Employee onboarding needs to be a fun day(s). Remember, new employees are going home and talking about the day (it should not be, I sat in a room for all day and watched presentations) - not good. This is how to do: - Induction by the Leadership Team - introduction - Plant tour with the business leaders or Value Stream leaders (I mean leaders who run the VSM!!) - Showcase the plant and get the shop floor members to give a quick update of the work centers - Classroom Training follows. Give ample breaks and have folks come in and engage. Make it interesting. Coffee, tea, and refreshments are a must. You don't want them to be running to Timmy's for a snack!!

When new hires join, they must learn fast, but without feeling overwhelmed. I ensure clear resource allocation using the Who, What, Why, When, and How approach, defining roles precisely. Training is phased—orientation, shadowing, then hands-on tasks under supervision. We run simulation-based mock drills for troubleshooting. A visual dashboard tracks KPIs, safety metrics, and progress. Digital checklists and buddy systems ensure structured learning, while feedback loops help fine-tune training, building competence, confidence, and safety awareness efficiently.

In my experience, I have seen a number of onboarding schemes. Currently, I have been using a 30-60-90 day plan that focuses on the 4 “P’s” of onboarding: Purpose, People, Product, Process. By staging out the process over 3 30-day stages, the onboarding can be metered to not be overwhelming. So in the first 30 days, new trainees review their job description, meet with peers and senior leadership, and read procedures. By the end of their 90 days, they know what the job is (in terms of responsibilities, major challenges, and objectives), have established a cross-functional network, know the product enough to be effective, and can execute necessary processes well enough to be effective.

Onboarding and mentoring are the most important factors. Also, one must research and must see that the core values of the company match with the values of the individual joining the company. The roles and responsibilities must be clearly spelled out and ensured are well understood. The individual KRAs have to be developed for the organisation's goal not local ones. One could be an excellent instrumentalist and has to understand when to play in the orchestra.

Assign a mentor to guide new hires based on a pre-assessment. Start with basics like process descriptions, then gradually introduce more details. Avoid overloading them—step-by-step exposure works best. Regular feedback and a structured approach ensure quick and effective learning.