09. Orientation and Onboarding - What is the Difference?

 NethmeeSW

Introduction

Most of our new workplaces invite for the orientation programme on the first day of work. It is a very exciting day for all of us to see the new workplace and feel their vibes. The day would be memorable and comfortable to be adapted if the organization welcomed us well. The existing employee has a responsibility to greet the new employees and create a pleasant environment. 

Video 1: Introduction to Orientation and Onboarding 

Source: (YouTube, 2023)

YouTube Link

According to Rachmawati, et al. (2018), the Millenials should be welcomed well to ensure that they become engaged employees. Supportive work environments and a good relationship with the supervisor/ mentor during the onboarding process will make things easier for the new employee. Their training sessions would not be unpleasant or scare them to leave on the first few days. 

My first day at my previous UK-based company I worked for as a Sri Lankan, was a Zoom meeting where the CEO and other management level people greeted all of the new employees. The recruitment process there was crucial as it was about 80 tutors hired at once and everything was conducted online due to the pandemic situation. It was a great experience to listen to them and the opportunity to ask questions on the very first day. Later on, they provided us a big calendar filled with dates and tasks to be completed. 

Figure 1: Onboarding Training Calendar 

Source: Author

We had to use a platform to complete the courses provided. All these courses were related to four pillars. The links were provided as you can be seen in the above Figure 1. The last few days were the assessment session including the demonstration. 

Designation (Job Role) - Mathematics Consultant (More like a tutor)

Customer - British Primary and Secondary Students

1. Familiarity - The tutoring was done through a platform. We must get trained well to use it, instruct the students to use it and manage the technical issues if any.
2. Language - English is the second language, therefore we must be confident enough to conduct the classes.
3. Subject Knowledge - Mathematics knowledge to teach, scaffold, British Curriculum and their unique techniques to make the student feel comfortable to learn. 
4. Student-Centered Teaching - This is the teaching style in the UK and it is recommended to use always in this particular job.

As you can see in Figure 1, they have not only focused on tasks but Continuous Professional Development (CPD). All the courses related to the above four areas have been covered during the onboarding process to familiarize me with all of them. I should mention that the CPD tests were conducted through out my stay in that company for 2 years. Each and every term we had to sit for exams and gain more than 70 marks out of 100. If not, employees who scored lower than that was provided with special support and re-sit for the exam to maintain the quality of the job. 

In the meantime, the onboarding process displayed the culture of the company through the meetings and webinars. It was always two-way communication. We had the opportunity to raise concerns, make suggestions, share our knowledge and express ourselves. 

Now let us have a look at the Similarities and Differences between the Orientation and Onboarding Processes.

Table 1: Similarities and Differences between Orientation and Onboarding Processes

Source: ^a(Pratiwi, et al., 2018), ^b(Carlos & Muralles, 2021)

Evaluation

The above Table 1 shows the similarities between the orientation and the onboarding process which is easy to understand that both have a common goal. However, the differences show that there is a significant variance between them. The real-life example I have shared through my experience through evidence shared in Figure 1 shows the structure of the onboarding process after orientation day 1. The convenience of visiting the platform with the integration of technology can be seen. The company represents a culture of well-prepared and organized training programmes and the use of a gamified approach to training employees. After the courses, we get a chance to work in pairs to demonstrate what we have learned and as an opportunity to practice. The assessment session shows that they have been provided with achievable goals and are motivated to target them on a given deadline. All of us were in separate teams provided by a supervisor and it was convenient to ask questions through Slack (another platform to communicate between the employees of that organization). 

This particular job was a part-time and contract-based job opportunity. Therefore, people who already work as a permanent employee has also joined. The drawbacks we saw during this process were the technical issues of the platforms which are unmanageable to the company. There were tutors who missed the demonstration session in both the days which might be unfair in the assessment criteria and to others as well. Moreover, the deadlines were not reminded at the beginning and those who did not follow the calendar have not met the deadlines. The supervisors provided us with a solution where they reminded the tasks each and every day in Slack. 

Summary

The orientation and onboarding process may look alike. However, in summary, the orientation is the shorter part of the onboarding process. The organization should focus on these two separately with combined goals. Further, the previous literature states that some of the articles assumed both of these as one to avoid confusion. Moreover, it also states that the difference is considerable even though it has been considered as a whole process of onboarding. 

My experience through the orientation day and the onboarding process of a UK-based company has been shared with evidence. I used this to evaluate the structured process and to share my thoughts for readers to understand the importance of these two processes. I wouldn't say it's the best but the best practices they used can be analysed to utilize in your company next time! 

References

Carlos, A. R. & Muralles, D. C., 2021. Onboarding in the age of COVID-19. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 48(1), p. 33–40.
Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/03400352211035413
[Accessed 20 August 2023].

Pratiwi, P. Y., Ferdiana, R. & Hartanto, R., 2018. An Analysis of the New Employee Onboarding Process in Startup. International Conference on Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ICITEE), pp. 603-608.
Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ridi-Ferdiana/publication/328988602_An_Analysis_of_the_New_Employee_Onboarding_Process_in_Startup/links/5fd6b1eea6fdccdcb8c480c1/An-Analysis-of-the-New-Employee-Onboarding-Process-in-Startup.pdf
[Accessed 27 August 2023].

Rachmawati, U., Mustika, M. D. & Sjabadhyni, B., 2018. Millennials: Do They Need a Hero to Make Their Workplace More Welcoming?. Journal PSIKODIMENSIA, 17(2), pp. 110-119.
Available at: https://journal.unika.ac.id/index.php/psi/article/viewFile/1550/966
[Accessed 23 August 2023].