DEM Onboarding Hub for Supervisors
Onboarding Introduction
UW–Madison defines onboarding as integrating and acculturating new employees into the university and providing them with the tools, resources, and knowledge to become successful and productive. Onboarding engages employees beginning with the acceptance of the job offer, and continues through the entire first year of employment. DEM believes onboarding also plays a critical role in building the culture of belonging we strive for. On this page is an outline of the Divisional approach to onboarding which is intended to be supplemented with departmental, unit, and team-based onboarding to ensure a strong experience for all new team members. The DEM Onboarding Hub for Supervisors seeks to ensure a reliable, consistent, and productive onboarding experience for all new team members.
For questions regarding the Onboarding hub, contact Justin Mumford.
Onboarding Approach
Onboarding plans are necessary to ensure new team members have a roadmap for how to successfully navigate their overall onboarding. The goal ultimately is to create a streamlined and supportive onboarding experience for new team members. DEM has established a set of core tasks, captured within Workleap Onboarding, that ensure all onboarding standards are met. Hiring managers are encouraged to also add their own tasks, context, and resources within the onboarding plan to ensure a customized onboarding experience.
Most onboarding plans are likely to include 3 core components for new team members to utilize and reference.
Onboarding First Week Itinerary
It is often helpful for the hiring manager to establish a structured first week itinerary to help guide a new team member’s initial onboarding. When building out an itinerary, don’t forget to allow for enough down time for new team members to digest who they met, engage in asynchronous training/learning, and to complete onboarding tasks.
Onboarding Meetings
It is encouraged that meetings associated with onboarding, such as 1:1’s, training offerings, and/or team meetings, are scheduled via Outlook calendar for ease of use for new team members.
Onboarding Tasks
All onboarding tasks—including those assigned to the hiring manager, new team member, onboarding coordinator, training coordinator, and HR—will be organized within the Workleap Onboarding tool. Using Workleap as the single point of reference helps new team members track and complete required activities while enabling supervisors and onboarding coordinators to monitor progress throughout the onboarding process.
Onboarding Tool
To support the onboarding process, DEM has adopted a tool called Workleap Onboarding. This tool provides an interface to help new team members stay organized while making it easier for supervisors to check-in on progress throughout an onboarding experience. All established DEM onboarding standards are also already imbedded within the Workleap Onboarding tool, making it easy for Supervisors to ensure all standards are met throughout the onboarding process.
Onboarding Standards
The DEM onboarding standards identify required components for supervisors to follow when onboarding new team members across the Division of Enrollment Management. Onboarding standards serve an important role to ensure strong and consistent onboarding experiences that seek to position new team members in an environment to thrive. Each standard aligns with the 9 fundamental human needs intended to advance our culture of belonging.
Onboarding Process
Accepted Offer
An accepted verbal offer should be shared with DEM HR, who will then initiate an offer letter and employment agreement. Once the new team member officially accepts the employment agreement then the onboarding experience will start.
Onboarding Kick-Off
A member of the OVP team will serve as the onboarding coordinator and will connect with the hiring manager to prepare for the upcoming onboarding experience, including an overview of the Workleap Onboarding tool. This will occur ideally at least 2 weeks prior to the start date.
Complete Pre-Boarding
Hiring managers should finalize an onboarding plan and complete pre-boarding tasks prior to a new team member’s first day. Pre-boarding tasks typically occur in the 2 weeks prior to a new team member starting and are critical to ensuring a strong onboarding experience.
Support the Onboarding Experience
Leverage the onboarding plan to ensure a strong onboarding experience for new team members, especially to ensure high-touch support across their first 30 days. The Onboarding Coordinator is also there to support the onboarding experience. Workleap Onboarding also collects regular feedback to help better address issues quickly and in real-time.
Onboarding Roles & Responsibilities
Responsible for the broader coordination of the DEM onboarding process as well as providing support to the hiring manager and new team member throughout their onboarding experience.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate tasks within the onboarding process
- Act as contact for Workleap Onboarding questions
- Serves as an additional point person to support the hiring manager & new team member
- Support in tracking progress of the onboarding process
The most effective onboarding process is one that is owned by the new team member’s direct manager/supervisor. Responsible for planning, executing, and overseeing the onboarding experience for a new team member, ensuring they have the tools, knowledge, support, and clarity needed to succeed in their role. Hiring Managers are able to delegate tasks as-needed, but are primarily accountable to ensuring they are completed.
Responsibilities
- Create and monitor the new team member’s Workleap Onboarding plan
- Meet with the new team member to discuss performance expectations and ensure they have the resources necessary to be successful
- Ensure the new team member is put in a place to thrive
A peer partner is a fellow employee (other than the manager/supervisor) who supports a new team member during their first year on the job. Their role is to offer advice and guidance regarding the day-to-day aspects of working at UW–Madison and within the Division of Enrollment Management. They contribute to the successful onboarding experience by helping to build community and a sense of belonging.
Responsibilities
- Serves as a resources and trusted advisor to the new team member
- Helps introduce and explain the culture at UW–Madison and DEM
- Provide peer-to-peer advice, listen thoughtfully and provide – when solicited – critiques, suggestions and feedback.
Responsible for ensuring the new team member is hired and has what they need as they get started as an employee within their new role.
Responsibilities
- Enters new employee information into Workday
- Serves as a resource and trusted adviser to the new team member
- Provides information regarding employee benefits
- Provides information regarding payroll (direct deposit, leave time, etc.)
Responsible for coordinating departmental job-specific training offerings in support of the hiring manager. Not all onboardings are supported by a Training Coordinator. In cases where there is no Training Coordinator, Hiring Managers are expected to fulfil the role of providing & coordinating job-specific training offerings.
Responsibilities
- Create and monitor the new team member’s Workleap Onboarding plan
- Meet with the new team member to discuss performance expectations and ensure they have the resources necessary to be successful
New Team Member Resources
DEM has established a dedicated resource for new team members to assist in their onboarding into the Division. This resource is intended to be shared with new team members as they begin their role and includes resources such as, helpful links, onboarding at a glance, how-to guides, employee discounts, and commonly used acronyms.
If there are any items that can be added or updated on the New Team Member Onboarding Resources, please contact Mike Hollander.