
most all agencies interviewed have room to improve the
way they integrate and acculturate new employees, most
notably in using the onboarding process strategically. is
report presents leading practices from federal agencies,
key findings in current practices, recommendations for
improvement, and tools agencies can use to improve their
onboarding, including a strategic onboarding model.
3 Partnership for Public Service, Where the Jobs Are: Mission Critical Op-
portunities for America, 2007.
4 See Appendix B for a list of contributors to this report.
introduction
“My first week was terrible. I didn’t have any
equipment, I wasn’t given any assignments,
there was nothing on my desk, and my supervisor
did not even come to see me for the first three days
I was there.”
— Focus Group Participant
“I was sent to a conference room where someone
from HR helped me complete a bunch of forms.
I was not introduced to anyone, I had no one to go
to lunch with, and no one had set up my computer
access so I sat there and stared at the wall. By the
end of the day I felt like I had made a terrible
mistake in leaving my old job.”
— Focus Group Participant
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
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WHAT IS ONBOARDING?
Many organizations, including federal agencies, focus on
the new employee’s first day. is first day, during which
the new employee typically completes forms and learns
about benefits, is commonly called orientation and repre-
sents a “transactional” approach to bringing on new em-
ployees. at is, this orientation is viewed as a discrete,
stand-alone event, not integrated with other first-year
experiences for new employees. In contrast, high-per-
forming organizations, particularly in the private sector,
use a more comprehensive strategic approach to bringing
on new employees called “onboarding.” Onboarding is
the process of integrating and acculturating new employees
into the organization and providing them with the tools, re-
sources and knowledge to become successful and productive.
Onboarding is the second of four stages of an employee
lifecycle (see Figure 1). Each of these stages must be care-
fully planned and executed to optimize human capital
performance. Once talent has been recruited and hired,
onboarding serves as a critical second step to ensure that
new employees connect with and effectively contribute
to the mission of the organization as quickly as possible.
Lack of strategic focus or advanced planning during the
onboarding phase can be a barrier to success for the em-
ployees’ remaining tenure.
FIGURE 1
EMPLOYEE LIFECYCLE
FORECAST &
FIND TALENT
ONBOARD
MANAGE
TALENT
TRANSITION
Onboarding, a relatively new term in the federal gov-
ernment, differs from traditional orientation activities in
several key ways and requires a commitment to fully in-
tegrate new employees into an organization using robust
processes supported by appropriate technology. Figure 2
shows how onboarding differs from orientation.
THE CASE FOR ONBOARDING
Federal agencies must do more than attract new talent.
ey also need to lay the groundwork that will encour-
age new employees to grow and stay. Investing in effec-
tive onboarding helps new employees get up to speed
quickly, equips them with the information they need to
excel at their jobs and creates a sense of commitment to
the organization.
Research clearly shows that effective onboarding:
Improves employee performance
Research conducted in 2005 by the Recruiting Round-
table revealed that effective onboarding programs
can improve employee performance by up to 11.3
percent.
5
Key onboarding activities, such as clearly
communicating performance expectations, providing
feedback, involving co-workers and peers, and pro-
viding training, are integral to boosting performance.
Onboarding also helps a new employees’ peers and
manager better assess his strengths and weaknesses,
how he “fits” within the organization and, ultimately,
whether or not he is the right person for the job. is
is especially true in the federal government, where an
employee’s first year is typically a probationary period.
After this period ends, it is more difficult to remove
low performers. A comprehensive onboarding pro-
gram will both affirm the employee’s choice to work
in that organization and help the organization accu-
rately assess the quality of the employee.
Increases employee engagement
If the new employee is highly engaged, he is less likely
to leave the organization or become disinterested in
his work and the organization. A 2003 study by He-
witt Associates found that companies that invested
the most time and resources in onboarding enjoyed
the highest levels of employee engagement.
6
Increases employee retention
Research conducted by the Aberdeen Group in 2006
found that 90 percent of employees decide whether
or not they will stay at an organization or begin look-
ing for a new job during their first six months on the
job.
7
Between 2003 and 2007, new federal employees
5 StaffingAdvisors.com, Get ’Em Started Right: Enhancing Performance and
Retention through Effective Onboarding.
6 Lee, David, “Successful On-boarding: How to Get Your New Employees
Started Off Right,” SilkRoad Technology.
7 LaShawn, ompson, “On-boarding: Maximizing Productivity and
Retention,” PM Boulevard (June 2007).
onboardinG overvieW
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
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voluntarily left their agencies at rates ranging from
10 percent to more than 18 percent. is turnover
is much higher than the 3 to 3.5 percent voluntary
attrition rate of all federal employees over the same
time period, underscoring the fact that the first year is
a particularly consequential time.
8
Beverly Kaye, co-
author of Love ‘em or Lose ‘em: Getting Good People
to Stay, argues that an organization is far more likely
to keep new hires if it onboards them well.
9
Other
research shows that effective onboarding programs
can improve employee retention by 25 percent.
10
is
can reduce the high cost of turnover that, by some
estimates, costs organizations 30 to 50 percent of the
annual salary of entry-level employees, 150 percent
for mid-level employees and up to 400 percent for
specialized, high-level employees.
11
Also consider that,
when a new employee quits, it may take more than a
year to recruit and train a replacement. is creates
productivity losses, and other employees may grow
demoralized and consider leaving as well.
Accelerates time-to-productivity
New employees who go through a comprehensive,
structured onboarding process are likely to reach
higher levels of productivity more quickly than those
who do not. In one example, Texas Instruments found
that a strong onboarding program helped employees
reach full productivity an average of two months ear-
8 FedScope. Calculations are for all full-time, permanent employees.
9 Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, 246-248.
10 LaShawn, ompson, “On-boarding: Maximizing Productivity and
Retention,” PM Boulevard (June 2007).
11 Blake, Ross, “Employee Retention: What Employee Turnover Really
Costs Your Company,” ManagerNewz.com (July 2006).
lier than their colleagues who did not receive similar
onboarding attention.
12
Despite these clear benefits, onboarding is not a silver
bullet for employee productivity and engagement. For a
well-structured and comprehensive onboarding program
to have maximum impact, organizations must integrate
it into human capital programs and with strategic goals.
Good onboarding will not compensate for other prob-
lems that create sagging engagement and high employee
turnover, such as a bad hiring process, weak managers or
poor human resource practices.
e good news is that a carefully planned and successful
onboarding program can be relatively inexpensive, yet
generate a variety of short- and long-term benefits. And,
as research reported above shows, the costs of neglecting
new employee onboarding can be high.
ONBOARDING IN FEDERAL AGENCIES TODAY
Seven key findings emerged when comparing current
onboarding practices for the federal agencies we studied
with best practices collected through public- and private-
sector research.
1. ere is no consistent approach to onboarding in
the federal government. Few agencies viewed the
process of bringing new employees into their organi-
zation as a comprehensive or coordinated effort. Inter-
estingly, whether an agency used the term “onboard-
ing” or “orienting” to describe the way it welcomes
new employees was a good indication of how strate-
gically they approached this issue. While interview
12 Lee, David, “Successful On-boarding: How to Get Your New Employ-
ees Started Off Right,” SilkRoad Technology.
FIGURE 2
ORIENTATION VERSUS ONBOARDING
TYPICAL ORIENTATION ONBOARDING
Transactional focus and goals Strategic focus and goals
Less than one week Includes rst year
Owned and executed by human resources oce Integrates multiple oces, functions and individuals
Addresses some new employee needs Addresses all new employee needs — from information, equipment
and accounts to training and networking
Employee attends Employee is active participant with vested interest in success
Yields new hires with completed paperwork and some general
information
Yields successful rst year for new employees — maximizes
employee engagement and retention
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
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participants understood the definition of onboard-
ing, few used this terminology or approach. Excep-
tions, such as NASA and Government Accountability
Office (GAO), actively use the term onboarding for
bringing on new employees and even contractors.
2. Onboarding-related activities are often viewed as
transactional, lacking a focus on the mission, vi-
sion and culture of the organization. e most com-
mon or consistent onboarding activities agencies use
are processing new employee paperwork, explaining
employee benefits, and key administrative and secu-
rity policies. Few agencies approach onboarding as a
comprehensive, strategic process or include activities
that directly link to the mission, vision and culture of
the agencies.
Organizations that did incorporate the agency’s mis-
sion, vision and culture did so primarily in orienta-
tion programs, commonly by having senior leadership
communicate this information. While senior leader-
ship participation and buy-in is inconsistent across
surveyed agencies, it is valued and positively impacts
new employees where it exists. New employees in
agencies without senior leadership involvement said
this is a flaw in their agency’s onboarding program.
3. e onboarding process typically fails to integrate
the activities of stakeholders or hold them account-
able for results. Most onboarding activities are per-
formed within the functional offices that own them.
For example, the IT department provides computers,
human capital oversees orientation, security provides
access badges, and managers assign work to the new
employees. ese stakeholders may perform their
roles or functions without knowledge of other related
onboarding processes, without understanding the in-
terdependence between one process and another, and
without accountability for success or failure.
New employees in agencies that lacked coordination
across offices were frustrated by the inability to begin
work or training quickly. Delays in getting necessary
equipment, access to accounts or online training re-
duce productivity in the first days and weeks. Organi-
zations with better onboarding processes had fewer of
these missteps.
4. Onboarding is inconsistently executed across em-
ployee groups and locations. Of the agencies inter-
viewed, about one-third focused mostly on onboard-
ing staff in mission-critical positions. Employees not
designated as being in mission-critical positions often
do not participate in structured onboarding activities
other than orientation or may have much more lim-
ited programs available to them. ese inconsistencies
are further magnified by differences in the onboard-
ing process across organizations with regional or field
components. Often, agencies with decentralized on-
boarding processes inconsistently execute them.
5. Agencies are interested in using technology to sup-
port onboarding, but few have invested in develop-
ing these capabilities. ere was widespread recogni-
tion of the value technology can play in onboarding
new employees and considerable interest in hearing
how technology can be used. A few agencies already
leverage technology to facilitate onboarding. e most
common uses of technology included:
• Electronic forms: New employees prefer to use elec-
tronic forms. Completing paperwork in advance
saves time and eliminates what many consider to
be the tedious process of completing forms in a
group on their first day.
• Informational Web sites: Providing a central source
of information about onboarding creates process ef-
ficiencies and helps meet the needs of both new em-
ployees and stakeholders involved in onboarding.
• Case management systems: Automated systems that
alert various stakeholder offices (e.g., IT and facili-
ties) about incoming employees once a start date
has been set have proven beneficial. ese systems
increase efficiency and minimize the chance that a
new employee is overlooked upon arrival.
“I was sworn in as a federal employee in a hallway
with no American flag. It was very uninspiring.”
— Focus Group Participant
“When I showed up for work on my first day, my
manager had no idea I was coming. Apparently HR
had not informed her of my start date.”
— Focus Group Participant
“We provide guidance to our regional managers on
first-day requirements, but how and if they execute
these is left to them.”
— Interview Participant (HR Manager)
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
5
6. Most agencies gather immediate feedback on ori-
entation but do not measure the long-term impact
of onboarding activities. Agencies typically conduct
orientation session evaluations and, to a lesser ex-
tent, new employee surveys. ey use this feedback
to make changes in their orientation activities. Few
agencies, however, measure the longer-term impact of
onboarding activities, such as their effect on employee
productivity or turnover. Some agencies expressed a
desire to better understand these efforts but were chal-
lenged by how to measure the longer-term impacts.
7. Agencies with more sophisticated onboarding ac-
tivities integrated them as part of larger retention
strategies. Agencies like the Federal Deposit Insur-
ance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller
of the Currency (Department of the Treasury) devel-
oped structured programs for new cohorts of employ-
ees whose retention is critical to the agency’s mission.
ese programs gauge new employee progress at regu-
lar intervals and are linked to the mission of the orga-
nization. ese onboarding programs integrate neces-
sary training and involve managers in the onboarding
process.
ese above seven findings point to a plan of action —
ways agencies can onboard new employees in a strategic
and comprehensive manner to effectively cope with the
anticipated increase in hiring over the next five years.
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
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A strategic onboarding model addresses all of the attri-
butes that constitute a comprehensive way to integrate
and acculturate new employees. A model provides a
foundation for organizations to develop or refine their
onboarding programs.
e strategic onboarding model outlined in Figure 3
lays out the key aspects of a comprehensive onboard-
ing program, which apply to any organization and any
employee in the organization. While this model is com-
prehensive, agencies should customize it to meet their
specific employee needs. e model can be customized
for specific groups of employees (e.g., senior leaders or
mission-critical occupational groups) or for specific em-
ployee needs (e.g., varying generational learning styles,
new government employees and contractors).
e strategic onboarding model consists of four key com-
ponents:
Principles
Four key principles provide strategic direction and align-
ment for the entire onboarding process.
Roles
ese roles include process owners who own and inte-
grate the onboarding process, process champions who
directly interact with the new employees to support their
acclimation and the new employee who is responsible for
being an active participant in all activities.
Process Phases and Key Activities
e five-step onboarding process begins when a new em-
ployee receives his or her offer of employment and ends
after the first year of employment. e key activities are
the specific actions performed in each process step and
may be performed by any of the key role players.
Outcomes
Successfully integrating the principles, roles, process and
activities leads to several desired outcomes, as well as the
opportunity to rigorously assess new employees. ese
measurable outcomes highlight the impact or return on
investment of having an aligned and integrated onboard-
ing process.
strateGic onboardinG model
FIGURE 3
ONBOARDING MODEL
PRINCIPLES
Align to mission and vision Connect to culture, strategic goals and priorities Integrate across process owners Apply to all employees
ROLES
+ PROCESS OWNERS + PROCESS CHAMPIONS + EMPLOYEE
PROCESS PHASES AND KEY ACTIVITIES
BEFORE FIRST DAY
FIRST DAY/ ORIENTATION
FIRST WEEK
FIRST 90 DAYS
FIRST YEAR
Extend personal •
welcome to employee
Communicate rst day •
logistics to employee
Send paperwork in •
advance and/or online
portal access
Prepare for employee•
Focus on sharing the •
mission and values
Incorporate senior •
leadership
Orient employee to •
organization and oce
norms
Introduce employee •
sponsor
Meet immediate •
requirements for
employment
Ensure direct •
managerial involvement
Set performance •
expectations and job
scope
Assign meaningful work•
Communicate resources •
or networks required
for work
Provide essential •
training
Monitor performance •
and provide feedback
Obtain feedback •
through new hire survey
and other means
Recognize positive •
employee contributions
Provide formal and •
informal feedback on
performance
Create employee •
development plan
OUTCOMES
High employee job satisfaction level Retention of high-performing employees Continued employee engagement and commitment Faster time-to-productivity
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
7
PRINCIPLES
Onboarding principles ensure the onboarding process is
comprehensive, integrated and reflective of the organiza-
tion’s human capital needs. ese principles also drive
positive outcomes. e four principles are:
Align to mission and vision
To help new employees feel connected to the orga-
nization, onboarding programs must present, explain
and allow new employees to understand how their
jobs contribute to an organization’s mission. It is not
enough to assume an employee can make this con-
nection on his own. Learning about and internaliz-
ing an organization’s mission must be a key part of an
onboarding program. ——NASA schedules tours of
its facilities for new employees to really understand its
mission and their contribution.
IDEAS TO INTEGRATE ORGANIZATIONAL MISSION
Provide a copy of the organization’s mission that can be •
displayed at employees’ desks/workplaces
Have senior executives discuss the organization’s history in-•
person or through video at orientation
Perform an orientation exercise where new employees •
discuss in small groups how their jobs will help support the
organization’s mission
Connect to culture, strategic goals and priorities
e onboarding program must accurately reflect the
mission and culture of the organization. It should
paint a realistic picture of the organization’s culture so
that employees experience consistent messages once
they transition to their jobs. e program must also
align with other organizational priorities. Onboard-
ing goals should be built around these priorities.
KEY GOALS AND SAMPLE ONBOARDING ACTIVITIES
Goal: Decrease new employee time-to-productivity
Automated system for new employees to complete •
paperwork in advance of their rst day
Enhanced training in core job skill areas•
Standardization of manager and new employee interaction•
Goal: Ensure cultural integration of new employees
Cultural exercises in orientation program•
Comprehensive sponsor or buddy program•
In-person senior executive presentation about organizational •
culture and values at every orientation
Onboarding goals must also be measurable so that
performance against them can be monitored. In ad-
dition, agencies must measure results to produce feed-
back for continuous improvement.
Integrate across process owners
An effective and efficient onboarding process should
identify and integrate all process owners. While hu-
man capital is traditionally the key onboarding pro-
cess owner, several other functional process owners
are involved, such as security, IT and facilities depart-
ments. Integration should also occur within the hu-
man capital office — across all elements, such as new
employee payroll and benefits processing, orientation,
training and performance management. All process
owners must be held accountable for their perfor-
mance and for meeting shared onboarding goals. is
principle also promotes leveraging technology, where
possible, to reduce cycle time and error rates of trans-
actional activities.
Apply to all employees
e most successful onboarding programs cover the
basics for all employees, regardless of location and lev-
el, and are also tailored to specific types of employees.
Onboarding should consider the needs of new em-
ployees by understanding what employees need and
want out of the onboarding experience, in addition to
meeting requirements for mandatory activities. New
employees can be brand-new entrants to the work-
force or come from organizations with different cul-
tures and norms. In the latter case, these employees
need onboarding too, because how they conducted
work in their old organizations may or may not apply
to their new organization. ——GAO includes con-
tractors in its onboarding program.
ROLES
Identifying and assigning roles and responsibilities for
onboarding are just as critical as having a robust, com-
prehensive process. While many onboarding activities
are routinely performed within each responsible office,
few organizations view these activities as part of a coor-
dinated process. ere are three types of roles inherent
in the onboarding process (see Figure 4): process own-
ers, process champions and the new employee. Each role
depends on the other to ensure a successful onboarding
process. Roles must be clearly defined and communicat-
ed for the organization to achieve its desired onboarding
outcomes.
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
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FIGURE 4
ONBOARDING ROLES
PROCESS OWNERS
Human Capital
Information Technology
Security
Training
Facilities
PROCESS CHAMPIONS
Senior Leadership
Manager/Supervisor
Sponsor
Human Capital Liaison
EMPLOYEE
PROCESS OWNERS
Process owners must take accountability for executing
the mechanical aspects of onboarding while coordinating
with others. ere are multiple owners of the onboard-
ing process, and they are charged with handling many
of the functions associated with onboarding. e level
of engagement of process owners tends to be very high
initially, as a new employee joins the organization, but
subsequent involvement tapers as the employee settles
into the organization. Unfortunately, when there are
multiple owners of a process, a common problem is that
no one really owns the process. at is why the respon-
sibilities of process owners must be clearly defined and
coordinated. Key process owners fall into a number of
categories:
Human Capital
e office of human capital “owns” the conceptualizing,
planning and coordinating of the onboarding experi-
ence. It is also charged with holding responsible offices
accountable. e specific functions of the human capital
department include:
• Settinggoalsanddevelopingonboardingprograms;
• Processingnewemployeepaperwork(e.g.,benets);
• Developingandoverseeingorientation;
• Developingandoverseeingtraining;
• Integrating all aspects of onboarding to ensure the
processisstreamlinedandeective;and
• Measuringtheimpactofonboarding.
Information Technology
IT supports the onboarding process with enabling tech-
nology and by providing new employees with technology
assets and accounts. Key functions include:
• Issuing and setting up equipment (e.g., computer,
telephone)fornewemployees;
• Settingupaccounts(e.g.,e-mail);
• Grantingaccesstoappropriateplatforms(e.g.,shared
drivesorotherinternalsystems);
• Developingordeployingsoftwareorothertechnology
solutionsthatsupportonboarding;and
• TrainingnewemployeesonITsystems.
Security
Physical and personnel security offices have key responsi-
bilities in onboarding new employees, including:
• Processinganyemployeesuitabilityand/orclearance
requirements;
• Ensuringallnewemployeesareawareofsecuritypro-
cedures;and
• Grantingaccessprivileges(e.g.,badges).
Facilities
Facilities departments arrange for office space to accom-
modate new employees. Specific duties include:
• Identifying and arranging the new employee’s desk
andocespace;and
• Preparingocesuppliesforthenewemployee.
Acquisition
Where relevant, acquisitions offices are responsible for
managing the onboarding of contractors.
PROCESS CHAMPIONS
Process champions are primarily responsible for motivat-
ing new employees and helping them understand how
their jobs are critical to the fulfillment of the agency’s mis-
sion. Process champions facilitate onboarding through
targeted interaction or communication with the new
employee. Common categories of process champion
roles include:
Senior Leadership
New employees want to meet and hear from senior lead-
ership in their first days, weeks and months. Senior lead-
ership involvement sends a clear message that the orga-
nization is invested in the new employee. Senior leaders
can support the onboarding process by finding ways to
communicate and reinforce the mission and values of
the organization by speaking at the orientation session,
stopping by new employees’ desks or sending signed wel-
come letters. e frequency of involvement and how it
is achieved will vary based on factors such as agency size
and organizational structure. ——General Services Ad-
ministration has a quarterly New Employee Celebration
where senior leaders actively participate.
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
9
IDEAS FOR SENIOR LEADERSHIP ROLE
In-person participation in orientation•
Welcome video•
Brown bag lunches with new employees to answer questions•
Participation in new employee celebrations•
One-on-one meetings with new employees (depending on the •
size of organization and the number of new employees)
Manager (and/or Supervisor)
e manager’s importance in onboarding cannot be over-
stated. is onboarding role is often left to the discretion
of each particular manager and is not given the same
level of standardization or support as other onboarding
elements. Having said that, developing and providing
tools for managers can help educate managers about the
importance of their roles, enhance manager onboarding
capabilities and encourage desired behaviors. All manag-
ers should:
• Welcomenewemployees;
• Meetwithnewemployeesassoonaspossibleafterori-
entationactivitiesarecompleted;
• Communicatejobresponsibilities;
• Explainand set culturalexpectations (e.g., when to
“cc” the manager on e-mails, what decisions can be
made without manager approval, communication
styles);
• Review the organization’s performance management
system and process with the new employee and de-
velop an individual performance plan that sets perfor-
manceexpectations;
• Assignmeaningfulwork;
• Discusscareerdevelopment;and
• Monitorperformanceandprovideformalandinfor-
mal feedback throughout the employee’s first year.
MANAGER TOOLS
Checklist with timeline of key activities•
Links to forms and/or sample performance plans•
Talking points for the rst discussion with new employees•
Welcome e-mail template to send to the new employee’s team•
Sponsor
New employees should be assigned a “sponsor” or “bud-
dy” who can help integrate them into the organization
and help them understand the organizational culture.
Sponsors are generally peers who are matched with new
employees to help them:
• Understand the written and unwritten elements of
theorganizationalculture;
• Learnhowtonavigatetheorganization;
• Meetcolleaguesandotheressentialsta;
• Answeranyquestions;and
• Identifyusefulnewemployeeresources(e.g.,intranet
sites, points of contact, information).
SPONSOR TOOLS
Sponsor training guide•
Suggested sponsor activities•
E-mail templates•
Helpful points of contact•
Human Capital Liaison
13
Many organizations (particularly those with decentral-
ized organizational structures) use this role to bridge the
gap between the human capital office and managers and
sponsors. is role is typically filled by someone who
works in the same office or branch as the new employ-
ee and works directly with the human capital office or
other process owners to support employees in the work
unit. e human capital liaison works closely with the
human capital office’s process owner and performs key
tasks, such as:
• Providinginformationtothenewemployeeafterhe
acceptstheoer;
• Assigningasponsor;
• Initiatingprocessestoarrangeanewemployee’swork-
space;
• Educatingnewemployeesabouttimekeepingorother
oce-specicinformation;and
• Distributingoce-specicreferencematerialandan-
swering questions.
NEW EMPLOYEES
New employees are responsible for being active partici-
pants in their own onboarding. Onboarding works best
when it is a two-way process. e organization provides
information,resourcesandequipment;thenewemploy-
ee is engaged and ready to embrace new ways of doing
work and adapt to new office norms and work styles.
New employees must also complete all required paper-
work and take mandatory training, as well as work pro-
actively to develop relationships and seek the resources
and information they need to do their jobs.
13 is role varies across organizations based on the extent to which
support functions, such as onboarding, are centralized or decentralized. In
decentralized organizations, more onboarding functions may be performed
within the new employee’s business unit, while in more centralized organiza-
tions the human capital office will have a larger share of onboarding activities.
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
10
ONBOARDING PROCESS PHASES
AND KEY ACTIVITIES
Employee needs for onboarding do not end in the first
days or weeks of employment. us, the onboarding
process consists of five phases, beginning when the em-
ployee accepts the job offer and continuing through his
first year of employment (see Figure 5). e five phases
vary in length but represent critical steps an employee
experiences during his onboarding experience.
Begin the onboarding process for new employees the mo-
ment they accept their oers, not the moment they show up
on their rst day.
is first phase of the onboarding process is the time
after the employee accepts the job and before his
first day of employment. During this time, human
capital staff notifies other process owners such as
IT, sends paperwork and communicates logistical
information. e new employee may be filling out
paperwork, learning a new commute or otherwise
preparing for the first day in the new job. For agen-
cies that require suitability or clearance investiga-
tions before new employees can begin work, this pe-
riod may be weeks or months. Agencies can use this
time to begin communicating with new employees,
rather than waiting until the first day, to provide a
smoother transition.
In particular, agencies can complete the following
activities before a new employee’s first day:
[ ] Send the new employee a welcome letter or welcome
packet signed by a senior official with a small token
welcoming them to the agency. e packet should
provide important information and express excite-
ment that the new employee will be joining the
organization. ——e Office of the Comptroller of
Currency (OCC) sends a gift basket to welcome new
bank examiners — a mission-critical occupation.
[ ] Provide the new employee with information about
the agency and his job.
[ ] Arrange for, and encourage, paperwork to be com-
pleted and reviewed prior to the first day. Ideally, all
paperwork that does not require “live” signatures
should be submitted electronically before the first
day.
[ ] Contact the new employee to answer questions and
set expectations for the first day.
[ ] Assign a sponsor to answer the new employee’s ques-
tions.
[ ] Ensure that the new employee’s workspace is as-
signed and supplies are ready upon arrival.
[ ] Ensure that “office essentials” (e.g., computer, phone,
e-mail and training accounts) are in place on the first
day by coordinating with responsible offices. Where
possible, leverage a workflow or case management
system to streamline coordination across multiple
offices.
Make the rst day a compelling and valuable experience.
e second phase, “first day/orientation,” refers to
the first day the employee reports to work and any
orientation activities in the first few days. Since ori-
entation may be the first substantive encounter for
a new employee with his new organization, it is a
critical part of the overall onboarding process and
sets the tone of that employee’s first impression. For
most government organizations, orientation begins
on an employee’s first day. Generally, the human
capital process owner welcomes the new employee
for orientation and ensures that orientation covers
required activities, such as badging, paperwork and
swearing-in ceremonies.
On an employee’s first day, agencies should:
[ ] Personalize the experience. Label tent cards in the
orientation room or leave small agency-related gifts
for each new employee.
[ ] Begin the day by describing the organization’s vi-
sion and mission, and the importance of the new
employee’s job to this mission. Administer a formal
oath.
[ ] Introduce the new employee to his sponsor.
[ ] Have a senior leader welcome new employees (in
person or through recorded means).
FIGURE 5
PHASES OF THE ONBOARDING PROCESS
BEFORE FIRST DAY
FIRST DAY/ ORIENTATION
FIRST WEEK
FIRST 90 DAYS
FIRST YEAR
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
11
[ ] Explain benefits and policies.
[ ] Arrange for new employees to eat together or for
someone from each employee’s office to eat lunch
with them on their first day.
[ ] Provide realistic information about the organization
and its culture. Avoid “over promising.”
[ ] Complete paperwork and security requirements as
efficiently as possible. Do not make this the focus of
the day.
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL ORIENTATION PHASE
Start new employees in groups•
Focus on the positive framing policies in terms of what new •
employees can do (not what they can’t do)
Ask a senior employee to conduct orientation rather than a •
contractor or junior employee
Save forms for later in the day if forms aren’t lled out before •
the rst day
Maintain energy from the rst day, and make sure a new em-
ployee has meaningful work to do in the rst week.
e third phase, “first week,” refers to the first five
business days the employee is on the job (excluding
time in orientation). To use another sports meta-
phor, traditionally one of the least attended games
of the year for baseball teams is the second game of
the season, after the excitement of opening day has
worn off. Agencies should take affirmative measures
to ensure new employees don’t experience a similar
letdown on their second days. Colleagues in the new
employee’s office — manager, peers, sponsors, ex-
ecutives — will play a key role motivating and accul-
turating new employees during this time. e new
employee should be able to spend some or all of this
week engaging in purposeful work, seeking resources
required to perform work, and acclimating to the
job and surroundings.
During the remainder of a new employee’s first week,
agencies should:
[ ] Ensure that job roles and responsibilities are clearly
communicated to the new employee. ——New em-
ployees at EPA develop performance expectations in
the form of critical job elements with their managers
and subsequently establish a performance plan.
[ ] Introduce the new employee to other employees and
senior staff.
[ ] Provide meaningful work for the new employee, ei-
ther training or substantive work related to the new
job.
[ ] Ensure that a senior leader (in the new employee’s
office) welcomes the new employee(s).
[ ] Review the organizational structure and key staff.
[ ] Provide a list of contacts who can address the new
employee’s questions on a variety of issues.
[ ] Gather feedback about the orientation program
from new employees.
Deal with issues early when they can be most easily remedied,
and make sure the employee is on the right path.
e fourth phase, “first 90 days,” refers to the time
between the new employee’s first week and the first
three months of employment. During this time, the
new employee finalizes all paperwork and completes
new employee training. New employees should be-
gin to acquire a full workload while managers moni-
tor performance and provide early feedback. Like
the first day, this period is critical to forming new
employee perceptions about the organization and
job. A lack of focus on this phase can have negative
consequences if employees do not feel integrated by
the end of their first 90 days. ——Both FDIC and
OCC begin a very structured approach for training
and feedback for large cohorts of mission-critical oc-
cupations during the first 90 days.
During this period, agencies should:
[ ] Review performance objectives and set individual
development goals.
[ ] Give feedback early and often.
[ ] Provide training, as needed, to help the new employ-
ee understand internal systems, general operating
practices, and to obtain other information or skills
required in the performance of his job.
“[e first week] there were a lot of meetings and
a lot of downtime, but my agency provided a
checklist of things I should review on the Internet
during my downtime, including information about
the agency, background on senior leaders and other
helpful background information. It was a good way
to fill in time gaps in the first week.”
— Focus Group Participant
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
12
[ ] Discuss individual work styles and preferences.
[ ] Arrange for the new employee to meet key stake-
holders from other departments.
[ ] Check with new employees regularly to ensure that
they continue to assimilate and expand their capa-
bilities.
Spend less time hand-holding and more time empowering
employees and evaluating progress.
e last phase, “first year,” refers to the time in be-
tween the new employee’s first three months and the
end of the first year of employment. For most agen-
cies, formal activities related to onboarding do not
extend into this period. But for the employee, the
feeling of newness and the accompanying learning
curve linger. Continued support during this time
can increase an employee’s contribution to an orga-
nization’s mission and help speed employees to full
productivity. ——OCC has a “culture of measure-
ment.” It conducts focus groups with new employees
at six-month and one-year intervals, during two and
three day sessions. A variety of issues are discussed,
such as issues impacting retention and practices that
are going well. OCC also performs exit interviews
and surveys to measure its return on investment and
employee success for training.
During this phase, agencies should:
[ ] Provide training to build competencies and fill any
skill gaps.
[ ] Conduct a new employee survey and address any is-
sues surfaced.
[ ] Periodically, formally and informally assess the per-
formance of the new employee and provide feed-
back.
• Informal“managercheck-ins”shouldoccurregu-
larly in addition to formal performance assess-
ments, which should be completed at least after
six months and one year.
• ehumancapitaloceshouldsendareminder
e-mail to managers at the six-month and one-year
mark to ensure that formal performance reviews
are occurring.
[ ] Send a congratulatory e-mail or letter from a senior
executive on the employee’s one-year anniversary
(can be done automatically without requiring the
executive’s time).
ESSENTIAL ONBOARDING ELEMENTS
ere are two essential elements of onboarding that
should be embedded across all phases of the process de-
scribed above: technology and measurement. ese two
elements are critical to making the onboarding process
more effective, helping identify areas that need attention
and supporting continuous improvement.
Technology
By its nature, onboarding is a distinctly human activ-
ity. However, technology can enhance and streamline
the process in several ways. Common uses for technology
include:
New employee paperwork: Federal employees must com-
plete a vast amount of forms and paperwork. When
performed manually, this may take several hours and is
often done on the new employee’s first day of work. Au-
tomation can expedite this process and allow employees
to complete forms before their first day, allowing the first
day to be spent on more inspirational and substantive
content. Automation also reduces the workload of the
process owner. ——A Department of Homeland Securi-
ty component has automated virtually all new employee
forms so that they can be completed online in advance of
the first day of work.
Automation may be achieved in several ways:
• In its simplest form, the agency can provide new
employees with links to required information and
forms through the organization’s Web site. Forms can
be printed out and completed before the first day of
work.
• Inamoresophisticatedmodel,newemployeesllout
the forms on the agency’s intranet and submit them
electronically, reducing the need for physical paper-
work.
• Atthehighestlevel,informationprovidedduringthe
hiring process (name, address, social security number,
etc.) can be pre-populated into these forms, requir-
ing the new employee to provide only the information
not already available.
Onboarding portals: Centralized portals with onboarding
information and tools can greatly enhance the onboard-
ing process. ese portals can contain a few pieces of
helpful information, or be robust repositories of infor-
mation and tools. Examples of the kinds of resources that
are most frequently included in an onboarding portal
are checklists, timelines, talking points, contact lists and
training guides. ——NASA uses its Workforce Transfor-
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
13
mation and Tracking Tool (WTTS) to automate almost
all of its forms and communicate onboarding guidance.
Case management: Agencies typically need to perform a
specific set of activities to provide new employees with
necessary assets and accounts. is may include assign-
ing and preparing a workspace, providing computers and
telephones, or setting up e-mail accounts. Automated
case management systems can streamline and track these
activities, ensuring they are all being completed before
the new employee shows up for work. ——GAO has an
online system that notifies appropriate stakeholders in
advance of the arrival of the new employee to prepare IT
equipment and establish related accounts, ensure the new
employee’s office is up to standard and notify the stake-
holders of the new employee’s start date.
Measurement
Onboarding programs must be evaluated to determine
their impact and success, as well as areas for improve-
ment. Organizations should establish and track metrics
to gauge the effectiveness of the onboarding program
against its goals. Metrics can be operational (e.g., per-
cent of employees who have e-mail accounts ready by
day one, percent satisfaction with orientation programs)
or strategic (e.g., performance, satisfaction and attrition
of new employees).
OUTCOMES
Research shows that effective onboarding yields clear
benefits and outcomes. For example, FDIC has less than
an eight percent failure rate during the first year for bank
examiners who are part of a comprehensive training and
onboarding program.
A structured approach to measurement, linked to on-
boarding principles, will enable organizations to track
operational performance and gauge outcomes. Potential
outcomes of effective onboarding include:
• Higheremployeejobsatisfactionlevels;
• Increasedretentionofhigh-performingemployees;
• Continuedemployeeengagementandcommitment;
and
• Fastertime-to-productivity.
An additional benefit of more actively engaging a new
employee through a structured and long-term onboard-
ing program is the ability to more accurately assess the
new employee over the course of the initial probationary
period (usually one year within the federal government).
Comprehensive onboarding programs can set high per-
formers on the path to productivity and success more
quickly. However, a good onboarding program can also
help to identify individuals that are not a good organi-
zational or occupational match. e enhanced focus on
employees throughout their first year provides greater
opportunity for managers and peers to assess the new
employee during this time.
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
14
Optimizing the onboarding process can maximize em-
ployee productivity, engagement and retention. e stra-
tegic onboarding model described in this report provides
a framework for federal agencies to best integrate their
new employees and to achieve these results. e keys to
a successful onboarding program include:
• Adoptingacomprehensivedenitionofonboarding
that focuses on linking onboarding to the mission, vi-
sionandcultureoftheorganization;
• Moving beyond simple transactional activities, such
asorientation,toastrategicapproach;
• Understandingwhothekeystakeholdersareandde-
fining their roles in effectively onboarding new em-
ployees;
• Consistentlyonboardingallemployeesandeectively
usingtechnologyintheonboardingprocess;and
• Sustainingastrategiconboardingprogrambymeasur-
ing results, and soliciting and using feedback — all to
improve onboarding programs.
We recommend the following five actions to put these
key principles into practice.
1
KN OW WH ER E YO U WA NT TO BE :
DEFINE ONBOARDING GOALS & ATTRIBUTES
Strategic onboarding programs help integrate new em-
ployees into their jobs and the organizational culture.
is yields more engaged, productive employees who are
more likely to stay with the organization longer. Beyond
these universal goals, onboarding programs should be
built on specific goals that provide the foundation for
onboarding activities and map directly to areas the orga-
nization wants to address. Together, goals, programs and
activities must:
• Aligntheonboardingprogramtotheagency’smission
andvision;
• Connecttoculture,strategicpeopleandorganization-
algoals,andpriorities;
• Applyonboardingtoallemployees;
• Integrateacrossprocessowners;
• Clearlydeneandassignrolesandresponsibilities;
• Createanonboardingprogramthatincludesstrategic
activitiesthatspanbeyondtherstweekormonth;
and
• Performkeyactivitiesduringtheveprocessphases:
before the rst day, rst day/orientation, rst week,
first 90 days and first year.
2
KN OW WH ER E YO U A R E:
ASSESS YOUR ONBOARDING STATUS
After setting goals and determining desired accomplish-
ments, an organization must baseline the current status
of its onboarding program. Before making changes, it is
important to understand and document current practices
and responsibilities. is involves assessing the approach,
scope and effectiveness of current onboarding practices.
3
SEEK QUICK WINS
Once the differences between current onboarding prac-
tices and desired onboarding attributes become clear,
gaps should then be identified and prioritized. For many
organizations, relatively minor improvements to an ex-
isting onboarding program can have a big impact. ese
improvement opportunities are “quick wins” — on-
boarding activities that can generally be implemented in
a few months, using existing resources. Examples of on-
boarding activities that can significantly enhance a new
employee’s experience without requiring significant time
and resources include:
• Sendingoutawelcomee-mailtothenewemployee
afteranoerofemploymenthasbeenaccepted;
• Providinga point of contact before the rst day to
answeranyquestionsthenewemployeemayhave;
• Assigningasponsortohelpthenewemployeeinthe
rstdaysandweeksonthejob;
• Developingnewemployeechecklists—bothfornew
employees and managers/supervisors and posting
themelectronically;
conclusion and imPlementation
recommendations
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
15
• Ensuring orientation programs contain information
aboutorganizationalhistory,mission/corevalues;and
• Involvingseniorleadershipinorientationandsubse-
quent onboarding activities.
After implementing quick wins, agencies should focus on
additional onboarding improvements using a phased ap-
proach that will realistically maximize success. A dedicat-
ed implementation team can help achieve these results.
4
TAILOR ONBOARDING CONTENT
BY TYPE OF EMPLOYEE
Organizations that have the onboarding “basics” ad-
dressed can move on to tailor onboarding programs to
specific new employee groups. Tailoring the onboarding
program and content to the needs of different types of
employees, such as executives, mid-level managers, more
junior employees and transfers, can enhance their on-
boarding experiences by focusing on what they consider
to be important. An example of this type of tailoring is
allowing new employees who have worked for the federal
government before, and are simply transferring existing
benefits to their new agency, to opt out of orientation
information about federal government benefits.
5
DON’T REINVENT THE WHEEL
BORROW IT
Every organization, public or private, onboards new
employees. In seeking to improve onboarding programs,
looking to best practices from others and leveraging them
can provide benefits without “reinventing the wheel.” For
example, NASA and the Office of the Comptroller of the
Currency have invested considerable time and resources
developing sophisticated online and electronic portals
that accomplish a wide range of onboarding activities.
Other agencies wishing to do the same can leverage what
has already been developed. is minimizes duplication
of effort, creates efficiencies across the government and
allows best practices to be leveraged in more organiza-
tions.
Another benefit to the universal nature of onboarding
is that tools and technologies are commonly available
commercially to support different aspects of onboard-
ing. Onboarding capabilities can be purchased and used
“as-is,” purchased and customized, or created internally.
Evaluating all of these options will help each organiza-
tion select and implement the best solutions for its par-
ticular needs.
e tools provided in this report can also serve as help-
ful documents to guide the implementation of new on-
boarding processes and activities. ey can be download-
ed electronically at ourpublicservice.org and customized
as needed.
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
16
To determine how agencies bring new employees on
board and identify best practices, the Partnership for
Public Service and Booz Allen Hamilton conducted a lit-
erature review, identified leading private-sector practices,
held focus groups with 16 current federal employees and
interviewed 29 agency officials in 11 agencies and sub-
components. We gathered data from the federal organi-
zations through structured interviews, often with more
than one staff member from the human capital office.
Agencies were selected based on their employee engage-
ment scores from the Partnership’s Best Places to Work in
the Federal Government rankings, attrition rates for new
employees, size, and organizational structure (e.g., head-
quarters, regional office, subcomponent).
14
We selected
agencies that have diverse backgrounds, are appropriated
and non-appropriated, and that have missions ranging
from regulating banks to protecting the environment.
14 Best Places rankings based on the results of the Federal Human Capital
Survey administered by OPM in 2006.
A special thanks to those from the Partnership for Public
Service and Booz Allen Hamilton who contributed to
this report.
Booz Allen Hamilton
David Dye
Shelly Gupta
Sharon Light
David Mader
Leslie Ann Pearson
Melissa Scott
Abe Zwany
Partnership for Public Service
Cali Ence
Kristin Esham
Laura Howes
Bevin Johnston
Jonathan Kappler
Bob Lavigna
Katie Malague
Tyler Overstreet
John Palguta
Lamar Robertson
Lara Shane
Kevin Simpson
Max Stier
a P P e n d i x a :
methodoloGy and acknoWledGements
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
17
Department of Education
Headquarters
Toni Pope
Human Resources Specialist
Joel Rubenstein
Supervisor of Headquarters Recruitment and Classification
Department of Education
Office of Federal Student Aid
Debra Bennett
Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer
Lisa Gilbert
Human Resources Analyst
Dr. Ann Manheimer
Workforce Development Services Director
John Mondragon
Human Resources and Workforce Services Director
Anne Teresa
Skills Development and Business Advisory Director
Monica Woods
Deputy Director, Human Resources and Workforce Services
Environmental Protection Agency
Headquarters
Nicole Early
Human Resources Specialist
Mike Hamlin
Acting Deputy Human Resources Director
Patricia Midgett
Human Resources Specialist
Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5
Tom Davison
Human Resources Officer
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Eugene Bell
Assistant Director
Human Resources Service Center, Human Resources Branch
Marcia Chalmers
Corporate Recruitment Program Manager
Government Accountability Office Cynthia Heckman
Chief Human Capital Officer
Beth Hoffman Leon
Senior Analyst
Jackie McDaniel
Director, Analysis and Systems Center
Barbara McWhirter
Director, Recruiting and Hiring Center
a P P e n d i x b :
ParticiPatinG federal orGaniZations
and officials
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
18
General Services Administration William Kelly
Director of Human Resources
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Candace Irwin
Director, Workforce Systems and Accountability Division
Sherri McGee
Director, Workforce Management and Development Division
Linda Pultz
Senior Human Resources Specialist
Joan Youravich
Senior Human Resources Specialist
National Archives and
Records Administration
Analisa Archer
Director of Human Resources Services
Tammy Stovall
Recruitment Coordinator
Department of State Janine Brown
Human Resources Specialist
Pamela Mills-Edmonds
Human Resources Specialist
Mary Ann Millard
Staffing Division Chief
Office of Civil Services Personnel Management
Department of the Treasury
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Patricia J. Pointer
Deputy Comptroller for Human Resources
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
19
NEW EMPLOYEE
INFORMATION
Name: Start Date:
Position: Supervisor:
Oce/Cube Number: Phone Number:
Task Status
BEFORE FIRST DAY
Send welcome packet with important information (e.g., benets and rst day logistics) and welcome letter
Provide agency and job information
Encourage the review and completion of paperwork (if feasible) before Day 1
Contact new employee to answer questions and set expectations
Assign a sponsor/buddy
Assign and prepare workspace and provide oce supplies
Ensure “oce essentials” (e.g., computer, phone, e-mail, training accounts) are set up
FIRST DAY/ ORIENTATION
If possible, personalize the experience with something unique for the new employee (e.g., welcome note, owers, nameplate)
Communicate vision and mission, and administer a formal oath
Introduce new employee to sponsor/buddy
Complete paperwork and security requirements
Explain benets and policies
Have a senior leader welcome new employees (in person or through recorded means)
Arrange for new employees to eat together or for someone from each employee’s oce to eat lunch with them on their rst day
Provide realistic information about the organization and its culture and avoid “over promising”
FIRST WEEK
Ensure that job roles and responsibilities are clearly communicated to the new employee
Introduce the new employee to other employees and senior sta
Provide meaningful work for the new employee — either training or substantive work related to the new job
Ensure that a senior leader (in the new employee’s oce) welcomes the new employee(s)
Review the organizational structure and key sta
Provide a list of contacts who can address the new employee’s questions on a variety of issues
Gather feedback about the orientation program from new employees
FIRST 90 DAYS
Review performance objectives and set individual development goals
Give performance feedback early and often to the new employee
Provide training, as needed, to help the new employee understand internal systems, general operating practices and obtain other
information or skills required in the performance of his or her job
Discuss individual work styles and preferences
Arrange for the new employee to meet key stakeholders from other departments
Check with new employees regularly to ensure that they continue to assimilate and expand their knowledge and capabilities
FIRST YEAR
Provide training to build competencies and ll any skill gaps
Conduct a new employee survey and address any issues surfaced
Assess the performance of the new employee periodically — formally and informally — and provide feedback:
Informal “manager check-ins” should occur regularly in addition to formal performance assessments, which should be completed after
six months and one year.
The human capital oce should send a reminder e-mail to managers at the six-month and one-year mark to ensure that formal
performance reviews occur.
Ensure a senior executive or manager sends a congratulatory e-mail or letter on the employee’s one-year anniversary (can be done
automatically without requiring the executive’s time)
a P P e n d i x c :
best Practices onboardinG checklist
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
20
ere is a critical need to communicate with new employees between the time they accept an offer and their first day on
the job. is communication helps to provide information, answer questions, reduce administrative processing on the
first day, and allow a smoother transition as the new employee comes on board. Communication should be structured
and occur at specific times during the onboarding process. e table below summarizes recommended timing, who
initiates the communication, what and how it is communicated.
Timing Initiator Messages Communication Method
After employment
oer is accepted
Human Capital Oce
OR Human Capital
Liaison in New
Employee’s Oce
be completed, suitability or clearance process) and set expectations
new oce is, what will happen for lunch)
Phone call with follow-up
e-mail (sponsor/buddy will
be copied on this e-mail)
OPTIONAL After
Suitability/ Clearance
is granted
Human Capital Oce
OR Human Capital
Liaison in New
Employee’s Oce
before the rst day of work, an additional contact should be made
after this eligibility is granted
E-mail or phone call
2-3 Days before
First Day
New Employee
Sponsor/Buddy
new oce is, what will happen for lunch)
E-mail or phone call
ExAMPLES OF COMMUNICATION TOOLS
PREFIRST DAY TELEPHONE TALKING POINTS
Introduceyourself;includewhereyouworkwiththeagency.•
Explain that you are there to help them through the pre-first day process.•
Give them your name and phone number, and let them know you are their “go to” person, and that they can con-•
tact you with any questions or concerns.
Briefly explain the process they will go through before their first day. Include any paperwork they will have to •
complete,anysuitabilityand/orclearanceprocesstheywillhavetoengagein,andanyotheractivitiesthatwillbe
required of them.
Contact them immediately prior to their first day to ensure they have received their orientation instructions and •
toletthemknowwhotheirassignedbuddy/sponsorwillbe.
Reiterate first day logistics, including any information about lunch and what they will do once orientation is over.•
aPPendix d: Pre-first day communication Plan
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
21
SAMPLE BUDDY INTRODUCTORY EMAIL
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT: Welcome to [Agency]
Dear xxxxxx:
Welcome to [Agency]! We are excited that you will be joining us for your rst day on MM/DD/YYYY.
I will be your new employee buddy, someone who can help you get settled on your rst day, show you around, answer any
questions you have and serve as a resource over your rst few weeks.
Let’s begin by meeting for lunch on the day of your orientation. I will come to meet you at lunchtime.
If you have any questions between now and then, please feel free to call me at (###) ###-####.
Sincerely,
Name
aPPendix e: toolkit for manaGers
Managers play a critical role during an employee’s first few days on the job. Over the long term, managers directly affect
the employee’s job satisfaction. Given this impact, it is vital for managers to be informed about the onboarding process,
know their role, and consistently welcome and assign work to new employees.
An Onboarding Toolkit for Managers provides managers with the tools, resources and consistency of approach to en-
sure the employee has a positive and meaningful onboarding experience.
Samplesoftools/templatesthatcanbeincludedinaManagerToolkitinclude:
Checklist with timeline of manager responsibilities•
Linkstokeyformsandsampleplans(e.g.,JobDescription,PerformancePlanand/orIndividualDevelopment•
Plan)
Suggested talking points for: •
First discussion with new employee –
Six-month check-in –
One-year performance review –
Template for welcome e-mail to send to new employee’s team•
Overview of different experiences and expectations from government transfers versus employees with no previous •
government experience
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
22
ExAMPLES OF MANAGER TOOLS
Introduce yourself, and talk about your role in the organization.•
Discuss how your office fits into the larger organization and the role it has in supporting the organization’s mis-•
sion.
Review the new employee’s job description — discussing the work he will do, who he will be working with and •
performance expectations.
Review the performance appraisal process.•
Talk about your style as a manager and expectations for employees who work with you (i.e., do you prefer phone •
calls or e-mails? Do you have an “open door policy” or do you prefer people schedule time with you in advance?
What is your general managerial style? How can someone work best with you?)
Let the new employee know how often he will or should interact with you.•
Ask if they have any questions.•
TO: Team
FROM: Manager
SUBJECT: Welcome Jane Doe
Dear Team:
Please welcome Jane Doe, a new Program Analyst, to our team. Jane’s rst project will be leading the Performance
Management initiative.
Jane comes to us from the Department of Education, where she was an Assistant Program Manager for three years. Before that,
she worked in the private sector for Atlantis Corp. Jane is originally from San Francisco, but enjoys living in Washington, D.C.,
which she considers her adopted home. In her free time, Jane is an avid cycler and enjoys reading legal thrillers.
Jane’s rst day of work is June 12, and she will sit in cube 2-314. Please stop by and introduce yourself.
Sincerely,
Manager
GETTING ON BOARD | A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING AND ENGAGING NEW EMPLOYEES
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An employee reference guide is provided to new employees on their first day or week. e materials serve to help orient
the new employee to his new organization and surroundings. An example of key sections and materials for an employee
reference guide is included in the list below.
ABOUT US
Organization overview
History•
Mission statement•
Core values•
Basic organization structure and organization •
chart
Overview of each office (organization chart and
functional statements)
Leadership profiles: photos and brief biographies •
of key leaders
Commonly used acronyms•
NAVIGATING THE ORGANIZATION
How to find people in the organization: an overview of
sources of information for finding individuals, contact
information, etc.
Oceoverviews/brochures:onepageorbrochurefor
each key support office with information on what the
office does and contact information
Web resources: overview of the organization’s intranet
and its capabilities (with screenshots and links)
Booking conference rooms
Key communication vehicles (e.g., weekly bulletins)
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Key policies and procedures
Major ethics rules•
Equal opportunity policy•
Sexual harassment policies•
Civil rights•
Whistleblower Act•
Procurement•
Human capital policies and procedures
Time charging policy•
Family Medical Leave Act•
aPPendix f: emPloyee reference Guide
Request for leave or approved absence form•
Organization holiday schedule•
Payroll planning schedule•
Copy of time sheet•
Benefits
Health Insurance•
Leave•
Parking•
Transit benefits•
Other benefits•
Performance management policies
Training requirements
HR information
Employee personal page overview•
Pay bands•
SES definition•
Security policies and procedures
Key security policies•
Sensitive security information, if applicable•
Emergency•
Travel policies and procedures
Government travel card program overview •
(include link to application)
Overview of travel•
Contacts•
FAQ•
BASIC IT INFORMATION
Key IT policies and management directives
Computer access agreement
Default for new e-mail accounts
Voice-mail instructions
Sample voice-mail and extended absence greetings
Instructions for using IP phone
Overview of Outlook, etc.
PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON
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IT support services tips and tricks
Audio conferencing instructions
How to add a printer to your desktop
Using government equipment for personal use
Help Desk
GOVERNMENT HIRES
Links to key government Web sites:
Benefits Web site•
Snow policy Web site•
THE BUILDING AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD
Building
Address of building•
Building map•
Driving, parking and public transportation •
directions
Visitor process•
Where key offices are located•
Cafeteria information•
Building regulations•
Mail distribution plan (mailstops)•
Conference room locations•
Building resources (e.g., graphics, printing, •
tnesscenter,mother’sroom,meditationroom/
chapel,contactforHQcustomerservice/building
maintenance)
Local services and other organization locations
Banks•
Post offices•
Health clubs•
Restaurants and shopping•
Hotels•
Pharmacies•
Catering•
Info on other organization buildings and •
directions
New York Avenue
Suite
Washington
phone
fax
ourpublicservice.org
Woodland Park Road
Herndon
phone
boozallen.com
