Onboarding for tech teams is an important stage for new hires. A good onboarding experience can significantly enhance employee retention and satisfaction. It ensures that new team members feel welcomed, valued, and prepared to perform their roles effectively. Online learning platforms can play a pivotal role in enhancing each stage of the onboarding process for tech teams. These platforms can offer customized learning paths tailored to the specific technical skills and knowledge that each role requires. Additionally, interactive tools and collaborative features can facilitate remote introductions and team-building activities, helping new hires integrate seamlessly into their teams. With the help of online learning platforms, L&D teams can provide a personalized onboarding experience. 

Online learning platform and onboarding

Online learning platforms can play a pivotal role during the onboarding of tech teams. L&D teams can use online learning platforms to enhance each stage of the onboarding process in this way:

• Preboarding
• Orientation
• Training and development
• Integration
• Evaluation and feedback

Preboarding

The preboarding of the new hire begins with the preparation before his official arrival. L&D teams should complete all administrative tasks such as setting up their email account, workstation, and access to necessary tools and systems before the new hire's first day. There needs to be a preboarding booklet that helps new hires build their foundational knowledge about the company so that their initial days are less overwhelming. The preboarding booklet can include information such as company culture, values, and basic compliance training. L&D teams can also incorporate surveys or quizzes to gauge new hires' understanding and enthusiasm about joining the team so they can use the insights to personalize the onboarding experience further. On the other hand, engineering managers should prepare their team members by informing them of the new hire's start date and role. For remote new hires, it is a good practice to send out preparatory materials like organizational charts, project documentation, and welcome messages so that the new hire feels included right from the start.

Orientation

The first day for new hires sets the tone for the entire tenure at the new company. Orientation isn’t just about filling out forms and learning where the coffee machine is; it’s about feeling welcomed, valued, and prepared. A well-structured orientation should introduce them to the company culture, align them with company goals, and connect them with their new colleagues. Orientation generally covers basic orientation like HR policies, IT setup, and security protocols along with interactive sessions with key figures in the company. Orientation programs can be made more flexible and accessible, especially for remote teams, by incorporating online learning platforms. Interactive elements such as quizzes and discussion forums can help ensure that new hires are engaged with the content effectively. L&D teams can also utilize AR and VR technologies to create immersive tours of the company’s physical offices or virtual workspaces so that orientation can be just as engaging for remote employees. A good orientation experience can greatly influence an employee's engagement, productivity, and long-term job satisfaction.

Training and development

Many of the new hires don’t possess the right skillset or even they might not be on the right level required to work on technical projects. This discrepancy underscores the importance of tech team training programs tailored to bridge these gaps. It’s crucial for the organization to assess and address these skill discrepancies early on. Effective training equips employees with the necessary technical skills and also boosts their confidence, ensuring they are fully prepared and competent to tackle their responsibilities. Depending on the role, the new hire may undergo a series of training sessions that could be technical or soft skills oriented. This includes detailed overviews of current projects, technology stacks, codebase walkthroughs, and specific programming practices. Mentorship programs or pairing the new hire with a more experienced team member can also be part of this stage. Online platforms are ideal for conducting technical training sessions, particularly in software and development roles. They can offer a range of resources, from coding tutorials to project management tools training, which are essential for tech roles. These platforms can also facilitate ongoing learning through access to a library of courses that new hires can use to enhance their skills at their own pace. 

Integration

At this stage of the onboarding, new hires start to work on real tasks and become more involved in team activities. It’s crucial for managers to monitor their progress and provide feedback regularly. Integration is often facilitated by setting small, achievable goals initially, which gradually increase in complexity and responsibility. Online learning platforms can improve the integration phase of onboarding by offering features such as shared workspaces, task assignments, and real-time feedback. DevPath offers a central dashboard for engineering managers to track the progress of their team members and help them in case of any issues. Features like forums or chat groups can help new hires feel connected to their team and foster a sense of community, even if they are remote.

Evaluation and feedback

After a few weeks or months, it’s important to evaluate the new hire's performance and integration into the team. This can involve formal reviews with HR, feedback sessions with peers and mentors, and discussions about career development opportunities. This stage helps in adjusting the onboarding process if needed and reaffirming the new hire's role and contributions to the team. Online platforms can streamline the evaluation process through features like digital performance tracking, peer reviews, and continuous feedback loops. They can also host personalized development plans and advanced training modules to help new hires progress in their roles based on the feedback received.

Final word

L&D teams that make use of online learning platforms during the onboarding of their tech teams speed up the proficiency curve of the new hires and also cultivate a sense of belonging and commitment among team members. These platforms offer accessible, flexible, and comprehensive training resources that allow employees to learn at their own pace and deepen their technical expertise efficiently.