Top 10 Things to Include when Onboarding Senior Leaders
The introduction of new senior leaders requires intelligent onboarding as these additions need to be brought up to speed quickly and seamlessly integrated into the organization. They need more information than general staff to understand the company culture, get to know their team, and grasp the current state of affairs. The simplest way to do this is to include a digital repository – or even a physical binder – filled with critical information.
The list below is comprehensive, but we encourage you to discuss the content with your team to create an onboarding program for your senior leaders that’s customized to your organization and standardized. It’s also beneficial to interview your current senior leaders and ask what additional information they would have liked to have when they started with the company.
Top 10 things to include:
1. Information about direct reports and administrative support, including:
- Name, title, birthday, and photo
- Contact info
- Employment anniversary date and tenure
- 3 fun facts and favorite candy
- Preferred communication style (text, email, phone, Slack)
- Location – onsite or remote
2. Pre-scheduled meetings with direct reports
Have their admin schedule meetings with their direct reports and include the schedule in this binder. Also include all the meetings already in their calendar.
3. Strategic initiatives and current status
Share the company-wide and department-specific strategic initiatives, goals, and current status.
4. Org chart
Include a company org chart so new leaders can familiarize themselves with the structure, key players, and names. It’s also helpful to include staff tenure in the org chart to give them additional context about their new colleagues.
5. Dress code
Provide clear guidance on the dress code so they can feel confident on their first day showing up in the proper attire.
6. Office address
Provide all the information needed for a smooth office visit their first day, such as where to park and where to go. A virtual office tour is always a welcome touch.
Also include the other office locations and what each location handles, such as manufacturing, sales, service center, headquarters, etc.
7. Security
Explain the security procedures, such as ID badges and office access. Include the guest access rules and policy so they can smoothly greet and host external visitors.
8. Company communication style
Does the company use Slack to communicate? Or favor phone calls, email, or text? Help them assimilate more quickly by providing insight into the company’s preferred communication style.
9. Company handbook (including all policies)
Your senior leaders are expected to be experts in your company – and this includes all the policies, from travel to company credit cards to client gift guidelines. Make sure they have a copy of the company handbook so they can get up to speed.
10. Information Access (e.g., shared drive)
Include information about how the company stores and shares information. Is there a shared drive, a Google drive or something else? Don’t forget to add the naming convention for shared documents and a primer on how to search, if needed.
Providing these ten items as part of a well-structured, modern onboarding program eases new senior leader’s entry into your organization and makes it easy for them to quickly feel like part of the team.
