Is Your Onboarding Program Setting Your Team Up for Success?

Research by the Brandon Hall Group found that organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. While creating a strategic employee onboarding process continues to be a key focus for many organizations, many miss the mark when it comes to building an effective new-hire program. In fact, a report from Gallup uncovered that 88% of organizations ‍don't onboard well at all! 

What successful organizations have come to know and reinforce is that a successful onboarding program is ongoing, with an emphasis on fostering relationships and creating connectivity and much more than paperwork. In this episode of “Bring Out The Talent,” we are joined by Zakiya Khalfani. Zakiya is a Facilitator, Trainer, and Senior TTA Consultant with over 32 years of experience. She is passionate about helping organizations create onboarding programs that help increase success and retention.

Tune in as we learn how to onboard for long-term success!

Transcript

Zakiya Khalfani (00:00):

So we need to move away from these very generic descriptions. Our recruitment efforts, again, should be for the what. What do we need? What are we looking for? And being very specific and current.

Jocelyn Allen (00:13):

That's the voice of Zakia Khalfani of Khalfani Consulting and one of TTAs top consultants who joins us as a guest on this episode of Bring Out the Talent.

Speaker 2 (00:21):

Bring out the talent.

Speaker 3 (00:24):

Bring out the talent.

Speaker 4 (00:24):

Bring out the talent.

Speaker 5 (00:28):

Welcome to Bring out the Talent, a podcast featuring learning and development experts discussing innovative approaches and industry insights. Tune in to hear from our talent, and help develop yours. Now here are your hosts, TTA's CEO and President Maria Melfa and talent manager Jocelyn Allen.

Maria Melfa (00:46):

and Jocelyn, I loved the beauty tips that you were just sharing. We will not share with the audience, but you have creative tips.

Jocelyn Allen (00:54):

We have to let people discover them for themselves. But yes, I am always excited when I can bring my two worlds into one. As you know, I was in the beauty industry for years, and what is a beauty secret if you're not sharing it with your learning and development crowd, right? It all ties together.

Maria Melfa (01:10):

Absolutely. So we have to have a way to try to combine those topics in today's podcast, but let's begin. I'm very excited today. So research by the Brandon Hall Group found that organizations with a strong onboarding process improve new higher retention by 82%, and productivity by over 70%. While creating a strategic employee onboarding process continues to be a key focus for many organizations, many missed the mark when it comes to building an effective new hire program.

(01:45):

In fact, a report from Gallup uncovered that 88% of organizations don't onboard well at all. Another study found that 58% of organizations say their onboarding program is focused on process and paperwork. And we've all heard that statement, orientation is not onboarding.

(02:06):

So what do successful organizations do to help reinforce and create good onboarding programs that have a sustainable emphasis on fostering relationships and creating connectivity and much more than just paperwork? To help us learn more about onboarding for long-term success, we are joined by one of our top beloved learning consultants, Zakia Khalfani. Zakia is a skilled and dedicated consultant, facilitator, and trainer with over 32 years of experience. Matter of fact, I think it's 32 years, four months, seven days, and 16 hours, and 24 minutes. She is certified in the leadership challenge in the heart of coaching. Welcome, Zika.

Zakiya Khalfani (03:01):

Thank you so much. It is such a pleasure to be here with you today.

Jocelyn Allen (03:06):

I don't know that I've been more excited about an episode because Zakia, I adore you. Everything that you stand for, the quality that you bring to your clients, and to TTA for all the training that you provide. And I know that there are so many things that you're passionate about and onboarding success is one of them. So we are thrilled that you decided to bring it up a notch with TTA and have this conversation with us. So thank you again, one more time for being here.

Zakiya Khalfani (03:33):

My pleasure. And you're right, I am very passionate about many things. Onboarding is critical, and I think it's really topical and timely that we're discussing it today.

Jocelyn Allen (03:44):

Absolutely, agreed. I mean, we'll say it again. You're a woman of many talents, and I think our listeners will actually find your backstory really intriguing. We talk about it all the time, even when it comes up in, oh, we need somebody with this particular background. I know that's going to be hard to find. I'm like, is it though? Because I know Zakia. And so you began your career as a supervising parole agent and later a deputy regional administrator with the California Department of Corrections, like the coolest thing ever. And I'm sure you learned a ton that led you into the training consultant role that you play now. So can you talk about the journey from parole agent to L&D change agent?

Zakiya Khalfani (04:25):

Oh, certainly. And it is interesting, and I don't think many people come from a corrections background, but I actually started in the department as a guard. So that ugly green uniform, those big scary keys, and criminals. One of the things you learn in that environment is you become skilled at communicating, right? There's a wide variety, diverse variety of people in that environment, and so, we must learn to use our words appropriately. It's a correctional setting. So inherently you already think that's a negative environment and it's not necessarily the case. But again, the importance of your communication style is important.

(05:02):

When I was promoted to parole agent is when I was touched to be a departmental trainer. My first experience training a group of people who didn't want to be trained, most of the training that we have in that environment is mandated, right? Bloodborne pathogens, are not exciting and not sexy, and people have to have the training every year and they don't want to. So I really feel that cutting my training teat on that type of a crowd where the topic is just so bland, but we still want to make that time interesting, allowed me to really focus on how I can engage with the people who are in the room. And so, I'm very appreciative now.

(05:45):

Fast forward 30 years later and I'm doing professional development training, but I still go back to if I've got a crowd that doesn't want to be there, I can change that. Right? So I appreciate the beginnings, but you ask, how do I go from being on the journey from parole agent to the development change? I have that personality, and I think many people do. When you work, you can see what works systemically, and process-wise, in a work environment. You can see it. This is work, this is what do, and we've always done it. I have that other eye that says, why can't we do it better? Or why can't we try to do it another way? So really my passion for facilitating is that I do believe we learn something when we can own information, and sharing it is the best way to allow other people to grow.

(06:36):

So I look at training and development and facilitation as a way that I'm able to share my lived experiences, right, with other people, and never am I walking into a room saying I'm an expert. I just know what I know because I've had tons of experience. Right? I've had tons of training with the department. I was trained as a level-one hostage negotiator. And again, what does that do? That's communication, that's engaging, that's reading the room, right? So I like to take all my experiences and share them, particularly with employees who are not sure where their career's going. Not sure if they're really in the right place, and to help guide and direct and provide information and encouragement to that group of people, but also supervisors and managers, because oftentimes we're promoted and we should not be promoted. We're promoted because we've got enough time, and we meet the specs, right? But we may not have that internal drive that one needs. And why am I saying all that? It goes back to recruiting and onboarding, and knowing people, right? Not just placing people in positions because again, oh, I meet the specs so I can be director of accounting. Well, I can balance my checkbook, right? I don't know if I can balance the state's checkbook, right? There are different skill sets.

(08:05):

So again, what I love and what was fostered from corrections is combining the two, my love of how can we do things better by understanding what's mandated, right, and what we have to do. And that happens too in organizations, you have policies and procedures, right? You have rules and regulations, but you also have interpretation and application of those rules and regulations. And I think that kind of ties that bow to having those connective or connected relationships with the people that you're working with.

Maria Melfa (08:39):

The hostage negotiator.

Zakiya Khalfani (08:41):

I know, I went there-

Maria Melfa (08:41):

That's pretty cool. You're going to tell us about that.

Zakiya Khalfani (08:45):

That was the coolest thing. This was very early in my career. I think I'd only been with the department maybe four years, and this was a hundred years ago, right, I started in 1988. So there was fear of terrorism, and what's going to happen, and how do we respond, and we're in a prison, and what if it's internal? So they decided to contract with the FBI. And so they trained some people, right, because we have tons of facilities in the State of California. And I was just selected, and I really do believe one of the reasons is because I speak well, and that's not a hoity thing, but I have the ability to speak to the people within the confines of a correctional setting with respect. Right?

(09:28):

It's not always about titles and roles if we get, again, to that connected part. And so, I had the reputation that I had a good relationship with those inmates, and that I could communicate effectively. So they thought if we start with someone who already has a history of positive engagement, that may go a long way. We have a hostage negotiation situation, right, but it was pretty intense training, and eye-opening. It's about situations, it's about listening to what the person is saying.

(10:01):

So when we think of conversations, right, conversations should be what? A dialogue, right, not a monologue. But we often have conversations where we're just hearing, not where we're listening. And there's a huge difference. And so, the hostage negotiation really had us focus on listening. Listening to what the person's saying, the actual word choice, the tone, right? The intonation. But you also listen for what's not being said, and that's difficult to do if we're not fully engaged in the conversation.

Maria Melfa (10:31):

That is very cool, Zika. And I could definitely see, I mean, you definitely can't be a good negotiator, especially in those circumstances, unless you're a good communicator. So I could definitely see the transference of skills.

(10:47):

So regarding onboarding, can you provide some tips for our listeners about what are some of the things that are very important to identify or to work on from all the way from the beginning from the recruiters, to the hiring managers, to the department managers? How can each contribute to a successful employee's development experience?

Zakiya Khalfani (11:12):

I think this is a great question, and I'm looking at it in three parts. Recruiting, hiring, and department managing. So I'm going to talk about connectedness, having that connection. Recruiters, I think should recruit for the what. What is the position? What does the organization need? If at the recruitment level we're focused on the who, I think we're missing the point. Have you ever had an experience where you apply for a job, it has a duty description, but you get there and that's not it? Or oh yeah, we don't do that anymore. Right? So we need to start with recruitment to know who it is, excuse me, what it is, what job, and what task, we want the successful person to be able to complete. So recruiters first should focus on the what, and that means we want to tie the recruiting effort with the organizational core values and culture. So if someone is hiring or recruiting for a job, and I see the notice, I should get a feel of what that organizational culture is and what the values are. I shouldn't have to guess. It should be communicated.

(12:25):

Two reasons, we shouldn't have to repeat ourselves throughout the whole process. So if our recruiting documents are accurate, full, and rich in information, then it's either going to draw me in, because yeah, that's the place I'm looking for. Or I'm going to say, oh, you know what? That's not my vibe. I think I'll pass. And that's not a negative pass, that's a pass where I'm not going to waste your time and mine. So we need to move away from these very generic descriptions. Our recruitment efforts, again, should be for the what. What do we need? What are we looking for? And being very specific and current.

(13:02):

You need a receptionist. Well, a receptionist 10 years ago was completely different than a receptionist today. So take a look at what we need our receptionist to do, right? That's focusing on the organizational structure. But when we have that detailed information upfront, right, the task, in alignment with the culture, you have a better chance to be more successful because the right people are going to apply. And the right people, meaning people who want to be in that environment and have the skill set to be successful. So again, focus on the what for recruitment.

(13:39):

Now, when we hire, we want to focus on the what and the who. We want to make sure they can do the job, and that means, not that they did it five years ago or 20 years ago, that they can do the job that you're asking them to do today. So when we think of hiring for what and the who, we really need to focus on our questioning and our interviewing process. And I know things are so different now, right? I haven't interviewed for a job in a while, but I'm hearing some of it's just online. Some of it's just via email. I mean, I say, and I'm not going to attack anyone's organizational structure, but when we're thinking of recruitment and hiring people, we need to have engaging opportunities.

(14:25):

Now, I think you can still be engaging via Zoom. I'm not seeing it via email, answer these questions. That doesn't give me, to me, that doesn't give me you, right? The who. So when we're hiring, we want to make sure that we have appropriate questions. And yes, if it's a receptionist, you can ask what telephone systems are you familiar with. What computer programs? That part is just fundamental and basic, but it needs to be the who. So what is it about being a receptionist that you like, that excites you, that challenges you, that motivates you? We need to get to the who. Right?

(15:03):

Often you'll say, well, what will you do if you answer the phone and a customer's unhappy? That's a basic question, right? How is that going to make you feel if you work in an environment where 10, 15, or 20% of your calls may be from unhappy clients? Right? So that's the who. We should already have established that they can meet the minimum requirements. So when we get to that interview, it should be about what are you going to do and how would you handle this. Right? But it's important. Especially when we think about the receptionist and customer service. That's usually the first face or the first voice that someone hears. I want to know where your strong suits are and where maybe you need additional help. So again, hiring is for the what and the who.

(15:53):

Now, people say supervising is for the what, right? Supervisors make sure the work gets done. And managing is for the who. But I'm going to say when we think about relationships with our staff, supervisors, and managers, I know they have different roles, but they both need to know the who. But again, so we start with recruiting, clearly, and directly, including what you want, what task you want to be completed, and the culture. I'm hiring in that process of having a conversation, and I'm going to say this, we need to talk to people. We actually need to say, why are you interested in this? How is this going to benefit you and enrich your life? What other things in this department, what other area would you be interested in? We need to have that full conversation when we hire. Do you know why? We have recruitment, right? We have an interview when you were hired, and they've already started a file on you. If I've had three or four conversations already before you're even hired, knowing that you want to be a receptionist, but you would love to be a data entry person, then we can already have those conversations and thoughts in our minds throughout, because we don't hire for just today, right? We want to retain our employees.

(17:08):

What's the best way to retain an employee, to speak to them, to know them, to support and encourage them, but also to let them know that we're listening? I know we had the first interview you said, do you want to do blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, become a data entry specialist? Here's some training, would you like to attend? Is this a good time for you? So that employee says, wow, they did listen, right? They did hear, and they did remember.

(17:34):

It is useless, I think to put that effort and money and time into recruitment and hiring, and then there's just this disconnect, right? Oh, there's your job, there's your seat, that's the refrigerator, there's a restroom. Bye. That's not going to make that a positive, enriching, and supportive environment, or as positive and enriching. So it really goes back to connection, and I think you would agree, we stay longer when we're connected.

Jocelyn Allen (18:03):

Right? I love that you said that because the whole time you're talking, I'm nodding my head, and I'm like, yep, I would react better to that. Yep, I would react to that. Yep, I agree. Because we've actually had this conversation very recently, Maria, about the culture piece of onboarding and the experience for employees, new hires, candidates, what have you. Because the biggest thing that people end up valuing is that the culture is the right fit for the balance overall. The harmony between the lives that they lead, both personally and professionally. So I agree with you, the more that you can do to convey what that is in the beginning will help you to better identify to the person what they need to bring to the table in order to prove that and make that match.

(18:53):

I did it when I applied to TTA, I'm not going to lie. The thing that grabbed me was how descriptive it was against the culture and the job posting. I was searching, I was looking, you don't put your eggs in one basket when you're doing that. Nobody does. So of course you're putting your resume out to other places. And I held out for, I think it was just an extra three days just to be like, maybe they'll come back. And when they did, I was like, this is where I want to be. I knew from the moment that I saw this description that I wanted to take the skills that I had and make them applicable to the role that you had in place because this is a place that I can get down with. And three and a half, not three and a half, who am I? Almost three years later, I still got them fooled.

Maria Melfa (19:40):

Yeah, right? And you forgot to mention, we hired you in five minutes.

Jocelyn Allen (19:44):

Yeah, well, I know, you love to throw that out there. Maria did. She no joke. We had a conversation, a good, fun conversation for 10 minutes. She goes, I'll be right back. And then she walks out and she comes back in and she goes, so we'll have an offer for you tomorrow. This was really great. It was nice to meet you. We love you. Thank you very much. All this, it was just instantly, she walked away, took a breather, and was like, we want you. And I was like, yes.

Zakiya Khalfani (20:09):

But that's a great story because if you've done this for any bit of time, you know in the midst of the conversation, because we're having these conversations, right? You know, oh, that's a good fit. Maybe not. I mean, you know. And it's not even being judgmental or anything, you're just connected. So I know. I've interviewed people where I thought they would not work for the position I'm interviewing right now, but they would be great for this other thing. And so, I would have that conversation. But those are those real conversations, right, that are meaningful on both sides. I've interviewed and I wasn't successful, or for some positions, and I'm okay with that, right? Because I don't think you're going to always get everything you want, but I also think you get what you're supposed to have.

Jocelyn Allen (20:58):

Yes.

Zakiya Khalfani (20:59):

Right? I think there's a belief to that. So it's helpful, again, to have that engagement and then you're not wasting anybody's time.

Jocelyn Allen (21:06):

So where do you think, because we've talked a lot about the process and recruiting being a huge part, conveying the message is a huge part, which has a couple of departments interacting with each other to get the message displayed correctly. So where do you think most companies fail the most when it comes to onboarding? Is it the delivery of that message or is there a bigger piece at hand here?

Zakiya Khalfani (21:30):

I think that's two part. One, I don't think every organization provides a message. I don't think they think about the culture. I think they're, well, it appears that they're operating off of a checklist. Okay, we put it in the newspaper, we put it on social media. Blah, blah, blah. Okay, check. We need 15 people. We've got 15. Okay, check. It's just check, check, check is not about anything else other than the process. And I own the process, right? Things are legal. We have to do things procedurally. That's cool, but many organizations don't even think about engagement at all. So where do they fail? They don't see it as an opportunity to get to know people. They just see it as a requirement to check off the box list.

(22:15):

And I'm just going to suggest to you, anytime we are engaged with an employee or potential employee, we need to be engaging. And I know people say, well, we're so busy, we don't have time. Well then, you shouldn't be a company> if you don't have time to talk to your people, you shouldn't have a company where people come to work, because the conversations don't have to be so lengthy that you can get your work done, because you want them meaningful.

(22:40):

Orientation, you mentioned that Maria, orientation is not onboarding and many people just inextricably link those two. They are two separate things, and I think this is the biggest issue is that people are lumping everything in together. Onboarding, hey, this is where you work. This is what we do. This is where we are. Here are the people that you're going to need to speak to. Onboarding, so that the person feels comfortable, and they know where the building. You ever go to work and you don't even know what building you're in, right? Or where you're supposed to report, or where you get the keys or the id? All of those things are procedural, which should occur in orientation, right? Should be reminded again in the onboarding.

(23:24):

Orientation I think should happen first if it's truly about your benefits and things of that nature, right? Because everybody wants to get paid. We want to make sure we select the right boxes, et cetera. I get that. That's not onboarding. Onboarding is, thank you for coming in. I'm Susan, I'm going to be with you for the first two weeks, and here's what we're going to do, right? When I promoted and went to another facility, I was thrown away. The manager there who was the warden had an entire memo outlining what I was to do for seven days. Welcome, we're so happy to see you. Your office is here, your keys are here, your badge is ready. At 10:00 AM you're going to meet with so and so from education. At 11:30, you're going to meet with so and so from security, then you're going to have lunch. And so I met with every single head of every department that I would come into. And then after that, those that I wouldn't work with, but still to have that introduction. But that felt like onboarding. I was never going to sit at my desk, not know what to do, not have my password to get into the computer. That's onboarding.

(24:36):

How do we make the transition for the employee successful? So again, orientation is that business processing that should be done so that they can focus when we get to onboarding on what we expect of them and to make it easier. So again, should not be lumped together, and it should be clearly designed to assist that new employee with a proper transition, introductions to the people that they need to know, et cetera.

Jocelyn Allen (25:07):

Right on. So Zakia, I know when we had the original conversation with you about discussing this topic on our podcast, you shared a not so successful onboarding story, and a successful onboarding story. Would you like to share those examples?

Zakiya Khalfani (25:27):

Oh, certainly. I won't mention the companies, but a very prominent company spent a great deal of time, money, planning on their onboarding program. And you could see that, and it felt good. It felt like they were in tune. The only issue for me was there was one video for everyone explaining what the company does. Well, you have engineers, receptionists, HR, legal. So HR and legal and the receptionist probably didn't care about the drill down on the engineering side, but they had to sit through it, right? And so, you could say, well we often to sit through it so they understand what we do. Yeah., but there could be levels of that. So I have a room of 80 people, how do you not have those people tune out when you're actually talking about parts, right? Dielectrical this, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I mean-

Jocelyn Allen (26:24):

It sounds very exciting.

Maria Melfa (26:26):

And don't I love that when you're talking about parts, right?

Zakiya Khalfani (26:31):

And I barely understood how the parts were related, but I know it was important for the engineers. So in that case, the engineers could have met afterwards, right?

(26:42):

But during this program, so everyone's there, they're able to ask questions. Couple of issues with that is HR came in and personnel came in and gave great presentations. But do you think 80 people want to talk about their 401K and their benefits in front of a group of people that they don't know? So it was nice that they thought about all of departments that someone would need to be engaged with as a new hire, but not in that format. Because then HR would say, oh, well that's different. Or your case is a little special, so we'll have to have another call, and we've got 80 people in the room. So then either you don't want to ask the question, because you don't want your business out there, right? Or you don't want to be told you're not going to get the answer.

(27:25):

Now, a beautiful piece to this was at the end of the orientation, IT came in and gave everyone their ID, and their computer, their passwords, made sure they understood the server and all that. And I thought that was wonderful. So when they walked away, they could actually go to their desk and sign on. But the idea of lumping everything for everybody in one sitting, I felt was just a little discombobulating. Again, because if you have to focus your orientation, excuse me, you're onboarding like that, it would be better to have an onboarding just for engineers, and an onboarding just for HR, or support staff, so that you would not bore one or the other to death with things that didn't matter.

(28:16):

So structure, process, the thinking should be, what can I do? What can I provide to make that transition more effective for the new employee, less disruptive to those who are already there, right? How can we make that sink? The greatest onboarding I felt was the example that I gave you when I had a letter that told me what I was going to do for the next seven days. Now, I promoted within the same department, so I didn't have to deal with the personnel issues and all that. But for someone to sit down and craft what I'm going to do for seven days, made me feel that welcomed, appreciated, right? That my time is already considered valuable and that they're going to lay this plan out for me so that I get all the exposure that I need. And at the end of the memo it was any questions, any concerns, any comments, call me directly. So I appreciated that.

(29:12):

So looking at that, providing everything you can imagine your employee's going to need, think of every question they may ask, and already have those answers, right? Nine times out of 10, new employees have the same questions, and forward that employee that may have something specific, you still have a process for them to get the question answered. I just don't think personnel and HR questions should be addressed in a large group setting with people that you just met two seconds ago, because you all just got hired on the same day. I think there's a potential for a disconnect there.

Maria Melfa (29:48):

I would agree with you. It's because it's about interpretation at that point, about how it relates to the actual individual. So a group setting doesn't necessarily make sense. In certain training scenarios it doesn't either. And I know onboarding is a version of training, but I'm speaking to your consulting aspect, what you do with TTA, that there are some settings and some topics where you're like, let me talk one-on-one, do the temperature check, deliver based on meeting people where they're at. It's a very valuable way of approaching people and making sure that you dial into what the specific need is, which is exactly what you're talking about here.

Zakiya Khalfani (30:25):

Yes, exactly.

Maria Melfa (30:26):

Yep. I love that. Can you give us a few examples of maybe what this actually looks like other than the one that you experience? What are a few ways that you can onboard new hires to help them acclimate, excuse me, to that new environment and culture, and get them in a position to provide value quickly? Because I'm sure that's what they want as well. So how do organizations catapult that?

Zakiya Khalfani (30:51):

So here is my first tip. When the new hire reports to work, someone should be assigned to meet them. That's very basic, I know. Very basic, but it is so disconcerting, again, to be new, to come in, and you go to the reception and hey, I'm Zakia, and today's my first day and I've been hired a receptionist. Oh, who, where when, what? Oh, they didn't tell me. Can you just sit there? Let me find out. I don't know, her name's Zakia. She says she was hired. Right? That's just not a great introduction.

Maria Melfa (31:23):

It's horrible.

Zakiya Khalfani (31:24):

Right? So you may not have the luxury of staff that you can assign someone to be with them eight hours a day. That's fine. But when they walk through the door, someone should be there. And hi, I'm Zakia, I'm going to be your contact person. I'm going to spend a couple hours with you today, but if you need something, here's my cell, you call me, blah, blah, blah. Someone physically that they can touch.

(31:45):

Now, I prefer when I was a supervisor and a manager, and even an executive, I met my new hires. I met them, regardless of what level. If you're working for me, I'm going to meet you on your first day. And so that means I'm not going to schedule your first day on my vacation. Oh, if I can change my vacation. But if we're talking about that connectivity all the way, that begins from recruitment, it needs to go all the way through. Do not have someone show up, and there's no one to greet them. At least they are minimum, escort them to where they're to work. But you don't want to leave someone alone the first hour or two, right?

(32:23):

So if we were looking at an onboarding training session, or an onboarding course, everything should be there already. The computer, the password, right? The wifi connectivity, the hotspots, the cell phones, whatever equipment you need should already be there and be identified. Why would you get everybody together and you don't, right? It's great again to have HR and personnel and other departments there, security, legal, whatever, but also let them know where those offices are. There should be information on the website. And most companies, most organizations have a website, take them to it and help them navigate it. Let's like open up a website and you're trying to figure out, well, where am I going to click, right? So onboarding means I'm giving you all the tools on day one.

(33:16):

Now I will continue to supply tools, but on day one, you're going to have everything you need so that you can get started. It's helpful. We talked about orientation a little bit. We're looking at onboarding. Generally, every department organization has a policies and procedures manual. I want my employees to know the policies and procedures manual. Not on day one, but to get familiar with it. And I will pull out, highlight those policies and procedures that are specific to my unit, right? And I'm going to say, I don't expect you to memorize this verbatim, but I want you to get familiar. These are the rules that guide us, right? Become familiar. We'll talk about this on a regular basis, but set those parameters. You got to plan the day. You've got to plan the week.

(34:07):

And so, I think that's critical. Again, not a checkbox. Someone needs to be there, be engaged. That's one piece. And that's a huge piece of engagement, but also processing an organization. I've come to companies that they didn't have an office, well, I don't know where you're going to be yet. No one decided, no one has a chair, right?

Maria Melfa (34:29):

No one has a chair. Fresh out of those. Sorry.

Zakiya Khalfani (34:31):

Right. So you want me to just walk down and pick an office, put a post it on the door? There needs to be that welcoming piece that says, we recruited you, we interviewed, we hired you. We're excited that you're here, and this is what we have.

Jocelyn Allen (34:45):

And we mean it. Yeah.

Zakiya Khalfani (34:46):

And we mean it. Now of course there's glitches, right? We have ordered a computer, it's not here. Won't be here until Tuesday, but I still know you ordered it, right? So show me, not just tell me, because our actions need to be aligned with our words. Show me that I'm important to you, right? Show me that I'm not just a number. And if we focus on onboarding goals on that, connectivity, engagement, I care about you. I know about you, I'm providing for you. I think that's a great way to start. So then when we have those glitches, we can say, oh wow, that's too bad. But you know what? They've been tight on everything else. As opposed to nothing works, and you're thinking, God, did I come to the wrong place? Right? Is it always going to be like that?

(35:30):

So they say your first impression is one that you can't escape. Make a great first impression. Make sure that all of your actions are in align with what you said your organizational culture goals and values are. That should all be synonymous through. There should not be any, oops. Right? And I think that will lead to that longevity and that retention of all your employees.

Maria Melfa (35:57):

So yes, very good examples. And it really is such an important process for us to all make sure that we are doing it well, to keep our people engaged. I love reading articles about onboarding, and white papers. I know BambooHR, who we use, had an excellent article about onboarding. And when I read that, it was probably about a year ago, I actually, I forwarded it around to a bunch of the managers. I'm like, wow, there are so many good tips here that we could really learn. And there was definitely things that we were doing well, but certainly always can improve, right?

Zakiya Khalfani (36:40):

Yes. Yeah.

Maria Melfa (36:40):

So a lot of the stuff we're talking about is making people feel connected, and that we want them to be here. How do you do that now in the new hybrid world? Are there some tips that you can give us?

Zakiya Khalfani (36:55):

I think the hybrid or remote employee requires more than Zoom. I think we need to get on the phone and have conversations. I just think there's a connectedness that you can receive. If you can't be face-to-face, which would you be optimum, but if you can't that we don't just rely on Zoom or Teams, but that we call and that we have conversations. So I would actually probably have more engagement with my hybrid and remote employees in the beginning than I would someone that I see. But I'm going to check in. Whatever check in, however comfortable they are, and I would say, we're not together, but I want to make sure that you can feel my presence and know that I'm supporting you. So would you be offended if I called, if we actually talked two days a week, right? And I'm calling you not to check in or check up, but to engage with you, right? There's a difference. But I would say I want to establish a relationship. What are you comfortable with? As an executive though, I would go and meet them for coffee or meet them for lunch, unless they're in another country, I'm going to figure out a way to actually see you, but I'm going to, me, anyone should ask the employee what's their comfort level.

(38:14):

You may hire a seasoned employee who knows how to do everything and that's great, but the engagement isn't just about the what remember. The engagement's about the who. So that means I need to have a conversation. You may have a personality where you think I'm micromanaging, and I'm not. So we'd have to have a really good, honest conversation. And I'm going to say, here is how I display caring, and concern, and support. I like to talk. I like to have conversations. Are you opposed to that? Do you only want Zoom? This is really where I think we have to heighten our connectivity. And I know you're saying, well, how can you heighten it, if we don't see each other? By conversations. But I don't want you to ever feel like you're alone. So tell me what it is I need to do to allow you to feel connected to me. And perhaps is, even though my door is always opened physically where I work, you can always call me. I worked with a company that was overseas, so the time difference was crazy. But I said, call me anytime, it may take a minute to wake up, but I will answer your call and we can have a conversation.

(39:20):

So it's just about finding that comfortable spot for your employee that will allow them to feel your presence in the most positive way possible.

Jocelyn Allen (39:32):

So, Zakia, as we mentioned, this is all incredible information. I love that you started with how to make certain skills applicable to certain areas, and making engagement and connectedness a part of your process and just taking whatever makes sense in certain areas and bringing it together so that from the jump, everybody's a part of the team.

(39:55):

So in the last few minutes that we have, what advice can you give to our listeners who want to make this a priority, who want to take connectedness, this idea of connectedness, and integrate it into their onboarding programs. But perhaps the pushback is timeliness. What is a first step somebody can take if the first thing they're thinking is, oh, doesn't that take a while? To prove that the investment is worth it.

Zakiya Khalfani (40:27):

I think that's an excellent question. We often have in our minds that it takes too much time, and I'm going to suggest to you that it doesn't. It takes less time for me to be engaging upfront with you, supportive, having those conversations, because everything else, the recruitment, the interview, the hiring, all that's going to go smoother, because we've had this conversation. So if I say, oh, I don't have time. I'm just going to look at these five resumes, or we're just going to interview these six people, you're already short changing yourself and everyone else in the process.

(40:58):

So again, if you were in the process of hiring, you have the time, you must take the time. This is not where we shortcut. The onboarding, because this is generally the first real impression and introduction that the employee has to the organization. So if I had a boss that says, yeah, we got to do this in seven days, I'm going to get creative with my seven day allotment, but I'm not going to shortchange the engagement. If you do, you're short changing both yourself and the employee, and you may have employee turnover, and you know we spend about four to $5,000 just hiring someone. And that may not sound like a lot of money, but if you multiply that, that could be really expensive, whereas if we just process, so again, let's say I've got seven days, I'm going to figure out when I'm going to interview, when I'm going to talk, what I'm going to do. I'm going to include that. Engagement is on the agenda, right? However creatively I have to put it, but if we fail to engage with the potential employees and the new hires, then we're setting ourselves up and then for failure in my opinion.

(42:14):

So you have enough time, you just have to get creative with the time that you have.

Maria Melfa (42:19):

Excellent, excellent information, Zakia. All right on.

Zakiya Khalfani (42:24):

Thank you.

Maria Melfa (42:24):

Well, I think we're ready to get a little bit more excellent information from you, Zakia.

Zakiya Khalfani (42:30):

Okay.

Maria Melfa (42:31):

In the form of our favorite part of the show, the TTA 10.

David (42:38):

It's the TTA 10. 10 final questions for our guest.

Jocelyn Allen (42:45):

All right, so I have a list of 10 fun questions that I'm going to ask you as discussed the TTA 10 is a 90 second clock that hangs out over at friend David's studio, and he sets the timer, I ask the questions. The goal is to answer them as quickly as possible, and come in under the 90 seconds. And if you do, you are celebrated as a champion. If you do not, you are celebrated as a non-champion.

Zakiya Khalfani (43:11):

Okay.

Jocelyn Allen (43:12):

So, we'll see how the cards lay out for you today, but are you ready?

Zakiya Khalfani (43:18):

Yes, I am.

Jocelyn Allen (43:19):

All right, David, are you?

David (43:21):

Yes, Jocelyn. 90 seconds on the TTA 10 clock beginning now.

Jocelyn Allen (43:27):

All right, Zakia, what is your favorite song to put you in a good mood?

Zakiya Khalfani (43:32):

Luther Vandross. Oh, crap.

Jocelyn Allen (43:39):

I didn't know that was one of his.

Zakiya Khalfani (43:40):

Dance with my father.

Jocelyn Allen (43:42):

What is your favorite way to spend your free time?

Zakiya Khalfani (43:46):

Gambling.

Jocelyn Allen (43:48):

Girl. What was the last movie you watched?

Zakiya Khalfani (43:52):

I haven't seen a movie in years. I haven't been to the movies in years.

Maria Melfa (44:03):

Can we pass? Pass.

Zakiya Khalfani (44:04):

I'm sorry, yeah.

Jocelyn Allen (44:05):

It's okay. Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

Zakiya Khalfani (44:09):

It was Luther Vandross.

Jocelyn Allen (44:12):

You're on a deserted island and a plane comes to rescue you. Who do you hope is flying it?

Zakiya Khalfani (44:19):

Idris Elba.

Maria Melfa (44:21):

Yes.

Jocelyn Allen (44:22):

Coffee or tea?

Zakiya Khalfani (44:23):

Tea.

Jocelyn Allen (44:24):

What is six minus three?

Zakiya Khalfani (44:27):

Three.

Jocelyn Allen (44:28):

What would be your dream vacation?

Zakiya Khalfani (44:33):

Monte Carlo and the casino.

Jocelyn Allen (44:36):

Beachfront or mountainside?

Zakiya Khalfani (44:38):

Beachfront.

Jocelyn Allen (44:39):

And what is the TV show you are always recommending to friends?

Zakiya Khalfani (44:44):

Bridgerton.

Jocelyn Allen (44:46):

Ding, ding, ding. David. That's all 10.

David (44:50):

All right.

Jocelyn Allen (44:51):

What is the verdict?

David (44:52):

We go to the clock and Zakia, I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't know if she's the new champion, but easily under the threshold. One minute, 19 seconds only. Congratulations Zakia.

Maria Melfa (45:04):

Beautiful.

David (45:09):

Now you may. Okay, people, you may not have known that Zakia is a graduate of USC, and so I've hired the USC band, marching band, to be in my studio today to properly salute Zakia on her victory in the TT 10. Today, in fact, all USC alumni are proud of you, including filmmaker and hero to nerds everywhere, George Lucas, environmentalist and chimpanzee lover, Jane Goodell, and actor director Ron Howard, who attended USC but did not graduate. Come on, Richie Cunningham, finish what you started. Having worked at the Department of Corrections, Zakia, we sentence you to a lifetime of joy and pride due to your victory today. Orange is the new black, well, we think Zakia is the new Eureka, as in Eureka, I've just met a girl named Zakia and she is a TTA 10 champion.

Jocelyn Allen (46:04):

I mean, did I tell you it would be worth it or did I tell you?

Zakiya Khalfani (46:08):

Yes, fabulous.

Jocelyn Allen (46:13):

David, I sentence you. I got to tell you, David, you do not disappoint. Zakia, thank you. It was-

Zakiya Khalfani (46:23):

Was this okay?

Jocelyn Allen (46:24):

Oh, it was wonderful. A fun episode, a great round of TTA 10. You are magnificent. So thank you for spending your time with us.

Maria Melfa (46:32):

Absolutely fantastic. And thank you so much for being our guest, and thank you for being such an incredible consultant for our TTA and our clients.

Zakiya Khalfani (46:44):

Thank you so much. That means so much. Thank you.

Jocelyn Allen (46:44):

For more information on Zakia and how she can help your organization with its onboarding process and connectedness, visit us at thetrainingassociates.com. We'll see you later.