Research shows that the way you bring new staff into your school community makes a significant difference in their feelings of belonging, success in the role, and longevity in your organization. Take a look at these striking statistics from Robert Half Press:
- 50% of employees plan to quit a new job due to being underwhelmed in onboarding
- 80% of employees who feel under trained in onboarding plan to quit
- 50% of employees in the US are currently planning on looking for another job
Clearly, schools must be intentional about how they onboard staff so that they will ultimately thrive – and stay!
So how can we can start creating a healthy culture of belonging for new staff on day one? Here are some tips:
Greet new staff by name as they arrive on their first day. (Have a photo cheat sheet if you need one!) Prepare a small token of appreciation (personalized if possible), such as a plant, a water bottle, or clothing with the school’s logo on it. This will help your new staff members feel immediately connected to their new school community.
While it’s tempting to dive straight into discussing roles and responsibilities, offer your new staff time to connect with each other. Always begin with a connection activity that allows the group to share their strengths and something they believe in.
Give new staff time to build relationships with each other and other staff members. Provide lunch so that new staff eat with a group of colleagues and offer a time for new staff to have a quick one-on-one check-in with their manager on their first day.
In her workshop titled Structures & Strategies for Onboarding New Staff So That They Thrive – and Stay! Tamara Sheesley Balis introduces tools that send belonging cues – including how to implement a thorough orientation program, ways to partner new staff with experienced colleagues, structures for ongoing mentoring for employees’ first years, and how to provide channels for listening and responding to feedback offered. School leaders will walk away with a successful framework for onboarding and supporting new staff.
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