Onboarding Program FAQ s For Managers Table of Contents AUTOMATED PRE-EMPLOYMENT ONBOARDING SYSTEM....2 ORIENTATION 4 DEVELOPMENTAL ROADMAP..6 MENTORING...7 SURVEYS..10 1
Automated Pre-Employment Onboarding System (This system is utilized between offer issuance and the start date.) 1. Will I have tasks assigned to me by Oxy s automated Onboarding system? Yes, as soon as the candidate s signed job offer acceptance is submitted through the New Hire Portal, the Taleo Onboarding system, will automatically email a notification and ask you to provide certain information to facilitate first day readiness for your new hire. A hyperlink in the email will take you directly to an online form where you may assign, as applicable, a mentor, peer advisor and new hire coordinator from your work group to help the new hire quickly adapt and become productive in the new role. Criterion for selecting a mentor and peer advisor are available through the online form. You will also enter the type of computer needed (e.g., desktop, laptop, network station) and identify other applicable requirements such as computer applications, communication devices (BlackBerry or cell phone), company credit card and/or business cards. This information will be disseminated to the parties designated by you (as noted above) and to others within the organization who share responsibilities for taking actions in advance of the new hire s arrival. The online form will contain hyperlinks to supporting information (e.g., checklists are linked to the three assignee roles and an applications catalogue is linked to the computer applications section). Other tasks will come in the form of survey requests, starting as early as 30 days following your new hire s start date, to provide feedback about the hiring experience and certain components of the New Hire Onboarding program. 2. How will I know the status of my new hire during the automated Onboarding phase? You will receive email notifications at designated times throughout the course of the new hire s pre-employment Onboarding period. The pre-employment Onboarding phase begins as soon as the offer letter is delivered. You will receive a copy of the offer letter, followed by notification of the candidate s esignature offer acceptance (or decline). As soon as work clearance is approved (such as background investigation, drug screen and, as applicable, medical examination results are all satisfactory), you will be informed by copy of the status notification to the recruiter. The recruiter will then coordinate with you and the new hire to set a start date. You and other Oxy staff involved in the process will be notified of the finalized start date. 3. Why doesn t Oxy set the start date when the offer is extended to the candidate? The offer of employment is conditioned on the new hire s fulfillment of pre-employment requirements as set forth in the offer letter. The stated requirements include, but are not limited to, satisfactory results of a background investigation, drug screen and/or medical examination, as well as submission of certain authorizations, agreements and requested information that is necessary to establish employment and payroll records. Setting a start date prior to receipt of screening results and work clearance may set false expectations or cause confusion if screening results are not satisfactory or delays are 2
encountered in obtaining the information. Often, international background searches take longer, as do multiple state background searches. Also, medical screening results take longer when an examination is required, in addition to performing the drug screen. If a start date is communicated to a candidate prior to work clearance being obtained, and in turn gives notice to the current employer, the candidate can be in an unfortunate situation if unsatisfactory screening results cause Oxy to rescind its job offer or a delay in satisfactory screening results leaves the candidate without pay for an interim period. 4. How will I know when my new hire achieves work clearance status? As soon as all the pre-employment screening results are cleared and the new hire is approved to start work, the OxyLink New Hire Staffing team member who is assigned to Onboard your new hire will promptly initiate a status notification to the recruiter, with a copy to you and your Human Resources representative. The recruiter will mediate between you and the new hire in setting a start date, as well as inform the Staffing team member. As soon as the start date is entered in the Onboarding system, system-generated start date notifications will be issued as indicated in Question 3. 5. If my new hire is available to start when cleared for work, why is the recommended start date set a week later? Entering the start date in the Onboarding system immediately launches notifications to Oxy stakeholders who have some remaining tasks to complete before the new hire s first day of work. These remaining tasks are all dependent on knowing the new hire s start date and/or the Systems Network ID. For example, start date is a critical piece of information in order to set up the PeopleSoft record, which in turn feeds the automated interface to Active Directory for creation of the new hire s Systems Network ID. The new hire s Network ID is a necessary component in setting up an email account, initiating licensed computer applications, and activation of a communications device such as a BlackBerry or cell phone (if applicable). In short, the sequence of activities with involvement by various Oxy stakeholders simply takes some additional time to complete, most especially during periods of heavy hiring. Considering the time dedicated to finding the right person for the job, allowing sufficient time to achieve workplace readiness on Day 1 is a good initiative. First impressions are lasting so we want your new hire s first impression to be a good one. That impression may be shared by your new hire with friends or colleagues who may be potential future candidates it is also the first step toward accelerating your new hire s productivity and workplace engagement. 3
Orientation 1. How often should I meet with my new hire? As often as possible to ensure you share the same view of expectations, performance, and timelines for deliverables. This will vary based on your experience in delegating and on the new hire s motivation and skill set. Additional guidance is available in the Manager s Checklist and Onboarding Tool Kit, located on the New Hire Website. 2. Where do I find the tools to help me prepare for this new hire? The New Hire Website, Onboarding Tool Kit, the Human Resources page on OxyNet and Learn.Oxy.com are all excellent resources. Additional materials related specifically to managers are also available through OxyLink under the Manager Self-Service link. 3. How is a new hire on-boarded at Oxy? The Onboarding process is quite dynamic and involves several tasks and groups of individuals to ensure the new hire process runs smoothly. A useful resource to ensure your new hire successfully transitions into becoming an effective, engaged, and productive member of your team is the Onboarding Toolkit. This tool includes helpful, step-by-step instructions and illustrates many of the steps in the process that will assist you in onboarding your new hire. 4. What is the schedule for my new hire on Day One? Prior to reporting to work, your new hire will be sent detailed instructions by OxyLink detailing when and where to appear on the first day. Typically, the first few hours are spent with Human Resources as they conduct orientation and present Oxy material. Following orientation, Human Resources will introduce your new hire to the supervisor as well as the new hire coordinator who will be responsible for providing additional information specific to the work location and business unit. 5. Will there be group discussions with Managers/Supervisors within the department to discuss all new hires? Although not required, it may be beneficial to coordinate group discussions as each supervisor has their own style, processes and procedures. Making it a practice will encourage continuity, innovation, and consistency throughout the department. 6. Where is the onboarding training for Managers/Supervisors? You will find a list of responsibilities listed on the Hiring Manager Checklist, located on the New Hire Website. Additionally, the Onboarding Tool Kit has materials and resources you should find useful in preparing yourself in what to expect in the onboarding process. Refer specifically to the Orientation section to gain perspective on the initial first few weeks of your new hire s experience. If you have further questions, contact your Human Resources representative. 7. How do new hires get introduced and trained on Talent Management System (TMS)? New hires will be exposed to the TMS system during their orientation. If applicable, you may direct them to complete TMS training modules available in TrainingMine, you may choose to walk them through the system yourself, or ask another department employee or Human Resources representative to explain the system. The key is to set the expectation for use of the system and 4
follow-up with the employee to ensure that they are using the system effectively. Managers will be responsible for identifying goals that correlate with the new hire s work assignment and communicating expectations regarding entering and updating the goals in TMS. 8. When is an appropriate time to meet with the new hire as it relates to TMS? You should meet with your new hire within the initial 30 days to discuss performance goals, expectations and timelines. 9. What is the intended outcome of the onboarding process? To ensure your new employee successfully transitions from new hire to an effective, engaged, and productive member of your team. 10. What is my role in this process and what is expected of me? You have two main objectives in the process, which are to facilitate the new hire s transition into the role and provide tools & resources to produce the best level of performance. Your involvement will ensure proper understanding of the process, active engagement in the role and assignment, and being a guide should any questions or concerns arise during the transition period. 11. What is expected of the new hire? New hires are encouraged to be proactive in pursuing personal workplace integration. By using the tools available; utilizing the various checklists; and asking questions when needed the new hire will become a productive member of your team. While you can be available to support and facilitate the onboarding process, it is ultimately the new hire s responsibility to absorb the benefits of all the tools and resources available. 12. How much of my time should I expect to dedicate to this process for each employee? This will all depend on your experience in delegating and on the new hire s motivation level & skill set. As a rule of thumb, expect at least 2 hours per week, per new hire, to be available to answer questions, provide guidance, and assist with understanding the expectations. 13. How much of the new hire s time should be dedicated to the onboarding process? Again, this will depend on the new hire s ability to absorb and progress in the role. At first, the amount of time should be fairly high, perhaps upwards of 25% of the time. Providing the new hire adapts well in the role and environment, the time spent on onboarding will likely reduce considerably within the first few weeks. 14. If my new hire is assigned a Mentor, what is my role in that process? It is up to you to assist and encourage the new hire to be as successful as possible. For example, you may be assigning a mentor or you may act as the mentor directly. Ultimately, you are responsible for ensuring the proper steps take place in establishing the relationship between the mentor and mentee so that it is beneficial to both parties. 5
Developmental Roadmap 1. How should new hires use a Roadmap? A Roadmap should be used when thinking through specific developmental goals based on the requirements for the position. It should be used as a discussion guide between you and your new hire to ensure the focus remains on valuable activities. Generally this topic will be discussed at/around the 90-day mark. 2. For how long should new hires use a Roadmap? This will vary by individual. New employees should start out by establishing annual goals and completing the development plan. Primarily, the Roadmap is used to cover the first 1 2 years of service. However, Roadmaps are not fixed; they may be adjusted annually to accommodate role changes and enhanced experience levels throughout the course of an one s tenure. Roadmaps may also be utilized in project management and is strongly recommended that new hires adapt Roadmaps in other areas of work, as well. 3. As a Supervisor/Manager, where do I find more information? Your Human Resources representative can assist you with any questions related to the Roadmap. In addition, each box on the Onboarding Tool Kit provides links to resources and information. A Development Wizard is available through TMS, located in the Development Area section, where you can recommend activities and resources that will enhance growth. 4. How does a new hire track progress against the Roadmap? Once the Roadmap has been established, major components for the current year should be entered into the Development Area section in TMS. The status should be updated in TMS throughout the year and will serve as the basis for ongoing discussions with the new hire. 5. What is the difference between a Development Roadmap and a development plan? Development Roadmap outlines the steps for discussion between you and your new hire; the development plan is the process for tracking milestones. Once milestones have been identified, the new hire should load and track the information in the Development Area section in TMS. 6. Is a Roadmap applicable for all employees within Oxy? Yes. A Roadmap is designed to provide guidance for a manager and employee with regard to establishing a development plan. For those positions where a full training program is already in place, the Roadmap may not be necessary. However, employee s are encouraged to refer to the Roadmap User s Guide as it provides several tools and resources that can benefit everyone. 6
Mentoring 1. What are the goals of the Mentoring Program? The primary goals of the Oxy Mentoring Program are to: (1) get new hires productive as quickly as possible with necessary job skills and business networks and (2) integrate them into our culture. We ve identified two distinct roles in support of these goals: 1) Mentor and 2) Peer Advisor. The Mentor will focus on helping the new hire achieve both development and job-related goals in an effort to enhance time-to-productivity. The Peer Advisor will assist with social and cultural integration, relationship development and business/job-related networking across the organization. 2. I have heard about a Pilot Mentor Program. What is it and who is involved? The Pilot Mentor Program was designed to pilot the processes and mentoring materials to a smaller group in order to gather feedback to improve the program before launching to the entire organization. All US-based college graduates hired through the University Relations program between mid-may and August 2011 participated in the pilot program. Feedback was gathered in September and changes will be incorporated as required. 3. When will the Mentor Program materials be available? The Mentor Program is scheduled for implementation in November 2011. 4. Who is expected to participate in the upcoming Mentor Program? It is important that we recognize mentor program participation as a benefit for new hires. Given that, our senior management will define which groups will participate on a mandatory or optional basis. Specific information will be distributed to management teams in advance of the mentor program roll out. 5. What will be expected of Managers/Supervisors? Your support and involvement is a vital component to success and growth of this new program, and ultimately the time-to-productivity and integration of your new hire. You will need to select the mentor based on the criteria provided, and then sponsor the mentor s success by assisting in the balance of operational workload to enable the mentor to be effective with the mentoring relationship. The time commitment on behalf of the mentor will differ depending on the experience level of the mentee. Furthermore, you will be asked to review a quick online presentation outlining the program and expectations for involvement. We also need you to understand the program, ask questions if you have them and provide feedback (via periodic mentoring program-related surveys) as you speak with the program participants, including both the mentors and mentees. 6. What will be expected of mentors? Mentors will attend a web-based training session and receive mentor resources, including a Mentor Handbook and other new tools designed to promote success. They will work with the hiring manager to obtain clear performance and development goals and meet regularly with the mentee throughout the defined time period, likely one year. Throughout this time, mentors will provide feedback to the hiring manager regarding the mentee s progress toward achieving the 7
established performance and development goals. If mentoring is assigned as a performance or development goal for the mentor, it must be tracked as a goal in TMS. 7. What will be expected of mentees? Mentees will work closely with their mentor and manager to ensure they obtain all the necessary tools, resources, and job related training to properly assimilate and integrate into their role and organization. Similar to all current employees, mentee performance and development goals will be tracked in TMS. 8. What will be expected of peer advisors? Peer advisors will receive a Peer Advisor Guide and checklist. They will work with the mentor to obtain clear social and business/job-related networking goals and meet regularly with the mentee throughout the defined time period, usually up to 2 months. Throughout this period, peer advisors will provide feedback to the manager and mentor regarding the mentee s progress toward achieving the established social and business/job-related networking goals. 9. How will mentors and peer advisors be selected for the Mentor Program? Mentors and peer advisors will be selected and assigned by the hiring manager prior to the new hire's start date. All participants will be tracked via the Onboarding system and recorded in PeopleSoft. Selection criterion for both peer advisors and mentors are available in the Onboarding Tool Kit. 10. How will Managers/Supervisors be trained on the program? There is no formal training; however, a Mentor Program Checklist has been developed for both managers and mentors to review prior to the mentee s start date. The checklist, along with this FAQ document, outlines critical information surrounding the program and expectations. In addition, managers are highly encouraged to review the Mentor Program materials found in the Onboarding Tool Kit. If you have further questions, contact your Human Resources representative. 11. How will mentors be trained? Once assigned by the hiring manager, an e-mail will be sent to participating mentors inviting them to attend one of the training sessions. TrainingMine will be used for training registration and attendance tracking. 12. How will peer advisors be trained? No formal training will be conducted, however, a quick overview outlining the program expectations will be provided. 13. Will the mentorship be included in the mentor s performance management goals for the year? We recommend mentoring be included in the mentor s performance management goals for the year so proper attention is given to recognize contributions in mentoring and employee development. 8
14. How will mentors be tracked? HR will track mentor/mentee assignments in PeopleSoft, record the start and end dates of the mentoring relationship, along with the ratings as assigned via program surveys. 15. If a mentee feels that they no longer need a mentor, can they opt out of the process before it runs its course? The mentoring relationship may end earlier than one year if the mentee s learning and development goals are accomplished and the mentor, hiring manager and mentee are all in agreement. The duration of the mentoring relationship is impacted by the mentee s prior experience and development needs. 16. What if the relationship between the mentor and mentee is not successful? First, discuss your expectations and concerns with the mentee and mentor. If all parties concur that the relationship is not successful, discuss the situation with your Human Resources representative. 17. How will we evaluate and recognize mentors? Managers and mentees will provide feedback on the mentor's effectiveness. Mentors will be recognized for their efforts and contributions in helping new hires quickly become productive. 18. How will the peer advisor be recognized? Since the role is a new addition to the program, we are still working to determine the best means to recognize peer advisor efforts. 19. What if the mentor or mentee is reassigned or relocates? Will a new mentor be assigned, or will the mentorship continue via telecommunication or e-mail? It is recommended that a new mentor be assigned to the mentee unless the learning and development goals have already been successfully achieved. 20. Who can I contact with questions or feedback? Any comments or questions about the Mentor Program can be directed to your local Human Resources representative. 9
Surveys: 30-Day Resource Readiness and 90-Day Quality of Hire 1. How are the measures we assign to employees in the surveys related to the measures we assign to employees in TMS? The Resource Readiness, New Hire and Hiring Manager Surveys are being used on an aggregate basis only. The data collected is not designed or intended for use on an individual basis, therefore, there is no need to track the surveys through TMS. We are looking at the average number of days to productivity within the entire organization and/or within a division, not necessarily the exact number of days for an individual new hire. This aggregate data will help evaluate the program, monitor trends and watch movement over time. 2. Why did we choose to conduct the 90-day surveys anonymously? First, since we are looking at aggregate data, there is really no reason to collect the name of the survey participant other than to track whether they have completed it. Second, given the nature of the questions, it was determined that we could get more honest responses if the survey data was collected anonymously. Last, the survey is administered by a third-party vendor and designed to collect aggregate data so that we can benchmark our results against other companies inside and outside of our industry. 3. What are surveys intended to measure? The Resource Readiness Survey, taken at 30 days by the new hire only, is intended to measure how quickly a new hire has the tools (desk, computer, software, network access, phone, etc.) needed to perform the job duties. The New Hire and Hiring Manager Surveys, taken at 90 days, are intended to measure Time to Productivity, Quality of Hire and Recruiting Effectiveness. However, some hourly positions have been identified, primarily in OxyChem, where new hire and manager surveys will not be beneficial so those employees have been excluded from these surveys. 4. How will Oxy use the results? Oxy will distribute the results in a quarterly report to the Executive Vice President of Human Resources, the Executive Steering Committee and various HR Representatives. Our goal is to measure and monitor the effectiveness of the New Hire Onboarding program. Our expectation is that the program will identify and increase quality hires, improve 1 st Day Readiness and accelerate new hire time-to-productivity. Additionally, the new hire and hiring manager surveys will replace the quarterly recruiting survey and will monitor recruiting effectiveness. 5. Who will maintain the survey data and have access to the results? Human Resources will collect, maintain and report all survey data. We expect that the quarterly report will be given to the Executive Vice President of Human Resources and select executives. The data will not be posted for general access. 6. How does the survey administrator plan to handle "batch hiring"? Will the hiring manager get an individual request for each new hire OR one request? A hiring manager who hires more than one person at a time will receive multiple emails. However, the emails will identify the new hire so that the hiring manager can take each new hire into consideration when responding to each survey. The survey will only require a few minutes, per new hire, to complete. 10
7. Why do we ask about new hire performance at the 90-day mark? What should a Hiring Manager do if he/she cannot assess performance at the end of 90 days? We are asking about performance only as it relates to new hire productivity. Specifically, we measure the number of days needed for a new hire to be productive and define productivity in the survey as the ability to: work independently, prioritize appropriately, add daily value and ask good questions. 9. What are we defining as Quality of Hire? We are looking at performance, comparative performance, fit-to-job, fit-to-organization and engagement level. Since Time-to-Productivity and Quality of Hire are closely intertwined, we measure both to obtain the Quality of Hire assessment. 10. How will the New Hire Onboarding Program impact Quality of Hire? We define productivity as the ability to: work independently, prioritize appropriately, add daily value and ask good questions. The New Hire Onboarding program will improve a new hire s performance by providing enhanced tools and resources to support job performance. Surveys Mentor Program 1. Who will have access to the mentoring survey results? We are still determining the best tools and processes for collecting and reporting mentoring program data; however, we anticipate that both local Human Resources and Employee & Organization Development teams will have access to mentoring program data and be responsible for reporting results. 2. Are the mentoring surveys done anonymously? No, the mentor surveys will not be anonymous. It is important to obtain specific feedback to measure both the individual, as well as, program satisfaction The data will also allow us to assist with any disconnects between mentor and mentee, and provide assistance and/or develop additional tools as needed. 3. What happens if a mentoring relationship ends before the pre-set survey dates that occur at 60-days, 150-days and End of Program? The program is targeted for early to mid-career new hires. Based on individual experience and development requirements, some mentoring relationships may end prior to the anticipated program duration of one year. Once your HR representative is notified of the end date, the endof-program surveys will be distributed. 4. Outside of surveying, how does Oxy plan to get feedback from participants in the mentor program? In addition to the surveys, we intend to conduct focus groups with a subset of 1 st year program participants to obtain more in-depth feedback. We will also collect any comments from participants and managers who wish to share with us so that we can refine and improve the process going forward. 11