In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, boards of directors are more than just stewards of governance—they are the strategic compass guiding an organization toward enduring success. As the challenges facing companies grow increasingly complex, from disruptive technological trends to shifting societal expectations, the board's role has never been more critical.
This series is designed to empower board members with the insights and tools necessary to navigate change with confidence. Our experts, each a leader in their respective fields, will share real-world examples, practical frameworks, and actionable advice in a Q&A format, and lessons learned from their personal and professional journeys.
Human Resources: Onboarding new hires and bridging generations
For the latest installment of our board leadership series, BerryDunn’s HR Generalist, Maddie Stevens, shares insights on onboarding, engaging, and fostering connections for new employees, as well as leveraging generational gaps in the workforce.
Q: What trends or challenges do you see impacting the future of your field, and how are you preparing to address them?
A: Managing information overload and ensuring that employees feel engaged are common challenges when working with new hires. To prevent information overload, we are constantly auditing our new hire process, reviewing the who, what, where, and why for every communication. It is important to be mindful of what needs to be communicated on day one versus what can wait until week two, week three, etc. This is why we strongly rely on an 8- to 12-week onboarding plan.
Q: How do you help new hires build relationships with their team members and other departments, as well as understand and integrate into company culture during the onboarding phase?
A: We start by creating opportunities for connections. During orientation, new hires have the opportunity to connect online with several different employees on the operations side of the firm, including HR, IT, Payroll, Accounting, and Well-being. We facilitate virtual social connections and networking events for employees to attend, which include workout classes, employee resource groups, book socials, a monthly new hire social, and a coffee break where we talk about what we are reading, watching, and listening to. These are available to all staff—regardless of whether they are in-house or remote.
Another method we use to help facilitate connections is by publishing a monthly new hire announcement, which incorporates photos, LinkedIn profiles, and biographical information to introduce each new hire. To integrate new employees into the BerryDunn culture, we pair each with an onboarding partner. The partner’s role is to make the new hire feel welcome, track their progress, and serve as an advocate and resource during the first eight weeks of employment.
Q: What metrics do you use to measure the success of an onboarding program, and how do you collect feedback from new hires?
A: Our team measures the success of our onboarding program with metrics from online surveys at the end of an employee’s first week. We also conduct 90-day, six-month, and one-year surveys. The surveys include questions related to engagement such as:
We also ask questions to help ensure employees feel informed, including:
We track response rates and share monthly results with the BerryDunn leadership team and those involved with the onboarding program. Having a team that is committed to the success of an onboarding program is essential.
Q: What role does efficiency and automation play in your onboarding process, and where do you believe it is most effective or inefficient?
A: Employees have the same efficient online onboarding process regardless of whether they start at an office or remotely. This includes our benefits enrollment, informational sessions, and compliance training. We're always looking for ways to be more efficient with tasks, as many of those related to onboarding are manual (i.e., sending the same email communication, creating calendar invites, preparing agendas). We currently use automation for launching surveys based on an employee’s start date and for sending an occasional mail merge when it comes to bigger orientation classes like intern orientation.
Q: How can organizations ensure that employees from different generations are equally comfortable with digital tools and platforms?
A: It's important to make sure there are digital resources available for any learning style. The first resource we provide for new employees is an IT session at the end of their first day. This provides the opportunity to have an expert available to help with any day-one struggles, as well as an overview of different software. We also have articles and videos in our online resource center and our technology training center that provide self-service materials for different platforms.
Q: How do you suggest companies customize their employee engagement strategies to meet the diverse needs of different generations and what advice would you give employers struggling to bridge generational gaps within their teams?
A: Companies can tailor their employee engagement strategies to meet the diverse needs of different generations by offering different opportunities to support various interests and to meet others. One recommendation for those who are struggling to bridge generational gaps within their teams is to focus on communication and collaboration. Encouraging both can help provide a sense of belonging and understanding. Another recommendation is to reach out to your HR team for ideas to help bridge generational gaps.
About Maddie
Maddie Stevens is an HR Generalist at BerryDunn, based in Maine. She is certified as both a SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and a Professional in Human Resources (PHR). Maddie’s interest in HR developed through an internship her senior year of college, ultimately inspiring her to pursue her MBA with a focus on HR. Studying for her SHRM-CP exam while in graduate school solidified her interest in the field and helped her gain confidence. Maddie believes professional growth comes from a willingness to explore new opportunities, seek out informal informational interviews, and job shadowing. She is motivated by fulfilling work, which is often when she can improve a process. Maddie appreciates receiving feedback and collaborating with others to figure out how to improve a process. She holds a bachelor's degree in marketing and tourism & hospitality from the University of Southern Maine and an MBA in Human Resource Management from Thomas College.
BerryDunn partners with organizations to create work environments where business success and personal growth coexist and where people are confident knowing their workplace positively contributes to their well-being. We take a comprehensive approach to our workforce and well-being work, considering how business needs, organizational capacity, and the employee experience work together to drive your business forward. Learn more about our workforce and well-being team and services.
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