The views expressed by the business participants are their own.
Finding the perfect hire for a senior position can take months of searching and interviewing – but that’s part of the battle.
Without an effective onboarding strategy, you may end up repeating your search in 12-18 months. Whether you let them go because they failed to hit their goal or they leave out of frustration, the result is the same.
If that happens, you have not only wasted time and effort, but also lost a large part of your budget. Gallup research shows that it costs one or two times a worker’s salary to change — and CEO pay is huge.
Their departure also leaves a hole in your leadership structure that can impact team morale and productivity.
Therefore, recruiting and retaining top executives requires a flexible onboarding process that skillfully integrates them into their new roles and the company as a whole.
Related: How to Create a Strategic Recruitment Strategy
1. Start before their first day
Expecting new hires to “hit the ground running” doesn’t make a lot of sense. Why would you want them to run before they know where the goal line is? They may end up heading in the wrong direction.
It works best to give them a map of the area and let them get under it. Prepare all the information they will need and have it ready before they walk in the door for the first time: key stakeholder names, organizational charts, their department and team background, etc.
That doesn’t mean you have to drop everything on the new board at once. To avoid stressing them, gradually give them information in their first two or three weeks.
You can also start adding important tasks to their calendar before the first day. Meaningful discussion may include meetings with board members, senior teams, and subordinates. A group or individual lunch is a great way for them to get to know their direct reports and other members of the leadership team – and all the local lunch spots.
Related: How to Breathe New Life into Your Inbound Process
2. Set clear expectations from the start
When hiring a CEO, carefully evaluate their experience and determine which strategies align with your company’s culture. They may be eager to bring what they know to your table but politely decline in advance if they suggest an inappropriate approach.
Likewise, develop a 30, 60, or 90-day plan with the new executive to establish realistic goals and create a definition of success. This gives them a target to shoot for and allows you to determine where they may need more training.
Be careful not to make this program seem punitive. It is clear that the aim is for them to align with the long-term vision of the leadership team. They should understand that it is a way to ensure success, not to punish failure.
Related: 5 Ways to Keep Your Vision and Mission Strong as Your Team Grows
3. Fostering a supportive environment
Success thrives in supportive environments, but what does a “supportive environment” look like to a newly hired manager? There is no magic formula, but some factors can provide a mentor or coach, create opportunities for feedback and open communication, and organize regular synchronization with the leadership team.
Consultants fulfill a different role for senior hires than for entry-level employees. At the entry level, mentors help employers to familiarize themselves with the general business culture, learn new skills, teach them how to communicate, etc. Senior managers do not need that level of training but may appreciate help adapting to the company’s unique culture, ways of doing things, and processes.
Communication is the foundation of a supportive environment. It helps to build trust and harmony. Unfortunately, many businesses struggle to keep open lines of communication, especially at scale. They are turning to bots and software automation to help bridge the gap, but this can come across as inefficient and impersonal.
There is no substitute for regular meetings and informal gatherings to allow new managers to engage in direct discussions about roles, expectations, and team strengths. Maintaining continuous communication and constant synchronization with the leadership team is integral.
One-on-one meetings create opportunities for open discussions, allowing new managers to discuss their progress, challenges, and ideas. This check-in facilitates the flow of communication and strengthens team relations, and also provides opportunities for course correction, if needed.
4. Build a flexible runway
Boarding programs are not “one size fits all.” Everyone adapts at their own pace, and some need a smaller runway than others. Some settle into their new role in a few months, while others may take a year. Not that the latter is a mistake in the passage; there could be a number of reasons why it takes so long.
For example, when they move into this role, they are not only adapting to a new job and company culture. They are also adjusting to a new city, a new house, new schools for their children, new health care providers, etc. They consume a lot of their mental bandwidth and energy. Given time to work all that out, however, they may become the strongest leaders in the company.
As part of your onboarding process, make ongoing leadership development programs available. Even senior managers look for opportunities for personal and career growth within the company. On the other hand, they can draw from their own experience to add to your leadership training efforts.
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