Volume 9 • 2022 • Issue 3

Implement a buddy system. Pair a new employee with someone who has been with the company longer. This person can serve as a go-to for questions about the position, the company, and can simply be a familiar face in an unfamiliar crowd. Personalize it. The best onboarding programs aren’t cookie-cutter systems that are implemented identically for all new hires. Each new employee comes with his or her own histories, expectations, and needs, so the way they’re integrated into the company should incorporate that. Make it fun. Bringing new hires into the fold doesn’t need to look like dry presentations and longwinded briefs; all the information that’s normally presented in these ways can be creatively retooled into energetic games—think game-show formats, charades, and even video games. Extend it. Successful onboarding doesn’t end after week one. Make the process ongoing, with check-ins and activities that decrease in frequency but continue throughout the first year of the employee’s tenure. Make onboarding important—not an afterthought. Thinking of it as a main event is the first step in making it interesting. Onboarding need not be a chore or a hurdle, it can actually be a celebration—add cake and music and applause—after all, new talent means new energy, and that is certainly something to celebrate. 42 | 2022 | Issue 3 SupportingYour Practice SAVE THE DATE! June 15-17, 2023 Calgary Telus Convention Centre 120 - 9th Avenue SE, Calgary, AB Speaker Sessions - June 16 & 17 Three days of learning from industry leaders as well as clinical experts that will provide breakout sessions and inspiring keynotes. • Physical, Mental, and Financial Wellbeing • Practice Management • Clinical excellence Wellness Expo - June 16 & 17 Our traditional expo will be modified into a new interactive environment that fosters relationship building, interaction, and collaboration. Crown Gala - June 17 Join us for a cocktail reception, plated dinner, and a live and silent auction benefitting the Alberta Dental Foundation. A CDA and ADA&C Joint Convention