New Employee Onboarding will Begin Day One
Human Resources is partnering with stakeholders across campus to revamp its new-hire onboarding process.
The onboarding redesign, expected in June, was influenced by feedback from individuals and departments across the organization. New employees will now attend an orientation session on their first day of employment, providing more information and better tools as they begin to navigate their new roles, higher education and Gonzaga.
Additionally, the New Employee Experience (NEE) sessions, which previously were spread over parts of three days in an employee’s first six months on the job, will now be a one-day session that focuses on Gonzaga culture, community and how new employees can get more involved within the organization.
“We’re looking to elevate the new employee experience at Gonzaga by fostering a vibrant and inclusive organizational culture while creating a positive and empowering environment that integrates new employees in Gonzaga and instills a strong sense of belonging and purpose within the organizational community,” says Sarah Zalutko, HR employment specialist, who with Assistant Vice President for Employee Experience Jamie Jamieson Tancrell, has orchestrated these orientation changes.
New employees starting within the same month will be included in the same NEE session, creating a cohort from which to engage and build relationships. Along with these changes, HR will be implementing supervisor training for any new hires in supervisory roles, as well as any internal employees transferring into supervisory positions, Tancrell says. However, any current employees with interest in learning more about being/becoming a supervisor can also join; all are welcome.
“One of our primary goals is to create a better and more consistent onboarding experience that helps employees feel valued and well- equipped to contribute meaningfully to the goals and mission of the University,” says Zalutko. “These efforts can help increase employee retention while better supporting the needs and well-being of both our new employees and supervisors.
“Onboarding sets the tone for our time here at GU so let’s make it great,” says Tancrell.