CLIENT NEED: Client need: In order to better integrate the new colleagues during pandemic, Gjensidige management team had to adapt the existing onboarding process for remote use.
WIN PARTNERS SOLUTION: training program for middle-level managers with the aim to evaluate the onboardong process from the perspective of the remote team leader and employee, to understand the challenges of both parties involved and to find solutions for a positive employee experience when starting work online.
RESULT: 18 Gjensidige managers adapted the existing onboarding program to the online format, further tailoring it to the specifics of their unit.
What problem did Gjensidige want to solve?
ADB “Gjensidige” is a subsidiary of Norway’s largest insurance company, which has been operating in the Baltic States for more than 10 years. The company has 820 employees in the Baltics.
In 2020, when starting remote work, the company faced a challenge: new employees joined the team on a regular basis, but their inclusion in the team had to be done online. Previously the company has successfully implemented an on-site employee onboarding program, so a number of questions arose for the company’s managers in an unprecedented situation:
- what aspects should be considered when hiring an employee for remote work?
- how to hire a new employee remotely, but not lose the quality of the recruitment process?
- how to work with employees of different ages and employees with different digital skills?
The client came to WIN partners with a need for training to help middle-level managers adapt the existing onboarding program for usng in the digital environment.
What solution did we offer and how did we implement it?
In cooperation with the client, a training program was created. Its aim was to go through the onboarding process from the perspective of the manager and the employee through the active involvement and discussions of the participants, answering the following questions:
- what is changing and what stays the same in virtual onboarding?
- what does an employee want when starting to work in a remote team?
- how to ensure compliance with the four levels of employee integration – “4C” – compliance, clarification, culture and connection.
- how to transfer cultural, value, and informal behavior patterns virtually?
- how to encourage a new employee to belong to a remote team – place/activities/emotions?
The training took place in April 2021. Led by coach Aldis Zauls, it was attended by 18 managers from Gjensidige, divided into two groups. Each group participated in two training sessions, 4 hours each. The whole learning process took place remotely.
As a result of the training, the participants customized the existing Gjensidige onboarding program to the online format, additionally adapting it to the specifics of their department.
How does the client evaluate the result of the training?
Kristīne Kalniņa, Head of HR at Gjensidige: “There is wonderful feedback from colleagues about this onboarding training. The managers praised it very much, said that everything was very useful, got a lot of good advice and saw opportunities! Participants motivated others to participate the next time because it was really very good training! Thank you, Aldi! ”
What are the findings of WIN partners at the end of this project?
WIN partners consultant Aldis Zauls: “The concept of remote work itself was not new for the companies, but during the pandemic, we faced the fact that the recruitment process, interviews, contracting, the first day of work, introduction to the company, and all work for the new employee take place without leaving home. This training has shown that this is a challenge for managers, but the basic rule remains the same: you must first establish a relationship with the new employee, ensure his belonging to the team, and only then the person is ready to work fully on his own. The success of this training is based on the interaction between the coach, who provides a framework for discussion and the search for solutions, and the participants, who fill this frame with their own experiences, problems, and solutions found together. “
