3 Signs your Onboarding System is Obsolete
Business is changing at a faster rate than ever before. This means that your onboarding is at a high risk of becoming obsolete. Hi, everyone. It's me, Lauren from Penny, your guide for all things learning. In this episode, we're talking about why most learning and onboarding systems are obsolete and how you can optimize yours for success. (Watch EP 01 here - Top 3 Reasons Your Onboarding is Failing)
1. Inconsistency
The first reason your onboarding might be obsolete is inconsistency. It's completely normal for a leader to want to add their unique personal touch and have their own idea of what works. This is especially true if your onboarding system is outdated or difficult to use, leaders will be more likely to create their own solutions. But without consistent onboarding, it's difficult to measure what's actually working, and you can't improve what you can't measure.
2. Inaccurate Measure of Success
The second reason your onboarding system might be obsolete is inaccurate measures of success. When's the last time you measured the success of your onboarding or even checked in with folks to see how it's working? Are you able to pinpoint specific aspects that need fine-tuning, or does it just feel like you need a complete overhaul? Onboarding is typically measured as complete or not, good or bad, but that doesn't tell us much about its success. And so it feels overwhelming to refine and improve it. If your onboarding system can't provide you with the data or evidence to pinpoint what you might need to improve, there's a good chance your system is obsolete. Once again, you can't improve what you can't measure.
3. The Experience (or lack thereof)
The third reason your onboarding might be obsolete is the experience or lack thereof. Obsolete onboarding systems are, dare I say, boring. You need an experience that surprises and delights. This requires a bit of creativity and science about what triggers engagement. A winning formula might look something like this:
- Just enough information combined
- A nice check for understanding
- Celebration for achieving a related task
- Predictable patterns and templates
Combine this together and you've got yourself a design that actually helps people feel more confident and retain knowledge.
Don't underestimate the power of digital learning design done right. Reviving your onboarding from obsolete to engaging isn't super complicated. After all, you likely have all the information and content you need. It's just a matter of reshaping it into a consistent, measured and delightful experience. Ready to transform your onboarding into something people love? Tune in for more advice on designing for how people learn in experiences people love. See you next time for Learning with Lauren, where big inspiration comes in small doses.
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