How you onboard a new team member as a ministry leader can make or break the relationship with that person and with the team. If onboarding is done well, the new team member integrates into the team and is set up for success as an individual and as a contributor to your ministry's success. If it is not done well, at best, everyone is frustrated, and, at worst, you might lose the new player.
Below you'll find some simple steps to follow, from before they join the team, well into their first month on board.
Before the New Employee Starts:
Provide a welcome packet (email or real documents) that includes the Employee Handbook, parking information, staff contacts, org chart, what to expect the first day, etc.
Give them some swag like a coffee cup or t-shirt
If the employee is relocating, provide staff tips on restaurants, things to do, etc.
Provide all necessary HR forms, including benefits enrollment.
Ensure the workspace is set up and good to go
Ensure facilities access, computer access, logins, voicemail, etc., are all good-to-go.
On the First Day:
Make it fun! Give more swag.
Assign someone to be the new team member’s guide, to greet them and take them under their wing, guiding them around the facility, introducing them to the staff, and go over the pertinent information on facilities, computers, etc.
Host a breakfast or lunch for the staff/department to introduce the new team member.
The First Week:
Don’t leave the new team member hanging. His/her manager should spend time with them, checking in frequently, answering questions, and explaining more about the church/ministry.
Encourage other team members to interact with the newbie, perhaps taking them to lunch or for a cup of coffee.
Ensure the newbie has all the resources needed to perform.
The First 90 Days:
In his book, The First 90 Days, Michael Watkins lays out a checklist for what new hires need to be doing within their first 90 days at an organization:
Diagnosis – Identify key challenges
Alignment – Be in line with the organizational culture and values
Relationships – Build relationships with new co-workers
Communication Styles – Understand personality styles of new co-workers, how they work, and how they live
Clarified Expectations – Know objectives, both written and unwritten
Team Assessment – Know the team and what makes them tick by having fun and taking a team assessment
Early Wins – Identified opportunities that offer feelings of achievement and success the first few weeks
Download this free administrative onboarding checklist to keep you on track in the process!
First impressions matter! While some of the onboarding is administrative in nature and deals with compliance, most of it is about making your new team member feel welcome and part of the team from Day One. Effective onboarding creates a path for success for everyone.
Jon Kendrick
