Onboarding New Team Members
Many times I get to kick off a project with a team that has worked together before. This certainly has its advantages…. Everyone generally knows how everyone else will act and work with the group.
Other times, though, I've had team members join mid-project. This could be due to someone leaving the company, being out of office or needing more resources to get the job done. Regardless of why, this new joiner can disrupt the team in several ways - they may communicate differently, they don't know the norms and they have to build relationships up from nothing.
Ensuring the new person feels welcome and meshes with the group is critical to its success. Frequently I see this process being ignored or sped up in the name of 'get the job done'. I find that while this approach may get them doing work more quickly, it doesn't result in an optimal outcome. Sure, they're working, but they’re also lacking connection with their team. They're less effective because they don't know where to go for some things, and because they don't know how to really work with everyone else.
I've found a few things can help get someone new onboarded and success :
Make sure they meet everyone - this sounds simple, but make sure your new team member has time to connect with everyone else on the team. I've found that prepping them beforehand with some background can also help guide the conversation (e.g. Sally has a background in coding, she's a great resource for X).
Get time with them early - don't wait until they've already finished their first week! Meet with them early and often, this both helps demonstrate that you care about them and their success, but also ensures they have time to get a feeling for how you operate.
Proper resourcing - make sure they have whatever access they need to do their job as soon as they join. Nothing saps morale faster then not being able to v successfully because your account isn't live.
Ask them how you can improve - this new member will bring in new experience and knowledge that can help your team. Asking them for their input on what the group can do better both shows you care about their thoughts, but also helps them buy into the group.
It does take time and effort to integrate new folks to the team. That time is more than well spent - not only will the team benefit from their skills and time, they'll benefit from being part of the team.
