Training Up and Attacking Attrition

Onboarding’s new role in the hybrid and virtual era

Onboarding has always been a challenge for organizations, and in higher education we tend to front load training and onboarding and lose focus when it comes to ongoing supervision and support. Optimally considering the academic year as a single onboarding cycle would be ideal, but we rarely if ever structure our efforts in this way. First, it appears excessive and second, it requires planning. Too bad. It would make a great deal of sense to position HigherEd administrative folk into such a program, and regardless of when they enter the workplace, they would receive an adequate amount of ‘catch up’ training, with a look toward what is ahead in their journey. 

Photo by Gilles Roux on Unsplash

Of late, my onboarding pipe dream has been reminded as I am more closely analyzing the success and retention of employees brought on board in hybrid and virtual circumstances. These individuals have not received the care and attention that is typical of in person hires, and they have also suffered in their connection with the organization as a result. It appears that individuals fall into three categories of hire: 

1. New(ish) Professionals Lacking Office-Place Essentials

2. Stability Seekers Leaving a Disruptive and Dysfunctional Workplace

3. Me First Professionals who came Face-to-Face with What Matters During Pandemic Work