Raw Capital Partners faced multifaceted challenges in their pursuit of operational excellence. 

At Raw Capital Partners, the demands of mortgage documentation and due diligence are critical challenges due to regulatory compliance requirements. 

From ensuring compliance in mortgage handling to streamlining employee onboarding, Raw Capital needed a solution that could effectively address these needs.

They wanted a solution that could guarantee accuracy and consistency in all operations.

This is where Process Street stepped in, offering tailored solutions to improve compliance and optimized their approach to operations.

Here’s a breakdown of the story:

• Why Raw Capital Partners uses Process Street
• Benefits gained by implementing Process Street
• Challenges faced and how Process Street assisted
• How Process Street empowered Raw Capital to scale operations efficiently
• Harnessing innovation for growth with Process Street

Why Raw Capital Partners uses Process Street

Here’s a glimpse into how Raw Capital Partners leverage Process Street:

Efficient mortgage processing and compliance

Raw Capital Partners operates in a highly regulated environment, where adherence to stringent compliance standards is non-negotiable. 

With Process Street, they’ve simplified complex regulatory procedures into manageable, step-by-step workflows. 

These workflows ensure that every task is completed accurately and by the latest regulations, minimizing the risk of errors and potential penalties.

Swift onboarding of new employees

The onboarding process for new employees can often be time-consuming and resource-intensive. 

However, Raw Capital Partners has significantly reduced this burden by leveraging Process Street. 

By creating standardized onboarding workflows, they’ve accelerated the onboarding process, enabling new staff to become productive members of the team in record time.

Streamlined internal training

Continuous training and development are essential in the financial services industry, where the landscape is constantly evolving. 

Process Street has enabled Raw Capital Partners to streamline their internal training processes by creating structured, easy-to-follow training modules. 

This ensures that employees have access to the knowledge and skills they need to excel in their roles, enhancing overall performance and productivity.

Consistency in repetitive financial tasks

Repetitive financial tasks can be tedious and prone to errors if not executed consistently. 

However, with Process Street, Raw Capital Partners has standardized processes across the organization, embedding best practices uniformly. 

This not only ensures consistency in task execution but also allows for greater efficiency and accuracy in handling mortgage-related tasks.

Benefits gained by implementing Process Street

By implementing Process Street, Raw Capital Partners has gained fantastic benefits. Some of the most exciting advantages include: 

• Simplified regulatory compliance: Complex regulatory procedures have been distilled into manageable checklists, ensuring compliance with ease.
• Accelerated onboarding: New employees now reach productivity faster, thanks to streamlined onboarding processes.
• Standardized processes: Processes are standardized across the organization, fostering consistency and efficiency.
• Operational efficiency: Mortgage handling has become more efficient, reducing turnaround times and improving customer satisfaction.
• Enhanced scalability: With scalable internal processes, Raw Capital Partners can support growth without compromising service quality.

Challenges faced and how Process Street assisted

Mortgage processing in the financial industry is a high-stakes task requiring strict adherence to regulatory standards. 

Raw Capital faced the dual challenge of maintaining rigorous compliance while striving to enhance process efficiency. 

These challenges involved:

• Meticulous documentation handling
• Consistent execution of due diligence
• Rapid scaling while maintaining process integrity
• Efficient employee training and integration

Process Street was seamlessly integrated into Raw Capital Partners‘ workflow, offering tailored solutions to their pressing issues.

Here’s how it made a difference:

Meticulous documentation handling

With Process Street’s intuitive checklist-based approach, Raw Capital Partners gained a strong framework for managing documentation with precision. 

From initial document collection to final review, Process Street ensured that every step was meticulously executed, reducing the risk of errors and oversights.

Raw Capital Partners’ Head of Technology, Sam McCarthy says: 

 “Before Process Street, ensuring that every step of our mortgage and investment operations was compliant and done correctly was a massive headache. With Process Street, we’ve mapped out every process into detailed workflows ensuring compliance is met uniformly across the board. This has not only streamlined our operations but also significantly enhanced our decision-making speed, giving us a key competitive advantage.”

Consistent execution of due diligence

Process Street provided Raw Capital Partners with standardized checklists for performing due diligence tasks consistently. 

This uniform approach enhanced the quality of their assessments and instilled confidence in stakeholders, bolstering their reputation for reliability and thoroughness.

Rapid scaling with process integrity

As Raw Capital Partners expanded their operations, maintaining process integrity became increasingly challenging. 

However, Process Street’s scalable platform proved to be a game-changer, allowing them to onboard new employees and scale their processes seamlessly without compromising quality or compliance.

“The real game-changer has been the impact on our growth and scalability. When I joined we were 18 strong, and now we’re at 41 and still growing. Process Street has allowed us to scale without diluting the quality or compliance of our processes”

– Sam McCarthy

Efficient employee training and integration

Process Street facilitated efficient employee training and integration by offering structured workflows that guided new hires through the onboarding process, significantly reducing onboarding times and accelerating the learning curve.

“Onboarding new employees has transitioned from a multi-week process to efficient integration within a week. Previously, it could take up to 20 business days before new hires were fully operational. Now, with structured workflows and clear process guidance from day one, we can achieve substantial contributions from our employees in significantly less time.”

– Sam McCarthy

Optimized CRM integration

The implementation has also optimized their CRM integration.

Automated workflows and implementing tools like Zapier have reduced manual entry times, seeding necessary data swiftly and accurately into their systems.

“This integration is not just about speed but making sure each case handled by our new business team is done as swiftly as possible, enhancing both potential revenue and customer satisfaction” 

– Sam McCarthy

Responsive support and performance tracking

Moreover, Sam appreciates the flexibility and responsive support from Process Street:

“It’s amazing how responsive and helpful the support team is. Anytime we’ve had a question, we’ve received immediate and effective support, which in our fast-paced environment is invaluable.”

– Sam McCarthy

In practice, the benefits extend to more accurate performance and data tracking.

“We now use Process Street for functions like loan renewals, where the bulk upload features make it easy to handle large volumes of transactions reliably”

– Sam McCarthy

This function ensures that accuracy is maintained throughout their extensive operations, reinforcing confidence in every process executed.

For Raw Capital Partners, Process Street has not just been a software addition but a central pillar in their operational strategy, making complex processes simple and ensuring each step is executed perfectly. 

It’s a testament to how effective process management technology can be transformative, especially in compliance-heavy industries like finance and mortgage lending.

How Process Street empowered Raw Capital to scale operations efficiently

Process Street’s introduction transformed Raw Capital’s approach to mortgage processing and employee onboarding. The results were substantial:

Consistent compliance

By using workflows, Raw Capital Partners ensured each process was executed according to regulatory standards, minimizing risks and errors.

Rapid onboarding

New employees were trained and integrated into the system quickly, with significant reductions in onboarding times—from weeks to mere days.

Tracking workflows

Process Street’s dashboard allowed managers at Raw Capital to monitor progress in real-time, ensuring no task was overlooked and maintaining high-quality standards.

Documented processes for scalability

As Raw Capital Partners grew, maintaining consistency became crucial.

Documented processes in Process Street ensured that each step of mortgage processing was carried out flawlessly, supporting the company’s expansion without degradation of service quality.

Harnessing innovation for growth with Process Street

Process Street helped Raw Capital Partners not only to streamline and standardize mortgage and employee onboarding processes but also facilitated dynamic scalability. 

This allowed the company to grow confidently, knowing that their core operations could adapt without compromise. 

Raw Capital’s story is a testament to how technology like Process Street can bring robust solutions to intricate, regulation-heavy industries, turning operational challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth.

The post How Raw Capital Partners Cut Onboarding Time by 70% first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

In this Spotlight Series blog, we are delighted to introduce Tony Vila, our Senior Product Designer.

Tony has been working with us for nearly two years and is our go-to expert for shaping user experiences that marry functionality with aesthetics. 

With a background in horticultural product design and a passion for UX/UI, Tony brings a unique perspective to our team. 

His journey from aspiring music teacher to seasoned UX/UI designer has been marked by pivotal moments in London’s startup scene, where he honed his skills and embraced the dynamic challenges of B2B product design.

Join us as we delve into Tony’s journey, insights, and the impactful projects that define his tenure at Process Street:

• All about Tony
• Tony’s professional experience
• Tony’s role at Process Street
• On being part of the Process Street team
• Some random questions

All about Tony

What words describe you best? 

Foodie. Chilled.

What do you do in your spare time?

A lot of hiking, cooking, walks with my dog, hanging out with friends, and a bit of traveling!

How do you start your morning?

Getting out of the house, walking my dog mostly. Some days I try to squeeze a short hike before work.

What is an interesting/fun fact that most people don’t know about you?

I’ve played in bands since I was 15. I mostly played in Spain and London. I once did a small tour in Germany supporting a band from NYC called Aluminum Babe. That was FUN!

Tony’s professional experience

Give us a high level of your professional background before Process Street.

I went to university intending to become a primary school music teacher, but I didn’t enjoy it much, so I ended up working for a company that made horticultural products. 

After a few years, I landed a job designing horticultural products for all types of clients. 

Then I studied to become a UX/UI designer. 

I worked for a few agencies in London, began my adventures in the startup world (mostly B2B), and never looked back since.

Important moments, catalysts, turning points in your career?

Moving to London, where I spent 9 years, and studying there to become a UX/UI designer, were definitely two big turning points in my career.

Tony’s role at Process Street 

How long have you been at Process Street?

Coming up to 2 years.

What is your role at Process Street? 

I’m a Senior Product Designer. 

 What does a typical day look like?

A typical day involves lots of research. Getting to know our users, and our product, designing new features, syncing with other team members from the product team and with engineers.

What’s your secret to achieving success in your role? 

I think communication is key, especially in a remote role. 

Asking questions, investigating our users and our technology, and being able to think outside the box to solve problems for our customers.

Can you share a project you’re particularly proud of and why?

We recently released a new feature called My Work, where you can keep track of all your assignments, and your colleagues’ assignments. 

I think it’s very useful and it looks great. Aesthetically, it’s how we’d like our other Process Street features to look.

What do you think are the best skills that you bring to your job?

Hard skills are very important, but I think soft skills can take you a long way, especially when working as part of a team. 

Collaboration, involving people from different departments in the design process, and challenging preconceptions of our customers.

On being part of the Process Street team 

What inspired you to join the team here?

I really liked the product, the team, and the methodology used, called Shape-up. 

The team also releases features at a very high pace without compromising on quality. 

What do you like most about working at Process Street? 

That our teams excel together while prioritizing a healthy work-life balance.

Not only is working remotely a blessing, but the entire team genuinely values the contributions of the designers.

How would you describe our culture to candidates or other people who inquire?

The culture here is fantastic! 

The team is super friendly, always ready to help, and highly skilled. 

The company embodies a true startup spirit, moving quickly while maintaining a great work-life balance.

What does it take to be successful at a company like Process Street?

I think it’s a matter of communicating well and often, checking up with the team, getting your colleagues involved with your decisions, and being a nice person to collaborate with.

Some random questions

What career advice would you give to your younger self when you were starting your career?

Move to tech sooner! It’s an amazing industry.

If you won the lottery what would you do with the money? 

If I had an insane amount of money, I would open an animal shelter to care for abandoned or injured animals and give them the good life they deserve. 

What’s the last book you read? 

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins was recommended by my manager, Michael. It’s an excellent book, very data and research-driven, which is totally up my alley.

What’s your favorite binge-worthy show? 

I keep coming back to the American version of The Office. It’s my comfort watch.

What do you do to relax?   

I enjoy exercising, especially hiking and weight training. It’s great for both the body and the mind. I also love unwinding by watching TV at the end of the day, especially when I’m with my partner and our greyhound.

What is the best piece of feedback you have ever received?

I can’t pinpoint a specific piece of feedback, but I can’t help but mention the mentors I’ve had along the way and how much I’ve learned from them. 

Jonathan Culling from UXPA, Philip Twine during my time at USIO, Andrew Godfrey at General Assembly, and Divya Hughes at Dext. I owe them big time!

The post Employee Spotlight: Tony Vila (Senior Product Designer) first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

Zonos is a software company headquartered in St. George, Utah, whose software allows businesses to automate the complexities of international e-commerce. This includes automating the calculation, collection, and remittance of duties and taxes.

The software company makes it easy for international shoppers to make purchases on websites with language and currency localization and the ability to prepay duties and taxes. Zonos also automates cross-border compliance and HS code generation.

Although the company strived to improve their customers’ international shopping experience, they faced challenges when getting these clients up and running with their software. Especially those with complex software integrations that varied in requirements. 

The previous system Zonos used for their customer onboarding was clunky and lacked the flexibility they needed, making the experience cumbersome and inefficient. This prompted Zonos to seek a more dynamic and user-friendly solution. That solution turned out to be Process Street.

In this case study, we’re covering:

• Challenges faced by Zonos 
• Benefits gained by implementing Process Street
• Results: How Process Street transformed Zonos’ onboarding process
• Zonos achieved continuous improvement with Process Street

Challenges faced by Zonos 

Before leveraging Process Street, Zonos faced multiple challenges:

• Complexity of onboarding: Zonos’ products required varied and complex integrations. Their previous onboarding tool was too rigid and cumbersome, complicating the process.
• Lack of customization and visibility: Their previous system lacked the necessary customization and visibility, making it hard to track progress and requirements.
• Inefficient document management: Having to hyperlink documents and videos created an inefficient process requiring customers to switch between tabs.

Benefits gained by implementing Process Street

Process Street provided solutions through dynamic workflows, seamless integrations, embedded documents and videos, and clear task visibility. This helped Zonos benefit from:

Improved customization and ease of use

Before Process Street, Zonos had relied on a different onboarding software which fell short in customization and ease of use.

Seamless integration of documents and videos

With Process Street, Zonos achieved exactly that. The ability to embed documents and videos directly into tasks transformed their onboarding process.

Significant reduction in onboarding time

The results speak for themselves.

Enhanced efficiency for complex integrations

At Zonos, the onboarding process involves complex integrations that often take several months to complete.

Continuous improvement through user feedback

Emilee handles the creation and iteration of the workflows, taking on feedback from the onboarding team and clients to continuously refine the processes.

Results: How Process Street transformed Zonos’ onboarding process

Process Street has not just met but exceeded Zonos’ goals, underscoring the real, transformative power of effective process management technology. 

Zonos has significantly reduced onboarding time, streamlined complex workflows, centralized documentation, and improved customer satisfaction with a more intuitive onboarding process.

Here’s how: 

Reduced onboarding time 

Onboarding times were slashed, with workflows taking less time to complete, benefiting both Zonos and their clients.

Clear and intuitive

Customers and the onboarding team now experience a straightforward process with all necessary documents and steps neatly embedded in the tasks. 

Efficient task management

Conditional logic and checklist views eliminated the previously messy Kanban system, providing clarity and reducing errors. 

Enhanced integration

Using Zapier, Zonos seamlessly integrated Process Street with existing tools, maintaining clean data transfer and task automation. Since doing this, their client feedback has significantly improved. 

Zonos achieved continuous improvement with Process Street 

Zonos uses Process Street for:

• Customer onboarding for multiple product lines
• Integrating documents and videos into onboarding tasks
• Automating notifications and task assignments through Slack and Zapier
• Gathering feedback through post-onboarding surveys

While their current primary use of Process Street is for client onboarding, Zonos sees potential for expanding its use. 

In terms of overall impact, Zonos has experienced fewer errors and more efficient task management. 

The post Zonos Streamlined Customer Onboarding and Slashed Implementation Time by 40% with Process Street first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

Welcome to the Employee Onboarding Podcast, where we explore the best practices and innovative ideas from the world’s top HR professionals and thought leaders. The topic for this podcast: What really makes a successful onboarding process.

Today, we’ll be joined by Maxine Dorkin, a dynamic professional in the youth employment sector and currently a PhD candidate at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. 

Maxine’s impressive journey includes managing work readiness programs that have impacted over 5,000 unemployed youth, extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, and a pivot into the technology space where she now excels in designing and facilitating onboarding programs.

Join us as we uncover Maxine’s insights on how to align personal values with organizational missions, the importance of community in the workplace, and strategies to enhance employee engagement and retention. 

This conversation provides practical takeaways for any HR professional looking to elevate their onboarding process.

Here’s what we’re going to cover in this episode:

• Introducing Maxine Dorkin
• A little about employee onboarding
• The key pieces to a successful onboarding experience
• Creating a sense of belonging
• The role of culture in onboarding
• Advice for HR professionals
• Creating lasting impressions

Let’s get started!

You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Deezer, & all your favorite podcast platforms!

Introducing Maxine Dorkin

Erin Rice: Welcome to the Employee Onboarding Podcast, where we are unpacking great onboarding ideas and best practices from the world’s top HR practitioners and thought leaders. 

At Process Street, that starts with our mission to make work fun, fast, and faultless for teams everywhere. 

My name is Erin Rice, and I’m the People and Operations Coordinator at Process Street. Today, I’m joined by Maxine Dorkin.

Maxine is in the final year of her PhD at Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her research explores marginalized youth’s transition to work. 

She has extensive experience in the youth employment sector where she managed work readiness programs for five years, which have reached up to 5,000 unemployed youth. 

Maxine is a licensed occupational social worker and a business coach with certifications in team management. Her master’s thesis at Wits University explored the topic of coaching as an innovative methodology for social workers. She has extensive experience conducting leadership and workplace interventions from leadership teams. 

Maxine has experience in the nonprofit sector and has served on the board of nonprofits. For the last five years, she has pivoted into an HR role in the technology space, working for San Technology where she has worked in people experience, responsible for designing and facilitating onboarding programs for several hundred employees. 

Thank you so much for joining us today, Maxine!

Maxine Dorkin: Well, thank you for having me, Erin. It’s such a lovely pleasure to be with you and to be a part of this awesome Process Street conversation.

Erin: Yeah, so before we dive in, I’d like to ask an icebreaker. What is a sauce, condiment, or dressing that you cannot live without?

Maxine: I’m so happy you mentioned that because I love sauces! My fridge is not complete if it doesn’t have some hot chili sauce. It needs to be homemade with garlic and parsley and sort of crushed chilies. I use it on everything so it’s not only a condiment because I also use it to cook with. I’m a chili garlic kind of girl and I tend to like to take a bottle with me on holiday. So I’m that kind of person.

Erin: That’s amazing. At the grocery store, I recently saw to-go hot sauces, and I was like, people bring their hot sauce with them on vacation. I’m sure they do. That’s amazing. Awesome. Well, you’ll have to share that recipe.

Maxine: Yeah. I’ll do that for sure. I feel like something’s missing if I can’t get a little bit of it on whatever I cook or eat.

A little about employee onboarding

Erin:  Well, now, what we came here for – employee onboarding. What a dynamic background. I’m so excited to hear more about how your passions have evolved and landed you in this HR space.

Maxine: I guess for myself, it’s always been around people’s development. And so, for as long as I can remember, I’ve been in the people’s space. Whether working in NPOs, in the child welfare sector, or as a social worker, I’ve always been interested in people development.

But there came a point just after my masters where I really got to see a gap in the market and the HR space around bespoke workplace interventions. 

Occupational social work and looking at how to design and implement workplace interventions, particularly for at-risk populations became something that was of real interest. And so I began studying, reading, and working towards that through my masters and looking at how to develop that.

But the role that I’m currently in, to answer your question, is a combination of those things. It looks at how we can utilize highly engaging interventions to be able to make an impact and also drive employee engagement. 

I believe there’s a thread from all parts of my background that has landed me here. Ultimately, it’s about being a part of impact-driven work that’s meaningful, and that really keeps me motivated.

Erin: That’s amazing. And how does employee onboarding fold into all of that?

Maxine: Good question! So, I would say that I started in the people experience space, that’s what we called it. And I know there’s a number of different names for that. I started right before COVID and it was a new kind of role. 

I think we as an organization got to see the value of being able to be intentional about designing interventions remotely for our employees. I had the privilege of being able to lead that team and get it kickstarted, but I also could see the value that it can add to the business. 

People operations has always traditionally been a real part of sort of setting up core systems, HR, IES, and all of this. The people’s experience was almost nice to have, but during COVID that almost changed. The value around belonging, company culture, and looking at onboarding experiences became a focus to drive retention and employee engagement. 

The key pieces to a successful onboarding experience

Erin: Yeah, onboarding is so important. What would you say are sort of the key pieces to making a successful onboarding experience?

Maxine: I think I like to look at the building blocks as three main chunks. 

There’s this big piece around welcome and alignment, making sure that our employees have a sense of belonging and understand that there’s a space that they belong to. 

I think if I just look at the overall structure running through the thread with the sense of welcome, alignment to what it is we do, a deep sense of belonging. 

And I think, just touch on belonging again because it’s quite overlooked in how we design and think about these processes. There’s a huge part of our culture that needs to flow through in that onboarding piece. But it is also the last element around the functional and team onboarding.

So aside from the overarching alignment to the organization and all of what fits into understanding the role and the awareness of the organization, mission strategy, core products, all that kind of thing, there’s this piece around the belonging that holds the glue between that and between the functional or the team onboarding. 

And you have supporting elements like pre -pre-onboarding or an onboarding course or material around reading and decks and just support content that fits into that. 

But then also just one-on-one relationships. It’s like these coffee chats and these serendipitous ways in which people can get to know people who are similar to them. So, it’s creating space for people to feel like this is an environment that I want to be in. I feel like I’m a part of what I found has worked over the years running the onboarding programs that I have run.

Erin: Yeah. And it’s almost like that pre -pre-onboarding piece, you have to deliver on everything that they expected, right out the gate for them to be like, “I made the right choice. I picked the right company. I took the right job”. Yeah, that’s so true.

Maxine: Exactly! This makes sense to me, and I’m confident now to come into this. That’s key, I think. 

So, setting that up in a way that helps people to feel like, “I want to take this further. I want to commit to making this my kind of home” before they get into onboarding fully. But how we run it is in the virtual space, a week-long onboarding process.

So it’s quite intense, but it’s a real culture immersion after the pre -onboarding. So that’s the kind of process in terms of how the pieces work together, the functional kind of happening either in between or during.

Erin: Yeah, for sure.

At the end of our company onboarding, we always go back to the new hire and say, what is your impression of Process Street now? Did we over-promise what this was going to be like? Did we deliver? Is this what you expected? And gratefully, they normally say yes, which is always a positive. But you never really know if they’re taking the information throughout the process.

Maxine: Yes, yes. What is your impression of Process Street now?

Creating a sense of belonging

Erin: Speaking of that interview process, I’d love to hear a little bit more about pre -onboarding and what that looks like for you.

Maxine: So, I’d say there’s a lot of work to be done around in the pre-onboarding space.  So, there are elements that we haven’t fully worked out in the best possible way. I’ll speak to what I’ve been doing and what would be the ideal. 

I think if we talk about the onboarding space, we need to separate the systems onboarding, which will be set up in terms of all of the processes and all of the tools and all of what you need to get yourself sort of running. 

A lot of that happens a week or two before, immediately after the contract is signed, and then after the person has joined. So some of that sits into the people operation space, and that pre -onboarding happens there. 

From the cultural perspective, I’d say the pre-onboarding begins with a formal pre-onboarding course.

And this is essentially all for LMS. It’s going through content related to the high-level understanding of who our business is. 

It’s almost giving a bit of a snapshot into some of what that is. It’s around our mission, our vision, our culture, our history, all of the kinds of real building blocks in video formats, and then a few questions. What we do is we take that, and then we say, “Okay, let’s come into an onboarding week and talk about what you’ve learned.” 

We see the value of one-on-one engagement around bringing understanding back to how you see this, small group discussions, and this kind of thing. 

Essentially, that is what the pre-onboarding piece looks like – an LMS course, which is four to five hours long, nothing too intense. 

But if you’re going to have to wait until the full onboarding week, because typically we would need a cohort of people to be joining the organization at once to run that sort of culture immersion piece, you’ve at least got a good sense of who you’re joining and why you’re joining and what our main projects are and access to that. 

Another piece of it, and it’s not quite pre -onboarding, but it does look to the beginning phases of those important one-to-one contacts, that very first week of joining key individuals you need to meet with, and how you need to position yourself to get ready for your role. 

I speak of onboarding week as such. It’s more now this culture immersion week-long onboarding fiesta that happens for a couple of hours. And that’s how I’ve run it.

The role of culture in onboarding

Erin: Yeah, for sure. I love that onboarding Fiesta. Is that then where your cohorts come into play? So it’s like a group of new hires that are doing this?

Maxine: It’s a group, exactly. And the beautiful thing about this, and what I’ve found and tried all different versions of it, is that because we’re scaling quite rapidly, we can easily have 15 to 20 people every two to three months because we’re hiring quite fast.

What’s beautiful about it is that there’s almost a group of people who journey on the whole employee journey together. And they become onboarding buddies. So it’s like, “I did onboarding with you, I’ve got a connection.” 

You find these conversations happen. And it’s like, there’s this common point. Another thing that happens just so magically is that employees who have been on onboarding together become friends and want to connect on their own, irrespective of what we set up. 

So there’s that sense of belonging and connection and “I’m not alone in this.”  I think it’s such a beautiful, important part of coming into a workplace that you want to show up in. Cause you know people. And so that’s the value of a cohort kind of piece.

Erin: Absolutely! I bet that having that camaraderie and that sense of belonging when things get stressful, workloads increase, that having that group of people to lean on that learned all the same things that you learned at the same time is probably really helpful in creating some fibers that will help you through those difficult times that companies sometimes go through.

Maxine: And I think there’s a lot more anxiety and nervousness around being part of a whole new group. “Have I made the right decision? Is this a part of a group that I want to be a part of?”

So I think that that community that you create allays those fears. And it helps us to just bridge that gap around, “Do I belong?”

Advice for HR professionals

Erin: Yeah, for sure. I’d love for you to circle back to the studies that you’re doing with youth entering into the workforce and hear a little bit more about what companies can do to change things for them or any other feedback that you can share as we have these new generations joining us.

Maxine: I love that question. I’m so passionate about it because I think it’s just one of the overlooked pieces around how we approach onboarding. 

I think it’s this whole piece around what needs to be customized and personalized for our employees. And in this instance, it’s not just for young, marginalized youth employees, but it’s any cohort of employees coming into an organization. 

Organizations would benefit from looking to a more personalized approach to understanding what it is that their workforce needs. So it’s about saying not just “What do I need to do to get this person up to speed,” but a lot more about “What’s the background that this person comes from? How do they integrate into a new work environment?”

So if they’re someone who’s never worked before, what is it we need to do to be able to put in place to give them a sense of confidence from early on? 

But I think it’s so critical that we are empathetic to the journey that young people walk and what systems we have in place that either help to build that or are built for a generation that doesn’t work for young people or doesn’t work for the kind of spaces that will make for engagement.

I think taking a good hard look at the types of processes you have in place, who was that developed for when was that developed, and how are we tweaking what we have now for the type of young person or the type of employee that we have coming into? 

It’s about being flexible. This is the way we’ve always done it. This is how it always needs to be done. It’s being iterative around the fact that the workforce is changing. Every five years, we have different kinds of individuals who come into the work. 

In terms of where we hire and who our hiring pool is, we need to be able to say if there’s a geographic kind of space that we’re hiring from, what are some of the needs of that community? What are some of the issues that young people in certain spaces have? What will make for benefits and packages that make work more attractive?

And these are not easy questions to answer. It’s not like we can understand this just automatically, but I think coming from the perspective of, “I want to be able to improve what it is we have so that we can meet the needs of our employees” is the type of mindset that employees and HR practitioners need to dial into.

Erin: Yeah, for sure. And all that’s going to do is help with retention, right? If you’re prepared, if you’re personalized, if you’re well taken care of, your experience is managed positively, and your background is factored into all of the decisions that are made in helping you ramp. 

Those people are going to feel very welcome. They’re going to get that sense of belonging. And ultimately, they’re going to want

Maxine: Yeah, absolutely! And it’s been willing to let go of ways in which we’ve been doing things, to open ourselves up to this particular process, or try these particular tools.

And if it still works the way that it does, keep doing it. If not, scrap it.

Erin: And as our world is changing so rapidly, we always have to be ready to pivot, and that’s not just onboarding.

Maxine: Yeah!

Creating lasting impressions

Erin: This has been so great. I always like to end with one final question. What is one thing that companies can do to create wow moments for their new hires?

Maxine: I love that! So maybe we can talk about one of the things that we do, that I think is special.

We look to align personal values with organizational values through an exercise of creating a personalized mission map in the onboarding process. This is done in a small group setting.

So three or four people within the onboarding week. And you would look at the things that are important and you value about yourself. 

And so it’s getting to know your values, getting to understand a little bit of your history, like the things that make you tick. And then saying,” This is who I am; this is the kind of impact that I want to make and the mark I want to leave in the world.”

And you end this week on this high of, “I’ve learned something new about myself.” And we’re able to take that thread and say, “This is how, within the space that you’re joining in this organization, your mission fits into the organization’s mission.” 

I think because we’ve worked with the group for five days, ending on this particular mission map creates a sense of cohesion and a sense of, “I want to share because you’re now sharing at a really deep level.” 

But because you’ve been kind of journeying with people for five days, you can be vulnerable. And there’s that part about opening yourself up to other people and being vulnerable that allows you to show up at work in a very real way, in a very genuine way, you know? 

And so all the pretenses, and all the nervousness, the whole sense of bravado when you first join, it almost just falls off. And you have these very beautiful, rich individuals who are here to get their hands dirty. And it shows a sense of common ground; that we are all the same.

Ending onboarding at that level always gives us the highest NPS rating because people are like, “Wow, this has been so useful. I’ve gained so much out of it.”

So yeah, that’s been a really beautiful process for me to run. I facilitate that piece. I’m doing a different part of working in a different part of the business now. But I love that. I just think it’s so beautiful.

Erin: And to connect that back to what we started this conversation with, that sense of belonging is then sort of just reiterated in one other new way.

Maxine: Yeah! The sense of community, of “I’m just a part of something where other individuals are here with me.” I think creating that, especially in a remote work world, is so powerful. It is so powerful.

Erin: Absolutely. And the more connected we can be, the more we’re going to produce and ultimately push goals forward and just hopefully make the world a better place.

Maxine: Yeah, and just get along with people and enjoy the process. Have fun while you’re doing it.

Erin: Absolutely! Well, Maxine, this has been so wonderful. Thank you for your time.

Maxine: Thank you, it’s been such a pleasure chatting with you. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this errand.

Erin: I’m hoping you’ll share that chili pepper recipe with me soon.
Maxine: I certainly will do that!

The post Employee Onboarding Podcast: What Makes a Successful Onboarding Process? first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

Colliers is a global commercial real estate company that helps its clients select corporate real estate, manage lease renewals, and handle portfolio strategies.

It’s a massive operation that requires an intense amount of organization and transparency to deliver the best services for its clients. One of the ways it accomplishes this is by using Process Street.

But how did Colliers come to use Process Street? And how has it helped transform its operations? We will answer those questions and more in this case study.

We’ll cover:

• The challenge
• The solution
• The results

If you want to learn more about how Process Street has helped Colliers, check out our video about it below:

The challenge 

Prior to implementing Process Street, Colliers was reliant on Excel to manage processes, develop plans, and organize due dates, assignees, and tasks.

While Excel was a useful tool, it didn’t deliver everything they needed, and they ran into a number of problems while using it, namely version control and governance.

Colliers does not operate within a stagnant industry. Things change, policies need to be adjusted, and processes sometimes need to add new tasks or remove old ones. Being dynamic is key to survival and making clients happy, but that was difficult with Excel.

The various teams at Colliers found that they had trouble keeping track of updated processes. There were situations where information either got lost or the person who had the most up-to-date information was either out sick or on vacation, which meant the rest of the team was out of luck.

Because of that, they knew Excel was not sustainable for them and their needs, so they looked to Process Street.

The solution

After trying out a number of different business process management (BPM) tools, the team at Colliers eventually settled on Process Street, finding its flexibility, ease of use, and exceptional support team to be the best fit for their needs.

Teams tend to get a little spooked when trying out a new tech at work, but Colliers didn’t have that issue with Process Street. They started small with just one team using it, but as more and more teams tried it out, its popularity within the organization grew and the change management was much easier.

Now, Process Street is aiding different teams in:

• Client boarding
• Transition processes
• Account management governance
• Email approval process with clients

By using Process Street instead of Excel, not only are processes now more simplified but information is more easily shared and workflows are more personalized for each client.

The results

The team at Colliers has noticed three major benefits:

• Time saved
• Better process efficiency
• Happier clients

Let’s break each of these down.

Time saved

The different teams at Colliers that use Process Street no longer have to create a plan for every new client transition. Process Street automatically does it for them.

Even if they have a client with more unique, individualized needs, they can take a process that they’ve already created and customize it to suit the client without missing any vital steps in the transition process.

Better process efficiency

Process Street has taken what was before a set of complex processes and turned them into a simple set of tasks.

That makes creating and implementing the processes much less daunting.

Furthermore, Process Street makes it incredibly easy to set due dates and see who is assigned to which task, meaning they have little trouble staying on top of things and completing processes on time and to full compliance.

And with the collaboration features it offers, team members and guests are able to reach out to one another within the platform to communicate any needs, centralizing communication.

Happier clients

Colliers’ clients have loved the implementation of Process Street.

It’s made everything so much more transparent. From the very first onboarding call, account managers can show the clients what the transition process will look like, and from there, clients can keep track of exactly where they are in the process, or go back and reference something if they need to.

And with the increased fluidity Process Street offers, the teams at Colliers are able to easily make changes as necessary to better suit their clients’ needs, so the clients get a far more tailored experience.

The post How Colliers Manages Some of the Largest Buildings on the Planet first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

Welcome to the Employee Onboarding Podcast, where we dive into cutting-edge onboarding strategies and gain insights from HR leaders.

Today, we’re thrilled to be joined by Keisha Toussaint who is a seasoned HR professional crafting exceptional onboarding experiences.

With eight years of HR expertise and a master’s degree in human resource management, Keisha leads initiatives in learning and development, employee engagement, and relations at Betches.

She prioritizes honesty and transparency in onboarding and highlights the crucial role of managers in tailoring experiences to individual needs and preferences.

Here’s everything we’re going to cover in this episode:

• Introduction & an icebreaker question
• Crafting exceptional onboarding experiences with Keisha Toussaint
• The role of managers in shaping a welcoming environment
• The role of AI in onboarding
• Customizing onboarding experiences to individual needs

You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Deezer, & all your favorite podcast platforms!

Introduction & an icebreaker question

Erin Rice: Welcome to the Employee Onboarding Podcast, where we’re unpacking great onboarding ideas and best practices from the world’s top HR practitioners and thought leaders.

At Process Street, that starts with our mission to make recurring work fun, fast, and faultless for teams everywhere.  My name is Erin Rice, and I’m the People and Operations Coordinator here at Process Street. 

Today, I’m joined by Keisha Toussaint. Keisha is the Senior Manager of People Culture at Betches! 

Betches is a female-founded and led media and entertainment brand that provides a space for all women to get real about life in a funny, honest, and unfiltered way. 

If you haven’t checked it out yet, please do. It’s got hilarious content. Keisha oversees learning and development, employee engagement, relations, onboarding, and offboarding. 

She has been an HR professional for about eight years and holds a master’s in human resource management. She always takes a human approach when interacting with her colleagues and team. 

It is so nice to have you today. Thanks for joining us.

Keisha Toussaint: Thank you so much for having me. I’m really excited for our conversation.

Erin: Before we dive in, I’d like to start with an icebreaker question. What is the craziest fashion trend that you’ve ever worn?

Keisha:  I want to say low-rise jeans, but I don’t know because now I’m a mom of two. I have an almost four-year-old in May, and I have a four-month-old. 

Low-rise jeans started to make their way back, but I’m gonna need them to circle back to where they came from because I am with the high-waisted fashion girls!

But the low-rise jeans—never again, not buying them. I don’t know who told me to go back and purchase a pair, but I returned them. I was like, no, low-rise jeans are not for me. It was definitely pre-high school. But now, high-waist jeans—all day. Yes, they’re so comfortable.

Erin: All day. I’m with you. I’m a high-waist jeans girl as well. I think it is so comfortable and great for the mom-bod. 

Awesome. Thank you for sharing that. I’m sure other people can totally relate to that coming back around again. Now, what we really came here for is employee onboarding.

Crafting exceptional onboarding experiences with Keisha Toussaint

Erin: I’d love it if we could start by hearing a little bit about what a great employee onboarding experience looks like from your perspective.

Keisha: Well, first and foremost, it’s really about being honest and being human with your employees. 

Making them feel like it’s their second home because, think about it, we’re spending literally 40 hours plus in a workplace! And we have 24 hours in a day. So it’s eight hours a day, give or take. 

You want to make sure that the individual coming into your company feels welcome, has everything they need to be set up for success, and can be with you long term. 

Again, we want to ensure that we’re retaining employees. So, a good onboarding process involves transparency and being quick and responsive to employees, especially within the first 90 days.

Statistics show that within the first 90 days of employment, employees either love or hate it. So you really, really want to set the bar high for employees coming into your organization, making sure that they feel valued and appreciated and that you truly want them there.

Erin: I was reading a little bit about your background on your LinkedIn page, and you mentioned believing in a customized HR approach. How do you apply that to onboarding? 

Keisha: I mean, everyone’s different. And I feel like working in HR is never black and white. It’s colorful. In any organization that you work in, any employee that you interact with, every individual has a particular style. So, of course, you want to make sure that we’re being consistent with our processes.

When bringing someone in, we might say, “It’s our tradition to go on a coffee date,” or whatever. And everybody likes coffee. 

Or maybe we might want to take them to lunch. Maybe they’re joining on their birthday, and we have some balloons handed out for them. Maybe this person is starting remotely. 

I feel like having a customized approach to onboarding your employees is very, very important.  

And also keep in mind the departments that you work in. Some people could work in sales, some in content, and some in marketing. Everybody’s different. So, it’s really important to have that customizable approach because it makes them feel special rather than just checking off the boxes.

Erin: Yeah, for sure. Do you have any tips that you can share about how to manage that? Because a lot of companies are hiring 20 people a month. How do you still keep that customization within onboarding?

Keisha: That’s a great question. If I’m onboarding, let’s say, three to five employees, I’m making sure that I have all of the basics down. So that’d be connecting with IT, making sure we’re set up in the HRR system, etc. Basically, going through a checklist. 

The role of managers in shaping a welcoming environment

Keisha: The piece that really helps is the managers having that one-on-one conversation with us. People think it’s only HR, and that’s not true. 

It’s also the managers because you’re managing this individual, they’re coming into your team, and you want to make them feel welcome as well. And then, on top of that, managers interact with those employees on a day-to-day basis. HR, not so much. 

We have managers create an agenda for their new hires for the first three days. Then, we have one-on-one conversations with managers – “Okay, what is it going to look like? What is the end game? What are we trying to accomplish within the first three days? Are they going to be starting remotely? When do they have the opportunity to come into the office? Who are they going to meet? What does that look like?”

Then I give my suggestions, and we talk to them. We do that with every single hire. We make the managers a part of the onboarding process; it’s not just HR. 

In the beginning, it’s just like onboarding them and off to the friends you go. But managers do play a significant piece in the onboarding factor. I’m very diligent in working with our managers, ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed and creating a very fun and robust experience for their new hires as well.  

Erin: And equipping them with everything that they need.

Keisha: Exactly. It’s like going on a first date. You have to set the bar high to make them not want to leave you, to feel like they’re being appreciated, and that they made the right decision.

It’s really competitive out there. We want to ensure that we’re securing our top talent and making them feel appreciated and welcome because it’s not a one-way street when extending office to people.

Erin: So they’ll come back for the second date. Yeah, that’s amazing.

With different generations entering the workforce, things are getting different. We still have some baby boomers in the workforce, and then we have this newer generation entering it, too. How does that play into onboarding customization?

Keisha: So, currently, at Betches, we have a nice mixture of millennials and Gen Xs in our workforce. But we now also have some Gen Zs trickling in.

What I’ve noticed is that, prior to my years in HR, it was a very streamlined process, flexibility was not even a thing. Now that Gen Z is in the workforce, they’re very vocal. They set boundaries. 

When we talk about work-life balance, Gen Z actually means that. Then, I had conversations with my mom. She’s like a super Baby Boomer—definitely not an alien—but she says, “You have to go to work every day. You have to be there on time. You have to work whenever they need you to work!”

Baby Boomers are more about royalty for their companies, and millennials are in between. Gen Z is just like – work and life, that’s it. I’m not loyal to you, I’m going to up and go as I please. And if it’s not true to me, I’m on to the next one. 

Hands down, Gen Z is a different breed of workers. But I feel like it’s a good thing because we need accessibility. So I love it. 

Erin: Yeah, and back to your point about really making a good first impression on that first date, that makes it even more important. It’s almost like they’re raising that bar for us.

Keisha: That’s why we need flexibility. We’re in a different work climate now, so it’s like we gotta live to adapt. So I love them.

Erin: We stay on our toes. I love that.

Keisha: Exactly. When you’re going through the interview process, you’re courting and making them want to love you, and then you extend the offer, making sure that’s all good. 

But it really goes down to making that first impression when you’re starting on their first day, making sure they set up for success because it really transitions through the weeks and the months and then eventually the years. So keeping that up is truly, truly important. 

I think that for people not in the employee-focused industry, I feel like they say, “Oh, onboarding! We have all they need, so they’re good to go.” No, it’s beyond that.

Erin: Yeah, and that brings up your point about transparency. One of the first things you said is so important is being transparent. And I think having that lens on ourselves helps us hold ourselves accountable in those moments.

Keisha: Exactly. We should take a customizable approach to onboarding employees and the things that they need. For example, if someone says, “I really am not good at Excel, and I would need some training on it,” we should incorporate that within the onboarding agenda. It is important to ensure that they have the tools to feel successful in their role.

Erin: And I bet that makes them feel seen. 

Keisha: For sure. Oh, for sure!

Erin: So what would be your advice to a new person joining the team in terms of helping them ramp up as quickly as they can and start becoming a contributor? 

Keisha: What’s important is asking a lot of questions. Again, you could be in this space for ten years, and you’re always learning something new. 

So, I learned something from my colleagues, my manager, and my direct support. It’s important to have an open mind and to ask questions because it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Going back to the point of having a customizable approach, that’s important. What’s important, too, is understanding that if they were coming into a new company, how would they want to be treated? What would they want to see having that insight? 

And I feel like, if you’re already working in the HR space, you must love it, or you must like it to have to be having to do with people on a day-to-day basis. And what’s so special about my role is that overseeing people and culture, it’s really what it is, people and culture.

Onboarding plays a factor in that and creates that experience. 

So, you know, anyone joining our team or coming on board, especially working at Betches, is learning to be approachable, fun, and, most importantly, helpful. That’s the environment that we want to create for our employees—knowing that they have someone to come to if they have any questions.

Erin: Yeah, that’s amazing. You mentioned that this newer generation is pretty vocal. Is there a formal opportunity for a feedback loop so that they can improve the process as they go through it?

Keisha: Oh yeah, absolutely! This is something I had implemented when I came to Batches was having a new hire survey. So that’s typically sent after their first month. 

What I want to do this year is incorporate this every 90 days so we can have a touch-based conversation with our new hires, like checking in to see how things are going. 

Because in the first 30 days, it’s like, “Oh my god, this is great! This is fun, I’m excited!” I want to know if you’ve kept that same energy for the past three months.

But we really utilize our surveys and just ask questions. That’s really intentional. And, you know, we want them to be honest because the more honest they are, it helps us improve our process. 

We take feedback seriously. So, if you felt that the new hire orientation was really long and boring, we would like to see you explain the benefits a little bit more. Or can we talk a little bit more about the company? Things like that could potentially pop up, but we’re just ensuring that we’re getting the feedback and implementing it for the future.

Erin: That’s awesome. Sort of managing the post-honeymoon phase. Not to keep bringing it back to dating, but that’s what it is, right?

Keisha: Absolutely. Yeah.

The role of AI in onboarding

Erin: So, AI is all the buzz. We can’t have a conversation about automation, personalization, and customization without bringing it up. I’m curious: Have you sort of dipped your toe into AI? How are you using tools? Are you apprehensive? How are you feeling about it?

Keisha: Personally, I love AI. ChatGPT is my new bestie. AI has changed the game in some sense, but it’s important too.

We don’t use AI to automate everything in our processes. It’s very much person-to-person. But it does help improve processes, learn, or maybe just get suggestions. That’s how I use AI, in terms of—this is what we currently have. How can we revamp it to what’s trending?

Of course, doing research as well. But I am a huge advocate for AI. I’m all for it.

Erin: I noticed in your company’s swags that they have a “Karma is my boyfriend” sweatshirt; we need a “ChatGPT is my bestie.” Can we make that happen?

Keisha: Right! Listen, I’m gonna talk to our team because it needs to happen! 

I am so in love with AI. I feel like I use it more as an enhancement tool, and I don’t solely rely on it because, again, I always want to think with my brain and keep myself sharp. But it’s a little help from my little robot.

Erin: Yeah, it’s definitely about saving that bandwidth so that you can be more present with the humans. 

I did a training recently through Greenhouse and they were saying only 62% of HR professionals are using any type of AI to assist in their world. And I’m like, what? I want to talk to the other percentage and be like, “You’re missing out!”

Keisha: We need to up that number. Yes.

Customizing onboarding experiences to individual needs

Erin: The last question I’d like to end with is, what is the one thing companies can do to create a wow moment for their new hires?

Keisha: I would say invest in your employees. Invest in them, and make them feel appreciated. 

Something that I see companies do, but I would love to see more of, is putting more thought into free stuff, free swag, and making it customizable. Like I said, connecting it back to managers, maybe writing them a cool note, like, “We’re so excited to have you on the team!” and having everyone on the team sign it. 

And something that I would love to incorporate soon is having a buddy program. I think having a buddy or a mentorship program for every new hire is so important. For them to have that go-to person to maneuver the day-to-day.

Having that is important. So, I think companies that don’t have a buddy program should implement one across the board. 

It is so helpful to say, “Hey, I have a question about this,” instead of being afraid. After all, they don’t know that individual. It’s like building a work bestie from the beginning instead of having to network and meet everybody. I feel like that could be a really big moment for companies in their new hire process.

Erin: Yeah, having somebody that’s not your boss to ask a question.

Keisha: Exactly. You never know; your boss might think, “You’re the person asking too many questions.” But I love it when people ask me tons of questions. I feel like no question is stupid because I probably could be thinking about it or may not have the answer to it. So questions are always, always good.

Erin: We have a FAQ page. Everything that we get asked in the onboarding process, we put in there because chances are somebody else missed that information

Keisha: I love that! It’s really helpful.

Erin: Well, this has been so amazing. I definitely have some ideas of what I want to do in my department, but I’ve loved connecting with you and hearing your thoughts. Thank you so much for joining us.

Keisha: Yes, thank you so much. It’s been my pleasure, and such a great conversation. Thank you so much for having me on the podcast!

The post Podcast: How to Build Successful Onboarding Processes (That Just Work) first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

A SaaS heavyweight & one of the largest tech companies in the world with over 49,000 employees in 28 countries, Salesforce has built the worlds most successful CRM – not to mention the tallest building in the Western US, the Salesforce Tower.

In this post we look at how Salesforce Datorama, a marketing intelligence and analytics platform, does client onboarding (and more!) with Process Street. We hosted a webinar with Salesforce Datorama’s senior success consultant Alex Hauer, to reveal their secrets.

Process Street is a no-code workflow software designed to help teams make recurring work fun, fast and faultless. We serve over 450,000 registered users including Salesforce as well as other tech giants like Spotify and Airbnb.

(Salesforce Ventures also participated in our recent $12 million Series A led by Accel, alongside Atlassian and others! )

Salesforce uses Process Street to help their customers learn how to use the product. The customer success team follow Process Street checklists, and even create checklists for the customers to follow directly.

Process Street has helped Salesforce scale best practices, increase new feature adoption, and easily follow & track customer progress.

Let’s see how Salesforce do it, and how you can do it too!

• How Salesforce uses Process Street to streamline client onboarding
• Challenges Salesforce faced (& how Process Street helped)
• The results: How Process Street enabled Salesforce to scale efficiently
• Q&A with Salesforce: Health checks, task assignments, & run links

Let’s jump straight to it.

How Salesforce uses Process Street to streamline client onboarding

Salesforce uses Process Street for:

• New client onboarding
• New employee onboarding & training
• Feature adoption & upselling
• Process documentation

Salesforce has benefited from implementing Process Street by:

• Simplifying complex processes into simple, easy-to-follow checklists
• Personalizing new customer onboarding experiences
• Training the internal Salesforce team on new features
• Enabling customers to troubleshoot
• Efficiently scaling their internal processes & best practices

Challenges Salesforce faced (& how Process Street helped)

Client onboarding is the process of getting new clients started with your product or service. It’s about showing them how they can use your product to achieve their goals. That’s not always easy – client onboarding combines:

• Identifying client needs and expectations
• Understanding important use cases
• Setup of the product to meet those needs
• Customer training to execute their use cases
• Determining success metrics for ongoing success
• Guiding the customer to their aha! moment

How has Salesforce scaled their operations without compromising on the quality of ther offering? When managing client onboarding at scale, you have to think about:

• How knowledge is shared
• How repeated processes should be scaled
• How to monitor what individuals do
• How common language is used
• How to establish and distribute best practice

Salesforce used Process Street to solve the issues above and successfully scale their onboarding operations.

The results: How Process Street enabled Salesforce to scale efficiently

Salesforce uses several Process Street checklists to simplify their new client onboarding processes and solve the problems that come with scaling a company of their size. Salesforce was able to:

• Easily share knowledge
• Increase success rate and reduce human error with documented processes
• Easily track what work was being done, by who
• Provide a single source of truth for the whole organization
• Facilitate continuous improvement
• Set & scale best practices easily across the organization
• Standardize internal operations for seamless remote collaboration and synchronization

Knowledge is easily shared

The Salesforce team use Process Street templates to collaborate and share internal processes. Workflows are like master documents that keep track of their most important operational procedures. They run these workflows, which are tracked via our cloud-based Reports dashboard, to give an easy-to-read overview of the work that is currently ongoing, when it’s due, and who is involved.

Salesforce also uses Process Street checklists to help with customer education. Their customers can access checklists as guests, with key steps and information hidden using Process Street’s Task Permissions feature.

When the customer is inside a checklist as a guest, Salesforce can see their progress in any given checklist from the dashboard. That means it’s possible to offer help when a customer gets stuck, either as a result of the customer letting them know “Hey, I’m stuck on task 9”, or by seeing via the dashboard that they haven’t completed the checklist yet. Dynamic due dates can also help to automate these kinds of flags. Salesforce can then quickly jump in and respond to the query, with the issues noted in an instant.

Documented processes enable consistency

Salesforce can create scalable solutions that remove the guesswork and human error from a given process. Best practices are taken, documented, and then distributed throughout the Salesforce team in the form of a Process Street checklist.

For instance, let’s take a look at one of Salesforce’s internal checklists, the Datorama Use Case Kit (DUCK).

How does Salesforce use this checklist?

Salesforce uses the Datorama Use Case Kit to establish what the client wants to achieve, and how they will achieve it using their product. Running through the steps records the required client information easily. Specific steps such as Pitch Resources, Discovery, and Implementation require fulfillment for successful onboarding with Salesforce. This documentation means no steps can be missed, giving consistency to the repeated processes as the organization scales.

Work is easily tracked

Salesforce managers can easily keep track of checklist progress for each team member (or client).

Client information is stored securely on the cloud, with Process Street’s checklists acting as a system of record. For instance, in the Datorama Use Case Kit checklist, Process Street’s form fields record who the client is (client name), account ID, who the account manager is, and note the client’s primary use case.

This way, all information and feedback around any given client can be effortlessly tracked and referenced for a more high-touch client onboarding approach.

A common language is used

Running through a given Process Street checklist guarantees each Salesforce employee is following the same process regardless of location. Best practices for client communication are provided in each checklist.

For instance, in the Datorama Use Case Kit checklist, employees are prompted to ask questions designed to encourage helpful and responsive answers.

Continuous improvements are facilitated

Because all processes are documented, process bottlenecks can be more easily located and dealt with. This ability to rapidly and easily make edits to processes means that continuous improvement is facilitated throughout the organization.

At Process Street we know processes are not static, and sometimes updates need to be made on the fly. This is why we designed our software to push – if required – changes into active and pre-existing checklists, meaning all documented and recorded information is kept up-to-date automatically.

Documented processes enable scalability

Documenting client onboarding processes builds a stable foundation from which the Salesforce team can grow.

For Salesforce, Process Street creates the standardization needed for client onboarding via documenting best practices. But also, each Process Street checklist gives unique, dynamic, and interactive solutions that adapt on a case-by-case basis.

Let’s look again at the Datorama Use Case Kit checklist. There are several use cases a client may want to tackle using Salesforce. From Cost Reconciliation to Non-Traditional Data Analysis and then Programmatic Media Extension. Each use case comes with a separate set of steps, unique for client onboarding in that scenario.

Let’s say the client wants to tackle the Media Performance Optimization (MPO) use case – as highlighted in the image above. The selection of this use case activates Process Street’s Conditional Logic feature by altering the left-hand checklist that details process tasks. This means the checklist serves the most relevant steps for the specific client, standardized and customized for the client’s needs. Utilizing Process Street’s Conditional Logic feature in this way surfaces the most relevant and appropriate information to the client at the given time.

Combining an element of standardization with process flexibility gives the Salesforce Team a single source of truth to complete their tasks with accuracy. Systems are prevented from moving into disarray with the increased complexity of growth.

Best practices are established and distributed

With team members using the same documented process, best practices are successfully distributed. Because Process Street’s templates and checklists are stored on the cloud, they can be accessed from anywhere at any time.

Onboarding operations roll out smoothly on a global level, regardless of location and time zone.

Operations are standardized, even when not everyone is co-located

This final point draws from the latter. Process Street’s documented templates are stored on the cloud meaning they can be accessed from anywhere at any time. Using Process Street’s cloud-based storage solution along with Process Street’s unique features streamlines team-wide communication across the globe.

For instance, with Process Street’s Approvals feature, lengthy delays, bottlenecks, and major setbacks are avoided when important items need approval from other team members in a different location.

Q&A with Salesforce: Health checks, task assignments, & run links

To truly understand how Salesforce has used Process Street to scale its client onboarding processes, we set up a webinar with Salesforce Datorama’s Senior Success Consultant Alex Hauer, and Process Street’s Customer Success Manager Blake Bailey.

Below is a snippet of the Q&A session we held in the webinar. Scroll to the bottom to watch the whole video.

Question #1: The main question I get from my team is ‘why use Process Street when Salesforce is a sole source of truth to customers?’

Blake:

“Think about any sort of tool, whatever it is, and note that every tool has an objective. For a tool like Salesforce – or other CRM tools – the object in the database is the customer.

Now, think about Process Street. What is the object of Process Street?

For Process Street, the object is not the customer, it is the process. More specifically, it is the checklist that is running the process. Now, you can see how Salesforce and Process Street are separate. Salesforce will maintain your customer data. But say you need to make changes to your customer onboarding procedures, how would you track, distribute, and maintain these changes?

This is when you’d want to use Process Street with the process as the objective.”

Alex:

“Process Street and Salesforce are complementary tools. To give a real-life example, we run a Weekly Health Check checklist for our clients.

For this, we use a checklist run link. This run link is part of the client object in Salesforce. On activation, the link fills out the Weekly Health Check checklist automatically recording all the client-specific information.

We are also working to integrate the backward flow, so every time you run a checklist for a given client, it’s automated into Salesforce as an activity or note for that client. This means every action done for a given client is documented in one place while also having the benefits of Process Street in a step-by-step checklist.”

For more information on how to integrate Salesforce with Process Street (and vice-versa), read: Salesforce + Process Street Integration.

Question #2: Is there a way in Process Street to assign a process to X user and another to Y user, with Y user getting notified when X user finished up their part?

Blake:

“Yes […] you’ll use Process Street’s Task Assignments feature. […] I think that is something you guys are using, Alex?”

Alex:

“Yes, it is. With Task Assignments and Stop Tasks, we can ensure the Account Manager comes in and does the appropriate task. Once that task is completed, the Client Success Manager can then come into the checklist and move onto the next step, or alert other teams as needed to ensure everything is running smoothly. This delivers team cross-functional collaboration.”

Question #3: How would a customer find the checklist themselves without help from an agent? Can Process Street expose a public knowledge base that customers can browse through?

Blake:

“The only way you can do that is to create a share link. There is a permission that allows the sharing pre-requisites to be set – this is similar to Google Docs and Google Drive.

Once you have created this share link, host these links on your site.

Additionally, you can have a checklist run link – individuals can come into the checklist remaining anonymous with no need to login to Process Street. A lot of people use checklist run links as a form to submit a ticket. Or they work through a given checklist via a run link to solve their problem.”

Alex:

“To give another real-life example, we send those shared checklist links to clients when they reach out to us, giving us a reactive approach, not a proactive one – the clients are not finding these checklists on their own.

A more proactive approach, where the client locates the checklists themselves, could be possible with some fun setups. As a point though, using the checklist run links provides a good way to ensure we’re continually engaging with the clients while also giving them independence.”

Question #4: Are there any plans on making a day to day task option on top of the predefined checklist?

Blake:

“You would want to use the schedule checklist feature. That is something that you guys use at Datorama right, Alex?”

Alex:

“Yes, sure is. For our Daily Health Checks checklist.”

Blake:

“For anything you do on a repeating basis, you can create a scheduled checklist. Take a process you have created and schedule this process to run on X interval. Who’ll be assigned to this process, how it should be named, and all other automated features still apply. You’ll never have to run the checklist again, it’ll run automatically in the background.”

Taking it to the next level

Alex and the Salesforce team have seen profound improvements to their client onboarding processes with the help of Process Street. On top of that, Alex has been able to successfully manage an expanding global workforce remotely with all of the flexibility and adaptability needed during COVID-19.

Alex is looking to further incorporate Process Street into Salesforce’s daily operations by adding more automated integrations.

You can check out the full webinar we ran with Salesforce here:

And don’t forget – you can sign up to Process Street for free and get started today!

Have any questions about how Salesforce uses Process Street for client onboarding? Let us know, and we’ll get back to you in the comments!

The post How Salesforce Uses Process Street for Effective Client Onboarding first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

Cloud-based, paperless workflows are the future of office efficiency, while poorly indexed, illegible files are stuck firmly in the pre-SaaS era, where they belong. HR professionals take on a ton of different responsibilities throughout the day and deal with plenty of repetitive, complex tasks.

Relying on your own brain (as much as you’d want to think you can) and bits of paper stuck to your monitor just isn’t the way to get things done. Some businesses are still a little slow on the uptake, but it’s obvious that what we need is a smart, foolproof solution that is immune to the silly mistakes we’re so prone to making. That solution is software-as a-service (SaaS).

Let’s take a look at:

• Top 23 HR tools
• Benefits of using HR tools
• Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS)
• Key features of HR tools
• How to choose an HR tool

Top 23 HR tools

Process Street

Process Street is a powerful workflow automation platform designed to streamline HR processes. From onboarding tools to performance reviews, it offers customizable templates, task management, and collaboration tools to ensure HR tasks are efficiently executed and compliance requirements are met.

Key features:

• Checklist automation: Create and automate dynamic checklists for recurring processes.
• Conditional logic: Customize workflows with conditional logic based on responses.
• Collaborative workflows: Facilitate team collaboration on tasks and processes.
• Integration capabilities: Seamlessly integrate with tons of apps and tools.
• Task assignment: Assign and track responsibilities within processes.
• Data collection: Gather and store data through forms within checklists.
• Reporting and analytics: Generate insights with analytics on process performance.
• Version control: Maintain and track versions of checklists for auditing.
• API access: Connect with other applications through APIs.
• Document storage: Attach and manage documents relevant to processes.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface makes it user-friendly.
• Offers secure data handling and storage.
• It has a mobile application.
• Custom automated workflows can be made with AI.
• It has lots of premade workflow templates to choose from.

Cons:

• There is no free plan.

Allay

Allay is a comprehensive solution for the most tedious aspects of your job. With paperless health insurance purchasing, digital document signing and new hire onboarding, Allay takes care of the annoying little tasks that have a tendency to pile up and destroy whatever ‘workflow’ you’ll have left afterwards. 

Key features:

• Benefits enrollment: Enables employees to enroll in benefits plans online.
• Plan comparison: Provides tools for comparing different benefits plans.
• Compliance management: Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Employee self-service: Allows employees to manage their benefits independently.
• Cost analysis: Provides cost breakdowns for different benefits options.

Pros:

• Integrates with HRIS and payroll systems for data synchronization.
• Offers personalized recommendations based on employee needs.
• Provides resources and tools to help employees understand their benefits options.
• Handles COBRA administration tasks, including notifications and billing.

Cons:

• It gets buggy sometimes and doesn’t work properly.

Zenefits

Zenefits is a comprehensive HR platform that streamlines benefits administration, payroll, and HR tasks. With its user-friendly interface and automated processes, Zenefits simplifies HR management, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations while ensuring compliance and employee satisfaction.

Key features:

• Onboarding: Streamlines the new hire onboarding process.
• Employee self-service: Allows employees to manage their information and benefits.
• Performance management: Tracks employee performance and goals.
• Time off management: Manages employee vacation, sick, and paid time off.
• Document management: Stores and organizes HR documents securely.

Pros:

• Manages employee benefits enrollment, changes, and renewals.
• Scales to accommodate businesses of all sizes and growth stages.
• Processes payroll accurately and efficiently.
• Tracks employee work hours and attendance.

Cons:

• It doesn’t work well for companies that have international contractors.
• Payroll processing is a bit slow.

TINYpulse

TINYpulse is an employee engagement platform that fosters a positive workplace culture through continuous feedback, recognition, and performance management. With its intuitive interface and actionable insights, TINYpulse helps organizations boost employee morale, retention, and productivity effectively.

Key features:

• Anonymous feedback: Allows employees to provide feedback anonymously.
• Pulse surveys: Conducts regular surveys to gauge employee satisfaction and engagement.
• Recognition wall: Enables employees to recognize and appreciate their peers publicly.
• Cheers for peers: Allows employees to send virtual “cheers” to their colleagues.
• Employee feedback channels: Provides multiple channels for employees to submit feedback.

Pros:

• Helps employees set and track personal and team goals.
• Provides a platform for employees to submit ideas and suggestions.
• Allows employees to track their mood and well-being over time.
• Supports customizable recognition programs to celebrate achievements.

Cons:

• Its version control isn’t the best.
• The licensing can be inflexible.

WorkforceGrowth

WorkforceGrowth is a cloud-based app for conducting and analyzing performance reviews. It allows you to schedule reviews to occur as often as necessary and keep track of employee progress over time. The app comes loaded with preset review templates and questions, and can either automatically schedule reviews or take manual input.

Key features:

• Personalized learning paths: Tailors training programs to individual employee skill levels and career goals.
• Interactive content: Engages learners with interactive modules, videos, and quizzes.
• Skill assessments: Evaluates employee skills and identifies areas for improvement.
• Certification programs: Offers certification courses for specific skills or industries.
• Progress tracking: Monitors employee progress and completion of training modules.

Pros:

• Motivates employees with gamified learning experiences and rewards.
• Offers courses to ensure employees meet regulatory requirements.
• Generates reports on training effectiveness and ROI.
• Helps employees set goals and track progress towards career advancement.

Cons:

• It’s not great for larger enterprises.

Breezy HR

Breezy HR is a beautiful employee onboarding management system which operates like a CRM for hiring. Job board advertisements on LinkedIn, StackOverflow, and other major portals, can be added from inside the app. Potential candidates can be dragged/dropped through Breezy HR’s pipeline complete with contact details, parsed resumes, and comments from the team.

Key features:

• Applicant tracking system (ATS): Manages the entire hiring process from job posting to candidate selection.
• Job board posting: Distributes job postings to multiple job boards and social media platforms.
• Career page builder: Creates customizable career pages to showcase job openings and company culture.
• Candidate sourcing: Sources candidates from various channels, including job boards and employee referrals.
• Resume parsing: Automatically extracts relevant information from resumes and profiles.

Pros:

• Organizes and tracks candidate profiles, applications, and communication.
• Streamlines the interview scheduling process with automated tools and calendar integrations.
• Administers skills assessments and tests to evaluate candidate qualifications.
• Conducts background checks and verifies candidate credentials.

Cons:

• Putting together advanced reports is tricky.
• The integrations with job boards aren’t very robust.

BambooHR

BambooHR is a cloud-based enterprise software suite offering an all-in-one HR platform that handles employee management, finance, planning, and analytics. Renowned for its user-friendly interface and scalability, BambooHR empowers organizations with real-time insights, agile planning, and efficient workforce management, making it a comprehensive solution for modern business needs.

Key features:

• Human capital management (HCM): Comprehensive tools for HR functions, from recruitment to talent management.
• Financial management: Streamlined finance processes, including accounting, procurement, and analytics.
• Workforce planning: Agile planning tools for optimizing workforce efficiency.
• Payroll management: End-to-end payroll processing and compliance features.
• Time tracking: Accurate recording and management of employee work hours.

Pros:

• Integrates HR, finance, planning, and analytics in a single cloud-based solution.
• Frequent updates and improvements to keep the system current and efficient.
• Robust security features to protect sensitive data.
• Supports multinational organizations with diverse regulatory requirements.

Cons:

• You need to contact sales to get pricing.
• Requires dedicated resources for maintenance and system administration.

Gusto

Gusto is a cloud-based platform that simplifies payroll, benefits, and human resources tasks for small businesses. Recognized for its user-friendly interface and integrated services, Gusto transforms complex HR processes into seamless experiences. With a focus on automation and compliance, Gusto empowers businesses to efficiently manage their workforce and navigate the intricacies of payroll and benefits administration.

Key features:

• Payroll processing: Streamlines payroll tasks and calculations.
• Benefits administration: Manages employee benefits, insurance, and retirement plans.
• Tax compliance: Automates tax filings and ensures compliance.
• Time tracking: Monitors employee working hours and overtime.
• Employee onboarding: Facilitates smooth onboarding processes.

Pros:

• Handles employee leave requests and accruals.
• Manages and administers health and savings accounts (HSAs).
• Responsive customer support services.
• Combines payroll, benefits, and HR functionalities in one platform.

Cons:

• Costs may be relatively high for businesses on a budget.
• Some users express a desire for more extensive customization options.

Zoho People

Zoho People is an HR software solution designed to simplify human resource management. Known for its user-friendly interface and customization capabilities, Zoho People streamlines HR processes from recruitment to employee engagement. It gives businesses the tools to enhance workforce productivity, foster collaboration, and ensure efficient HR operations.

Key features:

• Performance appraisals: Conducts and manages employee performance evaluations.
• Recruitment: facilitates the hiring process from job posting to onboarding.
• Time tracking: Monitors employee working hours and overtime.
• Custom forms: Create and customize forms for data collection.
• Training management: Supports employee training and development.

Pros:

• Seamlessly integrates with other Zoho applications and third-party tools.
• Offers various pricing plans, suitable for different budgets.
• Monitors employee working hours and overtime.
• Highly customizable to fit diverse HR needs.

Cons:

• Functionality is limited without an internet connection.
• Some users have reported limitations in international payroll features.

Workable

Workable is a user-friendly recruiting software designed to simplify and optimize the hiring process. With an intuitive interface and collaborative features, Workable streamlines job posting, candidate sourcing, and applicant tracking. Its dynamic platform empowers hiring teams to make informed decisions, fostering efficiency and success in the recruitment journey.

Key features:

• Job posting: Streamlines the process of creating and publishing job listings.
• Candidate sourcing: Utilizes various channels to attract and source potential candidates.
• Applicant tracking system (ATS): Manages and tracks candidates throughout the hiring process.
• Collaborative hiring: Facilitates communication and collaboration within hiring teams.
• Interview scheduling: Simplifies the scheduling of candidate interviews.

Pros:

• Integrates tools to assess candidate skills and suitability.
• Provides insights into recruitment performance.
• Manages the creation and communication of job offers.
• Offers a mobile application.

Cons:

• The pricing is very high, even for the basic plan.
• May have limitations for users with international recruitment needs.

PerformYard

PerformYard is a performance management and employee development platform that empowers organizations to align goals, provide continuous feedback, and enhance employee performance. PerformYard fosters a culture of transparency and collaboration. Its user-friendly interface and customizable workflows make it a versatile solution for optimizing workforce productivity and engagement.

Key features:

• Continuous feedback: Facilitate ongoing performance conversations between employees and managers.
• Employee development plans: Create and monitor personalized development plans for employee goals.
• Recognition and rewards: Encourage positive reinforcement and acknowledge achievements.
• Customizable workflows: Tailor processes to fit specific organizational needs.
• Analytics and reporting: Access data-driven insights for performance analysis.

Pros:

• Seamlessly integrates with other tools for enhanced functionality.
• Intuitive design for ease of use and user adoption.
• Provides a holistic view through feedback from multiple perspectives.
• Facilitates effective goal setting, tracking, and alignment.

Cons:

• Some users may find limitations in the mobile app compared to the desktop version.
• May not be as well-suited for multinational organizations with diverse needs.

Plum

Plum is an AI-driven talent management platform that helps companies make data-driven hiring decisions. By assessing candidates’ cognitive abilities and personality traits, Plum identifies the best fit for roles, fostering employee engagement and organizational success.

Key features:

• Cognitive assessment: Evaluates candidates’ cognitive abilities to predict job performance.
• Personality assessment: Analyzes candidates’ personality traits to assess cultural fit.
• Job fit score: Provides a score indicating the suitability of candidates for specific roles.
• Skill assessment: Assesses candidates’ skills and competencies relevant to the job.
• Role benchmarking: Compares candidates’ profiles against benchmarks for specific roles.

Pros:

• Matches candidates to roles based on their assessment results.
• Mitigates unconscious bias in the hiring process by focusing on objective criteria.
• Evaluates candidates’ fit within existing teams or organizational culture.
• Identifies high-potential employees for future leadership roles.

Cons:

• Users have complained about rude support staff.
• The generated interview questions tend to be generic.

HireVue

HireVue is a video interviewing and assessment platform that enables companies to streamline their hiring process. With features like on-demand and live video interviews, AI-driven assessments, and interview scheduling, HireVue helps organizations identify top talent efficiently and effectively.

Key features:

• Video interviews: Conducts on-demand and live video interviews with candidates.
• AI-driven assessments: Uses AI algorithms to assess candidates’ skills and suitability for roles.
• Interview scheduling: Streamlines interview scheduling for recruiters and candidates.
• Candidate feedback: Provides feedback to candidates based on their interview performance.
• Interview guides: Generates interview questions and guides for hiring managers.

Pros:

• Facilitates remote interviewing and hiring processes.
• Manages a database of potential candidates for future hiring needs.
• Helps identify and mitigate bias in the hiring process.
• Provides resources and training for interviewers to improve their skills.

Cons:

• The video quality can be poor at times.
• There is little follow-up after client onboarding is complete.

Wrike

Wrike is a robust project management platform tailored to the needs of HR teams. With features like task tracking, time management, and collaboration tools, Wrike streamlines HR processes, enhances team productivity, and ensures efficient project execution within the HR department.

Key features:

• Time tracking: Monitors and analyzes time spent on tasks and projects.
• Resource management: Allocates and manages team resources effectively.
• Task management: Organizes and prioritizes tasks efficiently.
• Project planning: Plans and visualizes projects with timelines and Gantt charts.
• Collaboration: Facilitates real-time collaboration and communication.

Pros:

• Efficient allocation and management of team resources.
• Convenient file sharing and collaboration within the platform.
• Adaptable to various project management needs.
• Seamless third-party integrations with numerous apps.

Cons:

• Basic features in the free plan may be insufficient for larger teams.
• Can be resource-intensive in terms of memory and processing.

15Five

15Five is a performance management and employee engagement platform designed to facilitate continuous feedback and communication within organizations. 15Five fosters a culture of transparency and growth, empowering teams to stay aligned and motivated.

Key features:

• Weekly check-ins: Facilitates regular feedback and communication between managers and employees.
• Goal tracking: Enables the setting, tracking, and monitoring of individual goals.
• Employee recognition: Promotes peer-to-peer recognition and appreciation.
• Feedback surveys: Conducts surveys to gather employee feedback and insights.
• Performance reviews: Streamlines the performance review process.

Pros:

• Fosters a company culture of ongoing feedback and communication.
• Connects with other tools for a more comprehensive workflow.
• Aligns teams with organizational objectives using objectives and key results (OKRs).
• Helps organizations improve their performance management strategy.

Cons:

• Limited customization options may not meet specific organizational needs.
• Customer support responsiveness may vary based on user experiences.

Betterworks

Betterworks is an agile employee performance management tool designed to align, develop, and activate a company’s workforce. Betterworks helps organizations foster a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration, driving employee engagement and overall business success.

Key features:

• Continuous performance conversations: Enables ongoing feedback and communication between employees and managers.
• Performance analytics: Provides data-driven insights for evaluating and improving performance.
• Development plans: Supports the creation and tracking of individual employee development plans.
• 360-Degree feedback: Gathers feedback from peers, managers, and subordinates for a comprehensive view.
• Recognition and rewards: Encourages employee recognition and rewards for achievements.

Pros:

• Identifies and nurtures future leaders within the organization.
• Measures and improves employee engagement levels.
• Supports the creation and tracking of personalized employee development plans.
• Facilitates alignment of individual and team goals with organizational objectives.

Cons:

• Responsiveness of customer support may vary based on user experiences.
• Primarily focused on performance management rather than recruitment.

ClearCompany

ClearCompany is a comprehensive talent management platform that streamlines the entire employee lifecycle. From recruitment and onboarding to performance management and workforce planning, ClearCompany offers an integrated solution. 

Key features:

• Applicant tracking system: Manages the recruitment process from job posting to candidate selection.
• Onboarding: Facilitates a smooth onboarding experience for new hires.
• Workforce planning: Helps organizations plan and manage their workforce effectively.
• Employee recognition: Encourages positive reinforcement and acknowledges achievements.
• Learning management system: Supports employee training and development initiatives.

Pros:

• Comprehensive suite covering the entire employee lifecycle for seamless talent management.
• Tools for monitoring and improving overall employee engagement.
• Identifies and develops potential leaders for future organizational needs.

Cons:

• The setup and implementation process may take time, impacting immediate usability.

Deel

Deel is a global payroll and compliance platform designed for remote teams. It simplifies international payments, compliance, and onboarding processes, offering a seamless experience for businesses with distributed workforces. Deel ensures smooth operations, facilitating legal and financial compliance in various countries, making it an invaluable tool for remote workforce management.

Key features:

• Global payroll: Simplifies international payroll processing for remote teams.
• Compliance management: Ensures legal and financial compliance in various countries.
• International payments: Facilitates seamless and secure cross-border payments.
• Contractor onboarding: Streamlines onboarding processes for remote contractors.
• Localized employment contracts: Provides customizable contracts adhering to local regulations.

Pros:

• Automates tax calculations and deductions for different jurisdictions.
• Supports payments in multiple currencies for global teams.
• Offers benefits management for diverse employee needs.
• Users have reported good customer service.

Cons:

• While designed for global use, specific functionalities may vary by country.
• There is a learning curve that may prove to be steep for some teams.

PerformYard

PerformYard is a performance management and employee development platform that empowers organizations to align goals, provide continuous feedback, and enhance employee performance. PerformYard fosters a culture of transparency and collaboration. Its user-friendly interface and customizable workflows make it a versatile solution for optimizing workforce productivity and engagement.

Key features:

• Continuous feedback: Facilitate ongoing performance conversations between employees and managers.
• Employee development plans: Create and monitor personalized development plans for employee goals.
• Recognition and rewards: Encourage positive reinforcement and acknowledge achievements.
• Customizable workflows: Tailor processes to fit specific organizational needs.
• Analytics and reporting: Access data-driven insights for performance analysis.

Pros:

• Seamlessly integrates with other tools for enhanced functionality.
• Intuitive design for ease of use and user adoption.
• Provides a holistic view through feedback from multiple perspectives.
• Facilitates effective goal setting, tracking, and alignment.

Cons:

• Some users may find limitations in the mobile app compared to the desktop version.
• May not be as well-suited for multinational organizations with diverse needs.

Culture Amp

Culture Amp is an employee feedback and analytics platform designed to help organizations understand and improve their workplace culture. Culture Amp gives organizations the ability to make data-driven decisions, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment for sustained success.

Key features

• People analytics: Utilizes data analytics for informed decision-making on HR and talent initiatives.
• Onboarding surveys: Collects feedback during the onboarding process for continuous improvement.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) tools: Supports initiatives for fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture.
• Employee surveys: Conducts insightful surveys to gather feedback and assess employee sentiment.
• Performance management: Facilitates ongoing performance conversations and evaluations.

Pros:

• Provides data-driven insights to measure and enhance employee engagement.
• User-friendly interface for easy navigation and adoption.
•  Offers in-depth insights through comprehensive and customizable employee surveys.

Cons:

• Doesn’t always integrate well with all existing tools.

Trakstar

Trakstar is an employee performance management platform designed to streamline performance appraisal processes. Trakstar allows organizations to enhance employee engagement and development. Its user-friendly interface and customizable tools make it a valuable solution for optimizing workforce productivity and satisfaction.

Key features:

• Performance analytics: Provides data-driven insights for performance evaluation and improvement.
• Competency management: Evaluates and develops employees based on specific competencies.
• Succession planning: Identifies and prepares potential future leaders within the organization.
• Development plans: Supports the creation and monitoring of personalized employee development paths.
• Customizable workflows: Tailors processes to meet specific organizational needs.

Pros:

• Promotes a continuous feedback loop between employees and leadership.
• Gives managers a comprehensive overview of employee insights.
• Creates personalized development plans for employees.
• Offers lots of third-party integrations.

Cons:

• Some of the features of complex and difficult to learn.

Synergita 

Synergita is a cloud-based talent management system designed to enhance engagement and productivity. Synergita facilitates a holistic approach to talent management and the administrative tasks that go along with it. Its comprehensive tools empower organizations to nurture a culture of growth and collaboration for sustained success.

Key features:

• Learning and development: Supports employee growth through personalized development plans.
• Analytics and reporting: Provides data-driven insights for strategic decision-making.
• Customizable workflows: Adapts processes to meet specific organizational needs.
• Integration capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with other tools for enhanced functionality and workflow optimization.

Pros:

• Fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
• Assesses and develops employees based on specific competencies.
• Identifies and prepares potential future leaders within the organization.

Cons:

• May not be as well-suited for multinational organizations with diverse needs.

TalentLMS

TalentLMS is a versatile learning management system designed to simplify employee training and development. With features like course creation, assessments, and reporting tools, TalentLMS empowers organizations to deliver engaging and effective online training programs for their workforce.

Key features:

• Course creation: Allows administrators to create and customize online courses with various multimedia content.
• Content library: Provides a repository for storing and managing course materials, such as documents, videos, and presentations.
• Assessments: Offers built-in assessment tools for quizzes, tests, and surveys to evaluate learner progress.
• SCORM compliance: Supports SCORM and xAPI standards for interoperability with external content.
• Certification management: Issues certificates upon course completion and tracks learners’ progress towards certifications.

Pros:

• Allows organizations to customize the platform’s appearance and branding to match their corporate identity.
• Offers support for multiple languages to cater to diverse learner populations.
• Enables organizations to sell courses and training materials online.

Cons:

• The UX isn’t great.
• The testing options are limited.

Benefits of using HR tools

HR tools refer to various software and technologies that help streamline and automate human resources processes within an organization. These tools offer a wide range of benefits that can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of HR operations.

One of the primary benefits of using HR tools is increased productivity. These tools automate repetitive tasks such as employee onboarding, payroll processing, and performance evaluations, freeing HR professionals from time-consuming manual work. As a result, HR teams can focus on strategic activities that add value to the organization.

Another advantage is improved accuracy and reliability. HR tools reduce the likelihood of human errors, which can have significant consequences when it comes to sensitive information such as employee records and compliance with labor laws. By using HR tools, organizations can ensure that data is stored and processed accurately, reducing the risk of costly mistakes.

HR tools also enhance collaboration and communication within the organization. Tools like employee self-service portals make it easy for employees to access and update their own information, reducing the need for HR staff to intervene. Additionally, HR tools enable seamless communication between HR teams, managers, and employees, facilitating the exchange of information and feedback.

Furthermore, HR tools provide comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities. With real-time data and insights, HR professionals can make data-driven decisions regarding workforce planning, talent acquisition, and performance management. These tools can also help identify trends, patterns, and potential issues, enabling proactive decision-making.

Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS)

Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) have become an essential tool for every organization, revolutionizing the way human resource departments manage their functions. HRIS refers to the software and system applications that enable HR professionals to streamline their processes, enhance efficiency, and make data-driven decisions.

One of the key advantages of HRIS is effective data management. Gone are the days of laboriously maintaining paper-based records or using cumbersome spreadsheets. HRIS allows HR departments to store and organize employee information digitally. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of human error. With just a few clicks, HR professionals can access critical information about an employee’s attendance, performance, training records, and more.

Another major benefit of HRIS is the automation of routine HR tasks. Companies can use HRIS to automate processes such as employee onboarding, payroll management, performance appraisals, and benefits administration. This automation not only reduces administrative burden but also improves accuracy and compliance. Employees can access self-service portals to update their information, request time off, and view pay stubs, which further enhances efficiency and empowers employees.

HRIS also provides valuable analytics and reporting capabilities. With HRIS, organizations can generate insightful reports and dashboards on key HR metrics. These analytics enable HR professionals to identify trends, evaluate workforce demographics, and make data-driven decisions. For example, they can analyze employee turnover rates, determine training needs, or identify skill gaps within the organization. Such information can support strategic workforce planning and talent management.

Moreover, HRIS supports compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. HR professionals can use the system to ensure that processes, such as hiring, compensation, and performance evaluation, comply with applicable laws and regulations. HRIS can also assist in maintaining accurate and up-to-date records, which is crucial during audits or compliance reviews.

Implementing an HRIS requires careful planning and consideration. Organizations need to evaluate their specific needs and ensure that the chosen system aligns with their objectives. Additionally, employee training is vital to maximize the benefits of HRIS. Adequate training can help employees adapt to the new system and leverage its functionalities effectively.

Key features of HR tools

HR tools, or human resources tools, are software applications designed to assist HR departments in managing various tasks and processes more efficiently. These tools are specifically designed to streamline HR operations and enhance productivity. The key features of HR tools include:

1. Employee database management: HR tools allow HR professionals to store and manage employee information, such as personal details, contact information, employment history, and performance records, in a centralized database.
2. Time and attendance tracking: These tools often include time-tracking features that enable employees to record their working hours and breaks accurately. This aids in attendance management and facilitates payroll processing.
3. Recruitment and applicant tracking: HR tools assist in managing the recruitment process, from posting job descriptions to tracking applicants, conducting interviews, and selecting qualified candidates. They may also include features for background checks and reference verification.
4. Performance management: HR tools provide features for setting goals and objectives, conducting performance appraisals, and tracking employee performance over time. This allows HR professionals to identify areas for improvement and provide feedback to employees.
5. Leave and absence management: These tools enable employees to request leaves or manage their time-off schedules. They streamline the approval process and allow HR departments to track and analyze leave patterns.
6. Training and development: HR tools often include features for organizing training programs and tracking employee training progress. They may also provide access to e-learning platforms and allow HR professionals to measure training effectiveness.
7. Reporting and analytics: HR tools generate various reports, such as headcount, turnover, employee experience, and diversity reports, to provide HR professionals with valuable insights and data for decision-making.

How to choose an HR tool

Choosing the right HR tool for your organization is crucial for streamlining your HR processes and managing your workforce effectively. With countless options available in the market, it can seem daunting to make the right choice. However, considering a few key factors can help you navigate through the choices and find the perfect HR tool for your needs.

Firstly, it is important to assess your organization’s specific requirements and goals. Identify the HR tasks you want to streamline and automate, such as employee onboarding, payroll management, performance tracking, or employee engagement. This initial assessment will help you prioritize the professional services needed in an HR tool.

Next, consider the scalability of the tool. It is essential to choose a tool that can grow with your organization. Look for a solution that can cater to the size of your workforce and accommodate any future expansion. Scalability ensures that your HR tool remains relevant and effective as your organization grows.

Integration capability is another crucial factor. Consider the existing software and systems your organization uses, such as your payroll or attendance management system. Ensure that the HR tool you choose can integrate seamlessly with these systems. This integration will eliminate duplicated efforts, increase efficiency, and provide a better user experience.

Data security should be a top priority when choosing an HR tool. HR systems contain sensitive employee information, and it is essential to keep this data secure from any potential breaches or unauthorized access. Check for industry-standard security protocols, encryption measures, and data backup options provided by the HR tool.

Usability and user interface are also significant considerations. An intuitive and user-friendly tool ensures easy adoption by HR professionals and employees alike. Look for a tool with a clean and organized interface, customizable workflows, and interactive features that enhance user experience. A tool that is easy to navigate and use will save time and reduce training efforts.

Additionally, consider the support and customer service provided by the HR tool vendor. HR processes are critical for any organization, and timely support is crucial in case of any technical glitches or issues. Look for a vendor that offers reliable support through various channels, such as email, phone, or live chat. It is also beneficial to go through customer reviews or seek recommendations from other HR professionals to gain insights into the vendor’s customer service approach.

Finally, it is essential to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the HR tool. Consider the upfront costs, maintenance fees, and any additional charges for customizations or upgrades. Look for a tool that provides value for your investment, with a balance between functionality and cost.

The post 23 Super-Efficient HR Tools to Cut Back on Admin Work first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

In our 20th episode of the Employee Onboarding Podcast, we are honored to host Dr. Christina Moran, joining host Erin in an insightful conversation on employee onboarding and creating exceptional onboarding experiences.

Dr. Christina Moran is a licensed psychologist and an esteemed member of the leadership team at a renowned design architecture firm.

Together, they explore innovative ideas and best practices gleaned from Christina’s extensive expertise in people leadership, organizational effectiveness, and psychological research.

Join us as we unravel the essential elements that contribute to successful onboarding and learn valuable insights into prioritizing the human touch amidst evolving technological advancements.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Introducing Dr. Christina Moran
• Exploring Dr. Moran’s passions and interests
• Applying psychology to the workplace
• Elements of a great onboarding experience
• Productive onboarding and its downfalls
• Motivating colleagues for onboarding
• The starting point of onboarding
• Balancing AI with human touch
• Creating “wow moments” for new hires

Also listen on Apple, Spotify, Google, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Deezer, & all your favorite podcast platforms!

Introducing Dr. Christina Moran

Erin Rice: Welcome to the Employee Onboarding Podcast where we are unpacking great onboarding ideas and best practices from the world’s top HR practitioners and thought leaders. 

At Process Street, that starts with our mission to make recurring work fun, fast, and thoughtless for teams everywhere.  My name is Erin Rice and I’m the People and Operations Coordinator here at Process Street. Today, I’m joined by Christina Moran, Ph.D. 

Dr. Christina Moran is a licensed psychologist and works as part of the leadership team at the then design architecture. An energetic strategist and executor, she has demonstrated exceptional results in a variety of areas including people leadership, business operations, organizational effectiveness, marketing, international account management, and analytic modeling. She has collaborated with C-suite colleagues and clients throughout the duration of her career.

An evidence-based thought leader, Christina’s research has been published in a number of top tier peer-reviewed journals in the field, as well as Harvard Business Review. Christina obtained her doctorate and master’s from the University of Akron’s nationally ranked industrial organizational psychology program and her bachelor’s of science in psychology with a minor in Spanish from John Carroll University. She is licensed to practice psychology by the state of Ohio. 

Wow, Christina, that is an incredible background. I’m so excited to have you today. Thank you so much for joining us.

Christina Moran, Ph.D: Thanks for having me. I’m excited to be here.

Erin: So before we dive in, I’d like to ask you an icebreaker question, you know, just to get it a little bit silly. If you could have an unlimited supply of something, what would it be?

Christina: Well, I think the easy go-to answer is probably money. Most people feel like it can buy whatever else you might need, whether it’s health, food, et cetera, and so on and so forth. 

But really, if I could wave a magic wand and have an unlimited supply of anything, I would probably choose health. It’s a very important thing to me. I think it’s the core of being able to do all the great things that we’re able to do in the world. So I’m a very health-focused and health-valuing person.

Exploring Dr. Moran’s passions and interests

Erin: Do you have a favorite activity that you like to do in your free time?

Christina: I do a lot of things and I do things that are usually either moving or creating. So I do a lot of different types of exercise, including yoga, Zumba, walking, running, all those kinds of things. But then also creating, so gardening, sewing, playing the piano, baking, cooking. Those seem to be the two areas that I just keep leaning more and more into.

Erin: I love that you’re including creating into a health focus. That’s such an important piece to our wellbeing.

Awesome, so now what we really came here for – employee onboarding. I’d love it if you could start by sharing a little bit about how you found your passion for people and people management.

Christina: Sure, absolutely.  I really enjoy the process of finding that hidden potential in somebody and then helping them find their way. So to recognize that and then utilize it to maximize whatever they wanna maximize in their life.

It’s just kind of a natural tendency of mine, I would say.I’m always kind of picking up on the hidden nuggets of who people are. Sprinkling and sharing and maybe not necessarily leaning into themselves and just reminding them like you have a special talent there or a special skill there.

We’ve got to lean into that, like why do you want to apply that? How do you want to apply that? So that’s of interest to me and then in all my work, I’ve just enjoyed being able to help people. Whether it’s in athletic attainment, or in business, or even just my colleagues. 

I find it very personally rewarding when I can make things more efficient and effective for people, which can then help them focus more on their talents and hobbies in their personal lives. Especially when we’re talking about people who spend so much time away from their families and their personal lives to devote to their business.

Applying psychology to the workplace

Erin: That’s awesome. With such a strong background in psychology, I’d love to hear how you apply that to your day-to-day life.

Christina: So, psychology. I’ll start really basic. Psychology is just the study of why people do what they do. 

So whether it’s high school students at a sporting event, a bunch of people in a crowd at a concert, or one person alone after a bad day, psychology can help us understand what are some of the likely patterns of behavior or things that we would look for or expect based on some of those stimuli that exist. Whether it’s our own biology or an experience that somebody had.

So when you think about psychology as understanding why we do what we do, the workplace is a place where we spend so much of our time, right? 

So if you think about why people do what they do in the workplace, psychology can certainly give us a lens to view that, understand, and predict what might happen. When I’m thinking about my approach to psychology in the workplace, I’m drawing on all fields of psychology. 

So things related to aging are important to consider, as we have different people of different ages in the workforce. We want to consider things that happen in a group setting, things that happen in an individual setting, and how we word things. 

There’s just so many different things. Some of the famous studies in our field even looked at lighting and how lighting affects our productivity. So there’s just lots of different things. 

Obviously, if you want to retain a maximally successful business, you may or may not want to pull some of those levers or make things as conducive as you can to that success.But I think the first step is knowing what those things are so you’re not intentionally or unintentionally detracting from success in your organization.

Elements of great onboarding experience

Erin: So how do you take that information and apply it to onboarding?

Christina: One of the first things I think of when I think of onboarding is this visual of a hiring manager or an HR leader just going and saying, oh, great, somebody’s accepted the offer. 

Great, congratulations, let’s celebrate! What do we do now? How do we plan? How do we prepare for this person? 

And I think what most folks do in that situation is pull out an old onboarding plan, dust it off, clean it up, and refresh the dates. They say, “Yeah, I think this looks good”, and kind of put it into practice for the new employee.

What I found throughout my career is that there are different things like a decision tree.For example, there are things that should happen based on whether this person is client-facing or not. 

Do they have experience in this area? Do they have a sales goal? Are they an international employee or where are they based? So there’s just all these kinds of things that either one should happen consistently throughout the onboarding practice. 

For example, making sure that they have somebody to eat lunch with on the first day, or at least show them around. Making sure that those are built in so people don’t have to manually think of them and remember them every time. 

And then also the balance of that with the different decision paths that will occur based on that specific person and the role. I think where people get jumbled up is in trying to customize it, but keep it somewhat structured. It just ends up becoming really hard.

“We’ll figure it out as we go”, doesn’t apply to certain people.

Erin: I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention that Process Street has conditional logic and you can have it specifically set to the department if they’re client-facing. That decision tree, as you said, will create a different pathway for them within the workflow, which is really cool. 

Christina: Love that!

Erin: So what would you say makes a great employee onboarding experience?

Christina: A couple of things. 

So oneis the practical side of things. The logistics that have to be handled. 

And then there’s the feeling side of things. So this person’s just gone on two or three dates with the company and decided to get married, essentially, is how it’s gonna feel.

You’re making this big commitment after meeting a couple of people, maybe coming in a couple of times or doing that virtually. And so they’re trying to think and evaluate every step. Have I made the right decision? Do I feel comfortable here? Do I like being here? 

So you wanna make sure that you think about ways that you can wrap them in the feeling of “We’re so excited you’re here!; You’re a special person. We know you’re gonna do great things at our company and with our team.” Having that message reiterated across as many interactions as possible, especially within that first day, first week, and first meetings with key colleagues.

I think that’s the feeling part and everybody’s different.

Some people prefer little gifts and trinkets and that’s a love language that speaks to them. Other people are really into nice notes. Like, “I’m a person, don’t ever get me a gift, just write me a nice note and I will be forever happy.” 

Other people want one-on-one attention. So you gotta think of how you can reach people in different ways without even really knowing them yet, which is kind of hard. So you may think of a couple of different things that cut across.

Many people hope that in that approach, you meet most people where they’re at and where they like to be met. 

And then there’s the practical side of things. They need a tour of the building. They need to meet key colleagues. Those key colleagues need to be prepared with agendas for that first day. They can’t just blow over from another meeting that maybe went well and maybe didn’t, and then be expected to take a deep breath, focus on the new employee, and get into the mode of “We’re so excited you’re here!”

Let’s talk, let’s get to know each other. Let’s form a relationship. And then let’s also talk about what to expect, where to find me, where I can find you, and all those other logistical things. 

So I think a really well-done onboarding process is a beautiful mix of art and science, kind of the feeling and the logic part of the onboarding. 

As HR leaders listening to this, continue to think about those two areas – how can we enhance both the feeling that this was a great decision, as well as the logistics of making things easy and memorable, so they don’t have to write down a million notes. 

Then, I think, you’re probably on the start of a path to a great onboarding journey.

Erin: I love that you point out the importance of preparing those key colleagues and letting them have some time to get that agenda together. Onboarding a brand new employee in another department is not their highest priority, but meeting them is a high priority for the new hire.

Productive onboarding and its downfalls

Erin: What would you think of as the best, most productive onboarding experience? What would you say is the biggest downfall with onboarding?

Christina: I think one of the things related to onboarding that people struggle with is, what you just kind of let into.

If I’m an existing employee, it doesn’t feel like the start of something exciting and new if I’m bringing on a new employee.  But if I’m that new employee, this is the start of a relationship and something exciting and something new. 

So I think that this is one of the biggest downfalls I see. People are kind of being thrown into it, not really thinking about it. Maybe they’re in town that day, maybe they’re not. And sometimes those things happen, where a start date just happens to fall on a vacation or something that can’t be avoided or shouldn’t be rescheduled necessarily. 

But I think that, like you would prioritize the customer experience and where they’re coming from, I would think about the employee experience in the same way. 

The employee experience doesn’t start one day one. It starts from the moment that person first interacts with your company. It’s just that the onboarding piece is really the point at which that person is asking themselves: “Did I make the right decision? Do I feel like I can be successful here? Can I see myself here for a while? Do I like going in?”

Of course, the first couple of weeks are a big adjustment in routine and just everything that they’re learning. But in general, you want them to go home feeling like: “ I like this. I like talking to this person. I want to ask this person this question next time I meet them”

And not just feeling like, “They don’t really care about me. I’m just going to be left to figure it out on my own”.

A very small portion of employees will feel comfortable in that type of environment, whereas the rest will need more consideration, care, and attention.

Motivating colleagues for onboarding

Erin: As HR leaders, sometimes it can be hard to motivate those hiring managers and other leadership people to prioritize those things.

Do you have any advice to give to HR leaders out there who may be struggling to motivate the priority of that new hire for those teammates?

Christina: Yeah, for sure. So when I think about that question, I think about the role of HR as an internal service provider. 

And so just like we struggle to get on our clients’ calendars or talk to people outside the organization, as an HR leader, we do that more internally. And we’re going to those internal colleagues and saying to them: “This is a priority. I’m trying to help you be successful. Let me be there for you in this situation.”

What I like to do as a service provider is try to think of all the barriers that there could be to this person putting all their effort into onboarding practice. 

For example, one of the things that I did was I built this onboarding plan builder, which sounds very similar to what your company has created in terms of the conditional logic. 

It’s basically a form that asks the hiring manager all these questions that they can do in their own time. Based on that, it spits out the onboarding plan for them. So they don’t have to spend 30 minutes with HR unless they want to. They don’t have to go and dust that old one off and then try to refresh it and maybe do that effectively.

And if there’s a process change, we can just do that directly in the form, versus trying to communicate with a bunch of people at once.

I think centralizing that and then thinking about how you can be that concierge service for those hiring managers goes a long way. I don’t believe that a lot of people intentionally try to be prickly or deprioritize it. I just really think logistically. 

We’re all pretty overwhelmed in terms of our work and our workload. And it’s the extent that we can give a white glove service to people, but also there’s some responsibility there. We don’t do everything for them.

Make it easy for them to make those decisions. It is wildly successful in my experience compared to what it would be otherwise.

Erin: Yeah, in our department, we talk a lot about giving that white glove service to our hiring managers because they’re kind of our clients in a way.

We’re going out and seeking people, helping them find people. They may ultimately make those decisions, but we’re the ones saying: “All right, here’s your baby chick. We’re going to raise them up together. We got this!” And it is very much a collaborative kind of client relationship. I love that you pointed that out!

The starting point of onboarding

Erin: So where does onboarding really begin?

Christina: I think it depends on who’s involved.

I think the town acquisition folks, the recruiting folks, they are definitely setting that tone. They’re representing the employer brand from before even the first interaction. 

So that potential employee finding your company’s account on a social media page, looking at your website, or seeing you in the community in some of the work that you’re doing, all of those things represent your brand, both to potential clients as well as to potential employees.

Having that awareness that you’re reaching people who are gonna partner with you from a business standpoint, a revenue standpoint, and from an employee standpoint, I think is a big thing. 

As for onboarding, you’re not trying to overwhelm them prior to their start date. I wouldn’t say a ton of onboarding happens before that, but you are sprinkling things about the culture into the interviews, and sharing about the way that your company does things by how promptly are you scheduling.

Are you constantly rescheduling things? Are you communicating well? Are you treating that person like they’re a priority? All those things are signals about your culture. 

So whether you call that onboarding or you say onboarding truly starts the day that they started your company, either way, they’re all signals that people are using to judge whether they’re going to be successful there long-term.

Erin: I love that a lot of stuff is coming out, especially on social media, about it being a mutual decision.

You, as the new hire or the potential new hire, are choosing a company. Not only are they choosing you. Those signals are so important in the beginning to decide if this is a good place that you’re going to be successful. Not just that they’re going to give you the tools, but a place where you’ll be happy.

Balancing AI with human touch

Erin: Also, the buzz is all about AI and how we’re relying on automation, robots, and that kind of thing. And you mentioned you have a forum that is kind of managed in that way a little bit. I’d love to hear your thoughts on that balance between AI and the human touch.

Christina: So it’s obviously a conversation that we’re not getting away from anytime soon as we explore and see how it unfolds. I mean, it’s reminiscent to me of when the internet started. 

It was everybody’s panic about what was going to happen. I just feel like everything kind of gets watered down before becoming mainstream. And then it’s not as scary as maybe it was in the very beginning. So certainly a disruptor, but for me, I view it as an enabler versus something that is going to blow up or ruin anything that exists now. 

With any tool or technology, human judgment is the important piece. And that’s the part that you, at least as far as I know right now, we can’t entirely replicate. 

So for example, even in tasks, I’ve heard of friends and colleagues who utilize AI services for creating coaching guides or, you know, can you redraft this email or something like that? And why not use it? As long as it’s being used appropriately. 

You’re not putting out company information or private information or anything that would be damaging. It is another tool; just like you’d use a calculator to calculate a math function or something else to support and take off the human load. So the human can focus on the areas that are unique to the human, that are going to enhance whatever the product is. 

I personally don’t fear it. I’m not fearful of it. I think like anything, it will be an enabler.

And it’s already being woven into so many products that we use. It’s going to be available anywhere and everywhere. We’re not going to remember what it was like before it. And more than likely, there will be issues here and there, like with any product or service. But they’ll get ironed out just like we trust the free market to iron out all those other types of things.

Erin: And to a point you made earlier about the downfalls of like, letting machines do the part that machines can do so that the humans can be present and be there in the way that they need to be there.

Christina: I totally agree! I mean, I can’t tell you how many tasks I’ve gone to do, and either said “Let AI help you with this!” Or thought to myself, you know, maybe AI could be a little bit helpful here. I’m going to go there and just see what it comes up with. Because it takes less than 10 seconds usually, right? And it’s the equivalent of going down the hall, maybe, and asking a colleague: “Hey, what do you think about this?”

It’s formulated more quickly. If it helps you get 40% further down the road. It’s maybe not gonna take you 100%, but even 40% further down the road is further than you were before.

Erin: And that’s a lot of how these companies are marketing it. It’s an AI assistant. It’s not the person doing the job. It’s just someone assisting.

Creating “wow moments” for new hires

Erin: Awesome. Great. Well, one last question before we go!

I’d love to hear, what is the one thing you think companies can do to create a wow moment for new hires?

Christina: Stop, center yourself, and give your full attention to the new employee. You maybe can’t clear your schedule for eight hours on that first day, or whatever that might be. But I think a lot of the downfall comes from us moving too quickly.

Onboarding is another task that we need to check off on our list. If we all would just take a deep breath, center ourselves, focus on the conversation at hand, slow down, and listen to the other person, I think that we would find almost all of our answers in those conversations.

It’s just that so many times we’re moving too quickly, we’re checking a box, and we’re not having that real humanity that needs to happen to make it wildly successful. 

So you don’t have to have a huge budget for swag or this whole laser show when the new hire starts. If you could do one thing, I would say, make sure you’re going to spend quality time with that new hire, and then you will find your way to the rest of the process.

Erin: That’s so great. Well, thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate your time and all of your insights. I know I got a few nuggets that I wrote down of things that I wanna share with my team and I’m sure our listeners did too. So thank you.

Christina: This has been my pleasure. Thanks for having me!

The post Podcast: Dr. Christina Moran Unveils the Art and Science of First Impressions (+ More Onboarding Secrets) first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.

Ever envisioned a world where your onboarding process is powered by artificial intelligence or where complex tasks are seamlessly managed by sophisticated algorithms?

Join us for the latest episode of Process Street’s Employee Onboarding Podcast, where Erin engages in a conversation with Tarek Kamil, the founder of Cerkl, delving into the future of employee onboarding, the transformative potential of technology, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Introducing Tarek Kamil: CEO and founder of Cerkl
• Exploring Tarek’s passion for technology and AI
• Implementing AI in employee onboarding
• Tarek’s journey and inspiration behind Cerkl
• The future of AI in employee engagement

You can listen on Apple, Spotify, Google, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Deezer, & all your favorite podcast platforms!

Introducing Tarek Kamil: CEO and founder of Cerkl

Erin Rice: Welcome to the Employee Onboarding Podcast, where we are unpacking great onboarding ideas and best practices from the world’s top HR practitioners and thought leaders. 

At Process Street, that starts with our mission to make recurring work fun, fast, and faultless for teams everywhere. My name is Erin Rice, and I’m the People and Operations Coordinator here at Process Street.

Awesome. So before we dive in, I like to ask a silly question, you know, just to break the ice a bit. 

And around Process Street, pizza has been a really big topic, which I hear you’re a big fan of. So I have to know, do you like your pizza folded? Are you more of a fork-and-knife kind of guy?

Tarek Kamil: I love pizza so much that there’s no way I could be patient enough to use utensils.  So I fold and get it in as fast as humanly possible. I’m definitely a fold guy. Thin crust. Hot. 

Although, I won’t complain about the temperature. So if it’s left over the next day, that’s fine, too. Anything with pizza, I’m in. I love it all.

Exploring Tarek’s passion for technology and AI

Erin: Awesome. It’s like a thin, really large slice, New York style, with the bubbles on top. I’m here for it. 

Absolutely. Well, now, what we really came here for is employee onboarding. So, I’d love it if you could start by sharing a little bit about how your passion for technology evolved in your life.

Tarek: Oh, it’s been as long as I can remember, honestly. I started writing software when I was really young, about 12. And it’s like, to an artist, it would be a blank canvas. So when I see a computer screen, it’s blank. And the only thing that’s limiting you is your imagination. 

You can go in and create anything. I just found it fascinating that you sit there, think, envision something, and then bring it to life, and the problem-solving involved with that. I fell in love with it at an early age and really never stopped. 

So that’s probably the single common thread in my career: how do you use technology to make the world a better place?

Delving into AI and its implications

Erin: That’s such a good thought. And that sort of brings me to my next question that AI is all the buzz.

And a lot of what AI is bringing to the world is some concern. And maybe a little bit of nervousness around it sort of taking over. I’d love to hear your thoughts on that.

Tarek: I think it’s like anything new. In the beginning, we’re learning. Any new technology we are learning. 

It’s the same thing, right? When we went from horse and buggy to automobiles, I think most people would say that was a good move for us. 

But in the beginning, I’m sure people were dying, getting run over, and things exploding. 

So there’s always learning in the beginning. And I think with AI, which has been around for a while, but it has really accelerated into kind of every crevice of society recently, I would say within the last year, to a level we’ve never seen before. 

And the level of sophistication that CHAT GPT and others are now producing is phenomenal and unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. 

So I would say, in general, I think it’s going to be super positive for humanity. I think the negatives and what I would worry about in the beginning is misuse, right? 

You’ve seen all the things and the headlines around propaganda and changing election outcomes through misinformation. Well, this is only going to skyrocket that. 

The other issue that I worry about with this is introducing things that are factually incorrect, because it can just regurgitate what it’s been taught. So if it thinks this is true, it’s going to regurgitate that. And the problem with that is people take that misinformation, and then they post it online. 

You get this very cyclical effect of misinformation becoming fact faster than it has. So, without putting some guardrails on this, yes, I think there could be some pretty nasty, negative consequences, but like everything else, the automobile was eventually worth it.

Implementing AI in employee onboarding

Erin: Yeah, for sure. So, how do you sort of see AI playing a role in employee onboarding?

Tarek: We do a lot of that today. We’ve been talking about and using AI from the beginning, so this is really 2013. Ten years ago, my idea was that a lot of the work that’s done within organizations is very manual, choppy, and siloed. 

And it is more about the person generating the process or the communication, not about the recipient of that. How does it make me feel? And so, how can we use technology to personalize that experience? 

When you think about onboarding, a lot of what happens with organizations is they really do a good job of the employee-employer brand. 

So through kind of talent attraction and how they market themselves and how great it’s going to be to work here. And then the employee, right, gets the job, the candidate gets the job, becomes an employee, well, here is your first real opportunity to show that’s really who we are. 

And a lot of times they say, we’re really innovative, and it’s all about you, and then the person gets hired, and it is not about them at all. It’s a horrific process; it’s slow, it’s a lot of paperwork, and it’s cumbersome.

Significance of personalized onboarding with AI

Tarek: We’ve just lost trust with that person. We’ve said this is who we are, but it’s not. AI is really about how you take all this information that we know about this individual and personalize their journey. 

So, how do you use that data to serve them up the right process at the right time based on who they are, where they’re at in the organization, and what they’re trying to accomplish? And how do you make that a really great experience for that person?

Erin: Right. You’re really leveraging AI to create that personalized experience throughout the onboarding journey.

Tarek: Absolutely. Absolutely. That’s it. And it’s, you know, not every organization is doing that today. But I think over time, as they see the benefits of that, it’s kind of a no-brainer. 

Why would you not want to make this as easy as possible for this person and as personalized as possible? Because you’ve said that’s what you’re all about.

Tarek’s journey and inspiration behind Cerkl

Erin: Right. Absolutely. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey with Cerkl and what inspired you to start the company?

Tarek: Sure. Cerkl actually started as kind of a side project. I was working at Procter & Gamble at the time. And we were going through a really large-scale transformation at the company. And I have always been really passionate about engagement and the employee experience. 

So we were going through this transformation, and it was really taking its toll on the organization and on the employees because there was just so much change happening. 

As a developer by trade, I always kind of looked at things like, “How could we automate some of this process so that it didn’t take an army of people to do it?”

So I came up with this idea: Could we use technology to make this better? And so, this really started as kind of a prototype, if you will, at the time, that I called “internal Twitter” because Twitter was all the rage at that time. 

It was really focused on taking the existing information that was in the organization and then sharing it in a way that was really relevant and timely to each individual. That’s kind of where it started. From there, it just kind of grew and evolved into  Cerkl as it is today.

Erin: That’s amazing. So it started with this idea of making the employee experience better and more personalized, and it’s grown into Cerkl, this fantastic platform that’s doing exactly that.

Tarek: Absolutely. Yeah. That’s exactly right.

The future of AI in employee engagement

Erin: So, what do you see as the future of AI in employee engagement and experience?

Tarek: Yeah, I think it’s only going to get better. I think there’s just so much opportunity to leverage AI and real data to make it a more seamless and frictionless experience for the employee. 

There are a lot of things that can be done today, but they’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible. As technology continues to evolve,  we’re going to see a lot of really interesting and cool things come out of it. For us, it’s just staying ahead of the curve and really continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Erin: Absolutely. Well, Tarek, it has been such a pleasure chatting with you today. Thank you so much for joining us and sharing your insights on AI and employee onboarding. It’s been fantastic.
Tarek: Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for having me. It’s been a pleasure.

The post Podcast: A Tech Pioneer’s Vision of Employee Onboarding first appeared on Process Street | Checklist, Workflow and SOP Software.