Onboarding Essentials For University Medical Center

Research has shown that over 70% of hospital new hire turnover occurs as a result of poor fit, not technical ability. Improved hiring processes have been designed to increase collaboration during the selection process for the hiring manager, the recruitment team, but most importantly, the new hire.

• Required Interview Training:
  • In order to participate in the interview process, all hiring managers and designees (i.e., Peer Interviewers, Physicians, etc.) must complete Hiring Official and Search Committee Training. Individuals in a management job class (supervisor and above with the exception of some Lead job titles) will be auto-enrolled on a 24-month cycle in Workday Learning to complete the course. Any designees not in a management job class will need to self-enroll in the training on a 24-month cycle in Workday Learning. 
  • Leaders participating in an Executive Level (Associate Chief and above) Search Committee must also complete EOP's Search Committee Training. This training is not an auto-enrollment.
  • To enroll, simply log on to the LMS and search for "Equal Opportunity Program (EOP) University Hiring Training". This will take you to a page where you select which course you want to complete.

Past experiences and behaviors are the best predictor of future performance. Behavioral-based interviewing helps to uncover specific examples of how a candidate has performed in similar situations in the past.

• Applicant Assessment Tool (Training Manual)
  A detailed overview of the applicant assessment tool, a pre-employment assessment that identifies the best candidates in terms of customer service, retention, and job performance.
• Behavioral-Based Interview Questions
  A repository of behavioral-based interview questions organized by competency.

Including members of the work group in the hiring process (peer interviewing) helps to increase buy-in from the existing employees and gain support for the new employee. It is best practice to conduct peer interviews for all positions.

• Peer Interviewing Expectations
  A detailed explanation of each step in the peer interviewing process.
• Training PPT for Peer Interviewers
  A Powerpoint to help educate those selected as peer interviewers.
• Required Peer Interview Training:
  • In order to participate in the interview process, all hiring managers and designees (i.e., Peer Interviewers, Physicians, etc.) must complete Hiring Official and Search Committee Training. Individuals in a management job class (supervisor and above with the exception of some Lead job titles) will be auto-enrolled on a 24-month cycle in Workday Learning to complete the course.  Any designees not in a management job class will need to self-enroll in the training on a 24-month cycle in Workday Learning. 
  • Leaders participating in an Executive Level (Associate Chief and above) Search Committee must also complete Hiring Official and Search Committee Training. This training is not an auto-enrollment.
  • To enroll, simply log on to Workday Learning, select 'Browse Learning' and search for 'Hiring Official and Search Committee Training. This will take you to a page where you enroll in the course.

Job shadowing allows a prospective employee the chance to observe and ask questions about the job before a formal offer is made. This provides the candidate with an opportunity to see firsthand what the position really entails and it gives the team a chance to see how the candidate reacts in the environment.

• Job Shadowing Expectations
  A detailed explanation of each step in the job shadowing process.
• Observation Form for Job Shadow
  A form for recording and documenting the areas, skills, and questions discussed with the candidate during the job shadow.
• Job Shadow Agreement
  Candidates shadowing in patient care areas must complete this form. A copy must be saved as part of the interview documentation.

Before a new employee arrives, it is critical to plan in advance so they can "hit the ground running." The pre-hire checklist is a list of recommended tasks to complete in preparation for the new team member's arrival (i.e. - arranging appropriate systems access, preparing welcome resources, etc.).

Within the first two weeks of employment, it is essential that you conduct the Week 2 New Team Member Meeting. This meeting will help you begin to build trust with the new team member and reaffirm their decision to work at UVA Medical Center. Click below to access the Week 2 Meeting Guide.

Week 2 Meeting

• All Hires - Week 2 Meeting Guide Includes a checklist of required items to complete for your new team member and specific questions to ask the team member during your 1^st one-on-one meeting (conducted within the team member's second week of employment).
• Nursing Hires Only - Nurse Manager Orientation Checkpoint: Clinical Week 1 Used in conjunction with other Onboarding Documents.  Provides a list of clinically related discussion items and expectations to review with the new team member at the conclusion of his/her first clinical week of employment.

Month 1 Meeting

After your new team member’s first month of employment, it is essential that you continue to communicate with them regarding their progress. At this time, please schedule a Month 1 New Team Member Meeting. This meeting will help you identify the team member’s strengths and areas of opportunity, as well as solicit ideas for improving the department and organization. Remember that consistent leader involvement leads to deeper team member engagement! Click below to access the Month 1 Meeting Guide.

• All Hires - Month 1 Meeting Guide Includes a checklist of required items to complete after your team member's first month of employment and questions to ask the team member during your second one-on-one meeting.

• Nursing Hires Only - Nurse Manager Orientation Checkpoint: Month 1/Clinical Week 3 Used in conjunction with the other Onboarding Documents.  Provides a list of clinically related discussion items and expectations to review with the new team member at the conclusion of his/her first month of employment.

Month 2 Meeting

• Nursing Hires Only - Nurse Manager Orientation Checkpoint: Month 2/Clinical Week 3 Provides a list of clinically related discussion items and expectations to review with the new team member at the conclusion of his/her second month of employment.

Month 3 Meeting

Please schedule a Month 3 New Team Member Meeting. In this meeting, you will begin to set goals and clarify expectations with the new team member. This check-in is a great opportunity to recognize any accomplishments s/he has achieved in his/her first three months of employment. Remember that consistent leader involvement leads to deeper team member engagement! Click below to access the Month 3 Meeting Guide.

• All Hires - Month 3 Meeting Guide Includes a checklist of required items to complete after your team member's third month of employment and questions to ask the team member during your third one-on-one meeting.

• Nursing Hires Only - Nurse Manager Orientation Checkpoint: Month 3/Clinical Week 6 Used in conjunction with the other Onboarding Documents.  Provides a list of clinically related discussion items and expectations to review with the new team member at the conclusion of his/her third month of employment.

*Month 6 and Year 1 New Team Member Meeting Guides are found under the Follow-up for Success section

New hires are vital in helping organizations achieve goals, represent values and move forward. Continued onboarding throughout the first year of a new hire's employment helps lead to these successes. To ensure new hires are acclimating well and contributing to the success of the UVA Health, they are given the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on their experiences. This feedback will help the new hires feel invested in their positions and help to improve the department’s onboarding practices and reduce turnover within the first year of a new hire's employment.

Month 6 Meeting

If the new hire is meeting expectations in his/her role, please schedule a Month 6 New Team Member Meeting. In this meeting, you will continue to recognize the new hire’s accomplishments and solidify short-term and long-term goals. Remember that consistent leader involvement leads to deeper team member engagement! If the new hire is exhibiting any performance issues, please contact your Employee Relations Consultant prior to the end of the new hire’s probationary period, which occurs at Month 6 (Year 1 for Clinical RNs). 

• All Hires - Month 6 Meeting Guide Includes a checklist of required tasks to complete before the new hire's sixth month of employment and questions to ask the new hire during your 4th one-on-one meeting (conducted once the new hire reaches six months of employment).

Year 1 Meeting

Please schedule a Year 1 New Team Member Meeting. In this meeting, you will celebrate the new hire’s one year anniversary and recognize his/her accomplishments and contributions to the team. You will also have the opportunity to receive feedback on what the new hire found most rewarding and most challenging in the last year, as well as recommendations for improvement regarding the onboarding experience. 

• All Hires - Year 1 Meeting Guide Includes a checklist of required tasks to complete and questions to ask the new hire during your 5^th one-on-one meeting (conducted once the team member reaches one year of employment.