Lindsay Keim is one of the newest Literacy and Education Coordinators at Booksource, a division of GL group. Here, she shares her recent onboarding experience—and raves about how easy and enjoyable the transition into her new role has been!
Pulling up to my driveway I saw an unexpected package on my doorstep. In it there were several goodies for me from my new employer, Booksource. There was also a welcome letter advising where to go on my first day, what time to be there and where to park. My onboarding experience had begun.
My onboarding experience with Booksource was nothing short of Remarkable. The package I received before my first day definitely helped calm some of the jitters that come with starting a new job and not knowing what to expect. Upon arrival on Day One, I was shown to a conference room where I went through typical first day onboarding activities. What was not typical was that on the conference table were several of my favorite snacks and goodies for me, which they had gathered several days before once I completed a short survey about myself. The onboarding was also given by power point, which I greatly appreciated as it was well organized and easy to follow. Once the formalities were competed, I was taken on a tour of the facility and I was introduced to every department, as well as everyone on my team. At that point, I was handed off to my mentor and we went to lunch. If there’s anything my first day at Booksource showed me (as well as the days leading up to my first day), it was just how much Booksource values their employees.
My onboarding continued for the next 30 days as I was trained for the position for which I was hired. It was clear to me the amount of time and effort that was put into developing the training, as each session continued to build on the last. The trainings were provided by my manager, other department leaders and my team members, which added legitimacy to the content being presented. The sessions with the other department leaders were especially helpful in helping me understand what they do, as well as how they impact my role and how we can help one another. I also appreciated getting to know my team before I started working on my own, as it made me feel more comfortable asking questions when they arose. Throughout my first 30 days, I had several checkpoints with my manager to find out how training was going, ask what I was and was not comfortable with and to solicit my feedback for future new hires. I felt valued and that I was a part of the whole experience.
Within two weeks of my first day, Human Resources presented all of the insurance benefits and provided a great opportunity to ask questions and collect information before selecting plans. The content provided was presented in a way that was easy to understand, and resources were provided so that I would be able to easily go back and enroll. At that time as well, I was performing basic responsibilities of my position. By the end of the 30-day onboarding period, I was performing the vast majority of my responsibilities successfully due to the training and experience I gained during my onboarding. I felt equipped to handle most requests, and if I had questions I knew how to use my resources. My manager still meets with me regularly, and still collects feedback to ensure my success. During one of our meetings I expressed a desire to repeat one of my trainings because I felt that the information presented may resonate better after being in the role for 30 days. Within the week, my manager had scheduled the training for me, and I now have an even better understanding on the training content. I could not be happier with the way Booksource handled my onboarding. Starting a new position at a new company can be full of stress and uncertainties, but Booksource made my transition into the company and my new role very easy and enjoyable.