Why?
A seamless onboarding process goes beyond just paperwork, system set up, and initial training. It's about creating an immersive and inclusive environment that nurtures talent, fosters a sense of belonging, and enables individuals to hit the ground running. When new hires feel welcomed and supported from Day 1, they are more likely to become productive contributors faster, leading to increased job satisfaction and retention rates.
A successful onboarding process helps bridge the gap between the expectations employees have and the actual experiences they encounter. This alignment leads to reduced feelings of uncertainty and anxiety, allowing individuals to focus on their roles and responsibilities with confidence.
A successful onboarding process also plays a crucial role in reinforcing the company's culture and values. This contributes to a healthier work environment and a stronger sense of purpose among the team. There is a great sense of community within Amplifi where we are all working towards the same goal, so communicating that from Day 1 means each new starter can feel part of that and see their contributions straight away.
Embracing a simple onboarding approach holds the key to creating a good first impression. When new team members are welcomed with a streamlined and hassle-free onboarding process, they feel valued and respected from the very beginning. By removing unnecessary complexities, we allow them to focus on what truly matters – their role, their team, and their contribution to the company's success.
How?
This starts from the interview process. We try and keep it as informal and relaxed as possible to give people the chance to be themselves. Interviewing can be full of unnecessary steps, tests, and can be very slow, so we try and act as quickly as possible.
📖 The Staff Handbook: We have written this with our culture in mind, and have made is easy to read, personal, and authentic to what we are about – Our People.
🎒The Onboarding Pack: This is something which I personally am very proud of. Dan and I have worked with Lizzie Shayler to show new starters what life at Amplifi will be like. It has everything from travel, parking, places to eat, as well as giving a glimpse into our unique culture and the faces that make up our Amplifi family. We've also included "informal do's and don'ts" – the insider tips and tricks that help newcomers navigate their way through our work environment seamlessly. We also create a detailed 2-week plan which paints a picture of what the first days at Amplifi will look like for everyone - by eliminating anxiety and providing a clear roadmap, our new hires can confidently dive into their roles and contribute right from Day 1.
❓ The Q&A: We ask all new joiners fill out a Amplifi Q&A, which we share with the whole team on Slack on their first day. The 7 non-work-related questions enable everyone to learn who the new person is outside of their job – it is great for making someone feel part of the team straight away, and helps us settle the ongoing – ‘Does pineapple belong on pizza?’ debate!
💡 The Learning Portal (LXP): Put together by Kirsten Kenny (Our Head of L&D), the LXP provides a wealth of information to new starters on pretty much everything they will need to know when joining Amplifi. From our partnerships and service lines, to mental health support, expenses, timesheeting, and tonnes of training. It is a brilliant tool for those with or without a data background to find their feet and get stuck in.
So, how do our latest joiners feel?
What did you like about the Amplifi onboarding process?
📣 I can honestly say, it has been the most organised, welcoming and prepared onboarding I have experienced. From my offer through to my first day, there was lots of communication. My laptop arrived, my emails had been set up the week before and I had received my personalised 2-week plan – which meant I already knew Amplifi were ready for me to start.
The personalised plan was a really nice and unexpected touch and made it clear that Amplifi really values its employees, but also that my new manager had already planned my first two weeks. It made me feel like a valued member of the team already.
Another thing I would call out, was the onboarding training path in the Learning Portal (LXP). This introduces you to the LXP and how it works, but also all the key information and training. This was really great and seemed like it had been well thought out to get the volume and content right.
📣 I liked how thorough it was. I was immediately provided with a lot of useful information not just about the role, but also all of the benefits the company offers, the key people I should be talking to, training I should look at etc. Having some meetings with relevant people already set up was helpful, but the push to meet as many people as possible and learn about their roles in the company was even better.
📣 I loved how simple, yet efficient the whole process was. I knew exactly what was expected of me, was given the chance to show my personality alongside my skills and never felt the typical “must fit a mould” pressure of an interview. They were also incredibly accommodating - they understand life happens and things don’t always go according to plan.
How quickly did you feel ‘part of the team’ when you joined?
📣 This is going to sound silly, but it is true…I felt like ‘part of the team’ from Day 1. Being added to the various slack channels, and the announcement email, and other slack updates about us ‘New Starters’, really made me feel so welcome, but also meant lots of people reached out to say Hi, send a Welcome message, or just generally check in. Despite being sat in my own home on my first day, rather than being in the office, I have never been made to feel so welcome in a new company, and it just highlights what a fantastic group of people we have here at Amplifi. Being in the office on Day 2 & 3 was a lot less daunting, because of being made to feel part of the team from Day 1!
📣 Pretty much straight away. Everyone was so welcoming and eager to talk not just about work, but also about life outside of work.
📣 After Day 1, I already felt like I was part of the team, as everyone treats you like you’ve been there for months. At the end of week 1, and a few more in-depth chats, there was no doubt that I was seen as part of the team, not just by team members, but from the outside as well.
If you could give any advice to a new starter, the day before they join, what would you say?
📣 Relax! Don’t be nervous or apprehensive. Before the end of your first day, you will already feel like you are part of the Amplifi family and wonder why you were ever nervous! If you have any questions at all, I can honestly say, you could reach out to anyone in the team and even if they can’t help you personally, they will help you find the person who can. Nothing is too much trouble, and they are all so supportive and welcoming.
📣 Talk to everyone and don’t be afraid to approach people. At lots of workplaces, dropping the Senior Management Team a meeting invite for a chat would be a bit daring at best, but at Amplifi it’s encouraged, and I felt it helped me a lot to get to know some of the ins and outs of the company straight from the original sources.
📣 Everything you’re worrying about isn’t true. It’s a comfortable, professional workplace that has copious amounts of snacks and jokes, as well as the motivation to get stuff done. It’s exactly what it says on the tin. Dress comfortably and be yourself as that’s why they’ve hired you.
The feedback demonstrates how important it is to have a well thought out, thorough, and personal onboarding process so that employees can begin their journey within the team feeling prepared and welcomed from Day 1.
