Reboarding your team: the route to post-covid success
Previously ranked much lower on priority lists, reboarding has now become one of the most essential practices in order for companies to succeed. It is the act of re-introducing an employee to their role, responsibilities and changes that may have taken place while the employee was away. Reboarding helps an employee get back up to speed quickly, promotes motivation and re-establishes their connection with the company.
But the playing field has been altered
Prior to COVID-19, reboarding typically took place on an individual basis. An employee who had been away for medical or maternity leave, for example, would be reboarded by a supervisor or co-worker on their own. Now, as more companies re-open and resume work, entire workforces require reboarding. And, demand that has piled up during the absence means reboarding needs to be quick, efficient and ready for change.
Being very intentional when planning out a reboarding strategy is key to successfully restoring any business. While some of the principles of typical reboarding can be used, it is important to consider the current environment. Here are 5 elements to consider when planning a reboarding strategy:
1. Address new changes
In most cases, new safety protocols have been put in place and workers must understand how to adhere to them. In other cases, employees are returning to workplaces that pivoted and are now entirely different. Reboarding plans must be clear about what these changes are, and train employees’ new skills and processes.
2. Reboarding ≠ Onboarding
A reboarding plan should not be a repeat of an existing onboarding plan. Returning employees likely won’t need to be re-trained on every task or process. Their reboarding should be mainly focused on new changes and key processes, with an easy refresher on general proceedures.
3. Be prepared for a very different team
You may be returning to an entirely different team if your workers found different positions during your company’s closure. This means there will be many new employees that will need to be onboarded. Remember, reboarding ¹ onboarding meaning you must have both reboarding AND onboarding plans that address the requirements of both groups.
4. Resilience is key
Though many businesses are able to resume work, the environment can change quickly. Workplaces must be prepared for ongoing change by helping their employees be resilient. Reboarding plans should help employees learn how to respond to new changes quickly and be prepared to make sound decisions in real time.
5. Reboarding presents an opportunity for change
Although lots of change is taking place, there is an opportunity to add adjustments that were previously in the queue. For example, small changes to improve company culture may be welcome now more than ever. Being intentional about how you integrate these changes with the covid-related adjustments can make a great positive impact on the company.
Though reboarding is certainly a necessary part of restoring the workplace, it should be viewed as a new platform for success. Much like onboarding, reboarding offers the opportunity to initiate a positive, dedicated relationship between employee and company. It can be viewed as a chance to start fresh in a new environment full of emerging opportunity and innovation, with a rejuvenated, and stronger team.
Enable Education is working hard to help businesses create sustainable training resources that can be used in the current working environment and once our world settles into a new normal. We can help you record professional training videos remotely, or create a sustainable plan that will guide your organization when things return to normal.
