Integrate new hires by creating a context for coaching

- It can be easy to assume that with a new hire, you're mostly telling them what to do and directing them on how to get up to speed on your team, but there's an opportunity to go deeper. How can you add an extra layer of creativity and connection to strengthen their relationship to you, your team and your broader company culture? Work to create a coaching context, where your new team member knows that you won't just be telling them what to do, but actively co-creating the onboarding process, with their input along the way. A coaching approach to onboarding means creating expectations for the timeline of onboarding, and also checking in regularly throughout. Start by asking initial exploratory questions. How do you like to learn? What helps you get up to speed? What strengths are you bringing in that we can leverage during this onboarding process? For the first month or two, it's important that these check-ins are at least once or even twice a week. When your new hire knows that they will have regular, dedicated access to you early in the process, they'll be better equipped to organize questions before they meet with you. Start with a conversation about what they're bringing into the role, including both work experience and outside interests. Get curious, encourage them to share what they've done both personally and professionally that energizes and excites them, even if they don't think all of it applies to their current role. What expertise are they excited to share with the team? Have fun with this. One interest might seem totally unrelated to work, but that could spark fun conversation and connect to broader themes. For example, insights that one of your new team members loves organizing bookshelves, as I do, might reveal a passion for organizing information and tidying messy areas of the business. It's important to help new hires feel successful in their first weeks and months on the job, even though just the basics of onboarding can be overwhelming. During your coaching check-insight, reflect together. How are things going this week? What's working best? What meetings have been most fruitful? What is still causing confusion or overwhelm? Conclude these meetings with a quick brainstorm or discussion around sticking points, so that your new team member has a chance to solve issues they might have otherwise been hesitant to surface.