Make Your Onboarding More Welcoming and Inclusive--Meet the Moment, July 10, 2022

We often hear “students need to Maslow before they can bloom” This is true for adults on campus too. What constitutes Maslow for adults in new jobs?

A problem arises when the aspects of working on campus–like information about benefits, pay, office keys, and parking–eat up the valuable early days on campus, or take over the first few mentoring conversations new faculty have with their mentors.

The first days on campus are exhilarating, yet they can also be exhausting for new hires too. To help keep the focus on what’s important, you can take care of the basics ahead of time. 

But not every new faculty member can “run over to campus” prior to their start date during working hours to pick up a computer, sign forms, get an office key, etc. You can be more inclusive and welcoming to your newest faculty members by asking some key questions in advance:

• How much of this process can you move online? 
• Can you create print or digital resources that can replace meetings?
• How much flexibility can you provide? 
• Can the tech office offer a couple of evening pickup hours? (Chances are pretty good they’re working long hours in the summer, since it’s their biggest time for upgrades, fixes, and installations.) 

When you make logistical information accessible, asynchronous, and transparent, you can spend your time on what matters most:  relationships, culture, curriculum, and pedagogy.