3 Quick Tips for On-boarding Employees at IT MSPS

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average cost of hiring and onboarding a new employee is about 30% of the individual’s annual earnings.So, the onboarding process is definitely worth the time it takes to develop a great new hire, ensure they like the job, and stay with the company for years to come.

Tipsfrom our MSP-Ignite Service Manager Peer Group

Recently in theMSP-Ignite Service Manager Peer Groupmeetings, we wrestled with thisverysubject.Here are some tips wecame up withto guide you:

Beforethe Technician’sFirstDay:

• Obtain a new hire checklist (created by HR) 

• Clean up the new hire’s cube (by the manager)

• Modify cube if needed (by facilities) 

• Stock cube withoffice supplies(byamanager)

• Setup technology(by Internal Net Admins)

• Provide company swag (by Marketing) 

First Day on the Job:

• ProcessHR paperwork

• Giveatour of the building

• Meet fellow employees

• Lunch with the manager and the team

• Complete technology setup

• Introduce core application

First week on theJob:

• Mentor assigned to the new hire (not the Manager) 

• New hire meets with key personnel in half day meetings (30-minute meetings) 

• Key personnel provide overviews of what they do and how they fit into the operational flow of the company

• New hire listens and asks questions so that he/she has a full understanding of who this person is and why they are a key person in the company

(The value is in the key personnel getting to know the new hire, and for the new hire to learn how to navigate the organizationsuccessfully.)

(My personal preferences are a top-down approach to meeting Key Personnel, starting with the ultimate decision maker.)

• Half-day shadowing (opposite the key personnel meetings) 

• Shadow mentor (but of course)

• Shadow other team members

• Shadowother skill sets and other responsibilities from what they are expected to perform initially

• Shadow at least one cross-functional sales/technician

• End each day or every other day with a meeting with the manager 

Second Week on theJob:

• Half-day meetings with key personnel, if needed 

• Half days working inanew position

• Mentor shadowing (but of Course)

• Other team members shadowing 

• A half-day shadow of askill-setstretch goal for the new hire 

• Weekends with new hire and manager mapping out a skill training plan for the new hire over the next 6 months 

IT Service Managers,Hereare Your 3Tipsto Full Assimilation

1. Listen to the New Hire’s ideas: The new hire is the smartest person in the company; the rest of the employees have already been fully assimilated and are now part of thegroupthink.

2. Assign work to the New Hirerequiring the skills he/she offers so that the new hire feels valued and respected for contributions to the organization.

3. Schedule a significant amount of time for shadows and introductionsto customers and their networks: this should taper off towards the end of the 6-month training period. You should expect some shadowing to continue during the tenure of the employee as the company grows the employee’s career.