Summary
Far too many managers fail to give employee onboarding the critical attention it needs, leaving their newly hired workers lost in the weeds. When this happens, it can negatively impact your experience in a new role, resulting in low morale and feelings of isolation. Here’s what to do in that situation:
If your manager is failing to provide you with the necessary resources, reach out to team members from HR and IT. Ask HR if there any trainings you’re required to complete, and ask IT to help you get updated on the tools necessary to do your job. Get on your manager’s calendar. Set up a weekly one-on-one meetings with your manager to get aligned on your initial tasks, as well as any expectations they want you to meet in these first few weeks. Pay attention to company culture. In team meetings, how are decisions made? How are projects assigned, and how do people communicate with each other? Once you understand the social dynamics on your team, you can navigate the best way to contribute to them. Set up meetings with important stakeholders throughout the company. You can use your “newness” as a conversation starter to connect with important people throughout the organization — peers, colleagues, and decision-makers who can become your allies and advocates.
You’ve just landed a new job in an industry that excites you. On paper, it seems like a perfect fit. It’s a hybrid environment, meaning you’ll have more flexible hours. Your manager seems like a reasonable and compassionate person. The work is challenging, but achievable. It’s your first day and you can’t wait to jump in.
But there’s a problem. By the end of your second week, you start to feel disconnected from your team. Many of the basics that should have been covered in your initial onboarding — people you should be meeting, tasks you should be prioritizing, technologies you should be learning — have gotten swept under the rug. Your manager hasn’t been much help, and the lack of communication feels isolating.
Unfortunately, this scenario is fairly common. I see it often with people working in hybrid or remote environments. Far too many leaders and organizations fail to give employee onboarding the critical attention it needs, leaving their newly hired workers lost in the weeds.
While it’s ultimately on leadership to improve these processes, as someone new to the workforce, you may need a more immediate solution — especially if you’re in a remote or hybrid role. The good news is that there are ways to turn this challenge into an opportunity to demonstrate your independence and adaptability.
Let’s talk about how to take a poor onboarding experience and use it as a stepping stone for your success.
Signs of poor onboarding
Inadequate onboarding is a silent career saboteur. While its signs are often subtle, their impact can be profoundly disorienting. Here are some red flags that signal a bad onboarding process:
A lack of access to basic information.
When you start a new role, it’s crucial to grasp your responsibilities, the company’s policies, and the team dynamics. When this information is scarce or missing, it’s a bad sign. You may find yourself guessing your manager’s expectations, confused about the purpose of your role, and uncertain about team project or priorities. This ambiguity often leads to mistakes and stress that you could otherwise avoid.
A lack of access to basic tools.
Every organization has a few essential tools and technologies that employees use to interact, work, and communicate. This could be a specific program used for scheduling meetings or a hub where you can access company updates and employee trainings. Navigating a new job without clear instructions on how to use these tools can make you feel lost, as if you’re constantly confused about things that come easily to everyone else. This not only reduces your productivity — it can also foster feelings of inadequacy.
A lack of communication with your team.
Regular interactions with your team and supervisors should go beyond “good morning” messages on Slack or quick updates on the tasks of the day. These interactions should help you integrate into the company culture. When your manager and team members are difficult to get in touch with, it isolates you from the group’s rhythm. This is even more true in remote and hybrid settings, when you have less opportunities to interact in-person. Isolation can lower your morale and dampen your ability to build relationships essential to your career growth.
How to onboard yourself
If you notice one or more of the red flags above, it may be time to take things into your own hands. Before throwing in the towel or giving up on the organization, there are a few thing you can do to see if the situation can be improved. In my experience, a good approach is to craft an onboarding plan tailored to your needs, with defined goals and timelines. This will also help you figure out if the problem is your manager or if it’s a larger company-wide issue (in which case, you may need to move on).
Your personal onboarding plan should include a few basics like learning the company’s tools and systems, connecting with your manager, and getting updated on team projects. But it should also include a few less obvious steps — understanding the company culture and building connections with key stakeholders.
Step 1: Get on your manager’s calendar.
Regular communication with your manager will be essential to your success, particularly in settings where face-to-face interactions are limited. You need that face time to get aligned on goals, advocate for yourself, seek feedback, and keep them updated on your projects, progress, and challenges.
To start, request a weekly one-on-one meeting. Send them a short Slack or email, such as: “Hi [name], I was hoping we could set up a weekly one-on-one meeting to make sure we’re aligned on my tasks and initial goals while I’m getting up to speed with everything. Would it be okay if I added a 30-minute meeting to your calendar?”
You can always reach out more frequently if you have questions or concerns, but getting on their calendar will help you establish a healthy check-in cadence and learn more about their communication style.
In situations where your manager is failing to give you adequate guidance, being direct (but respectful) is the fastest way to gain clarity. Use your time together to update them on your onboarding progress, and ask how they expect you to focus your time. You can say, “What projects or tasks would be most useful for me to take on this month? Do you have recommendations on who I can connect with to get updated in these areas?” Your proactivity not only shows that you’re engaged with the work, but it also demonstrates your willingness to take initiative and understand the team goals on a deeper level.
Pro tip: If you need additional resources, support, or feedback from your boss, be sure to explain the “why” behind any ask you make. Critical feedback is particularly important to your growth and improvement as you adjust to your new role. After completing a new task or project, you can ask your manager, “What did you think of my work on [project]? I want to make sure I’m meeting your expectations and see if there are any areas where I can improve.”
Step 2: Ask about essential resources.
As a new employee, you’ll need to access to essential resources — the technologies, tools, manuals, and training modules necessary to do your job. In an ideal situation, your manager, HR, and IT departments would provide you with this information during your first week. However, if this is not happening, it’s worth reaching out to the following groups:
- Human Resources (HR): Explain that you’re a new hire and ask about any training modules you must complete. These may range from technical skills development to compliance trainings, or other company-specific trainings all new hires are required to complete.
- Information Technology (IT): IT departments sometimes offer technology orientations or guides for new hires. If you haven’t received direct instructions from your boss, contact an IT team member directly. They can provide you with the tools necessary for your role and teach you how to use them effectively. This proactive approach ensures you won’t experience technical difficulties that could hinder your job responsibilities.
If you reach a dead end at any point, the next best place to look is the company’s intranet. This is an internal network (similar to a company-wide information hub) that typically contains company policies, organizational goals, team structures, ongoing projects, and even social events. Many organizational intranets work like search engines. You can type in what you’re looking for and be directed to a wide range of resources. Digesting this information will help you feel more grounded in your role.
Pro tip: If you decide to reach out to HR or IT on your own, be sure to keep your manager updated. You can shoot them a quick note that says: “I wanted to let you know I plan to reach out to HR and IT this week to get updated on any trainings and technologies I need access to. Just wanted to keep you updated!” This way, your manager won’t feel you’re overstepping them. They may even appreciate your proactivity.
Step 3: Observe the company culture.
Company culture is the shared set of values, goals, beliefs, and behaviors that guide people within your organization. Understanding it requires keen observation, participation in company activities, and sometimes, adjusting your work style to get better aligned with the work style of the company. Doing this can help you integrate more smoothly.
Even if your work is remote or hybrid, make an effort to observe the interactions of your colleagues and leaders in meetings. Pay attention to how decisions are made, how projects are assigned, and how people communicate with each other. Does your boss emphasize collaboration and consensus, or are things more hierarchical? Do people read the agenda before the meeting and show up with ideas, or do they prefer to problem solve on the spot? Once you understand the social dynamics on your team, you can navigate the best ways to contribute to them.
Participation in online social activities will also teach you about the culture. Whether it’s a virtual team-building exercises, online social hour, or affinity group gathering, these activities will help you connect with people beyond your immediate team and on a more personal level. Think of them as opportunities to showcase your personality and interests. The more authentic connections you make, the more you’ll start to feel like you belong.
Pro tip: While it’s important to align with the company’s ways of working, it’s equally important to maintain your personal work ethics and values. For instance, if the company culture is fast-paced and deadline-driven, find ways to meet these expectations while ensuring the quality of your work isn’t compromised. It’s about finding that middle ground where you can thrive without losing sight of your professional standards.
Step 4: Set up meetings with important stakeholders.
We all know that networking is a crucial component of professional success. Luckily, you’re in a great position to begin. You can use your “newness” as a conversation starter to connect with important people throughout the organization — peers, colleagues, and decision-makers who can become your allies and advocates.
Look for people both within your team and in other departments who have a wealth of knowledge and experience. For instance, is there a team member at your level who’s been around longer and who can provide you with guidance? Is there an executive whose career path you admire and who could become a potential mentor? Is there a colleague in another department whose work overlaps with your own, and whom you could learn from?
The goal is to choose people who have expertise that can help you navigate the culture, adjust to your new role, and eventually, identify opportunities for growth and development. While you won’t connect on a personal level with everyone, you may end up building a deeper camaraderie with a few.
Pro tip: Write down a list of five people (other than your manager) who you want to connect with and invite them to an introductory meeting. It can be as straightforward as asking them to join you for a 30-minute virtual coffee chat. Prior to the meeting, do a little research on their backgrounds, and show up with three or four questions about their professional journeys, hobbies, or interests. At the end of each discussion, ask your colleagues if there’s anyone else they suggest you meet with to better understand your role, the organization, and how everything works.
For early career professionals, facing the challenge of minimal or ineffective onboarding should be seen less as a setback than a unique opportunity for personal growth and self-development. This situation, while initially daunting, serves as an invaluable learning experience.
The competencies you’ll acquire by taking the steps above — proactivity, effective communication, problem-solving, self-reliance, adaptability, and accountability — are building blocks that can shape you into a resilient and versatile professional. They will serve you in each new role you acquire, and help you tackle challenges with confidence and skill.