September is an exciting time: The new training year begins! This demands a lot from both those in charge at companies and the trainees: Other tasks are left behind, and important basic knowledge can be quickly lost. Digital support can relieve you and the trainees in the first weeks. How this can be achieved with "Blended Onboarding" will be explained in this article using an example.
Integrating new colleagues is always a challenge: onboarding means that the focus is shifted away from everyday business and toward knowledge transfer and support. For trainees entering companies in September, the process is often even more intense. Mentors, team leaders, and HR managers must start even earlier in the learning process compared to experienced professionals.
The Challenge: Conveying a lot of knowledge in a short time
The goals for the first weeks with new trainees are clear:
Clearly communicate the process for the next 2 to 3 years
Convey the necessary basic knowledge about the company and important processes
Ensure a getting to know process to integrate trainees quickly
… and maintain a productive work environment at the same time.
All of this combined is a significant time burden for those responsible—and a cognitive challenge for the trainees who must acquire a lot of knowledge in a short time: from safety at work to using new tools and remembering the names of many new people, to the particularly important operation of the coffee machine! 😀
All this knowledge must not only be conveyed by those responsible and mentors: The trainees must also understand it, process it, and have it readily available at all times. Only then can a smooth workday become possible quickly.
Solution Approach: Digitally Supported Onboarding for Trainees
For onboarding to be quick and sustainable, it is important that the learning process fits the target group. This means you need to know your target audience well: The biggest difference between experienced new employees and trainees is often the age: The average age of trainees is around 20 years. Thus, trainees predominantly belong to the "Generation Z".
If you are new to E-learning, you can find a simple introduction here.
What Characterizes Generation Z Trainees?
Digital Natives: Growing up with digital technologies.
Natural usage of smartphones and tablets.
Proficient in dealing with available digital/online knowledge.
Tending to have a rejection of print media such as books and magazines.
Communication via smartphones, clouds, apps, and social networks.
Use these characteristics and habits to your advantage! You can directly derive how the onboarding for young trainees should look so that it is effective and motivating:
How You Should Design the Onboarding for Trainees
Focus on digital media, limited print media like traditional manuals.
Knowledge available at any time (learning on demand).
Knowledge is flexibly available on mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets.
Appropriate devices at the workplace are readily available.
Flexible scheduling for learning directly at the workplace or setting up dedicated learning times.
Provide direct exchange with fellow trainees and contact with trainers (Exciting: Study by AUBI-Plus on the wishes of trainees regarding E-learning).
All these points are covered by a novel learning concept called "Blended Onboarding".
Digitally Supported Onboarding with "Blended Onboarding" for Trainees
You are surely familiar with the term "Blended Learning" from the field of further education: the combination of online and face-to-face learning. "Blended Onboarding" is directly based on this: the combination of learning content in an online course with personal live sessions.
Live Sessions + Online Course = Blended Onboarding
An onboarding based on the "Blended Onboarding" concept supports all goals for the first weeks and meets the habits and expectations of young trainees.
Practice: Example Online Course for Onboarding Trainees
Below you will see an online course on the blink.it learning platform, where the "Blended Onboarding" concept was developed. The course may not fit all vocational training occupations but gives you a first idea for practical implementation:
Example of a supporting online course for trainees in their first days/weeks.
Clear Structures in the Onboarding Course
The course is set up so that the content is automatically released sequentially. This makes the online course clearer for you and the trainees and brings more structure. Recommendation: Plan the contents by week if you have more than a few basic contents (Week 1: All content on Topic 1 - Week 2: All content on Topic 2, etc.) and create an onboarding plan using the guide "Blended Onboarding in Companies".
Quick Integration Through Q&A Sessions
To turn the online course into a Blended Onboarding, you also plan Q&A sessions on topics where questions are foreseeable or where additional personal support makes sense. In these cases, the online content serves as preparation so that the Q&A sessions can proceed productively. Recommendation: Plan at least 15 minutes of Q&A sessions daily. Schedule Q&A sessions with different contacts and colleagues to strengthen the integration of the trainees.
"Recycling" in the Online Course Saves Time!
Additionally, on the blink.it learning platform, you can "recycle" the content: Some information is certainly not only important for trainees but also for other new employees, interns, working students, and others. For example, safety topics or site maps. Recommendation: Create a base course template that includes all content that is important for all newcomers. Copy this base course and supplement it with specific content. This way, you save additional time and can ensure that all people in the company receive the same information. Only the welcome video should be created individually by you or the mentor for each newcomer – this increases engagement from the start. The easiest way is to create videos with a smartphone.
Save Time and Nerves When Onboarding Trainees
The Blended Onboarding concept offers everything that is important for the training of trainees: You save time as a responsible person or trainer since online content can be adjusted flexibly and reused every year. It allows young trainees to learn independently in their familiar digital environment. It also enables intense personal contact and support. And thus relieves both those in charge and trainees to ensure a smooth start. So utilize modern digital learning concepts not only for further education but also for the new generation in your company!
