1. 0
Copyright © Best Practices®, LLC
Commercial On-Boarding Excellence:
Bringing New Employees Up To Productivity
Quickly and Effectively
Best Practices, LLC Strategic Research & Analysis

2. 1
Table of Contents
• Project Overview, p. 2
• Universe Of Learning For This On-Boarding Benchmark Analysis, p. 5
• Key Benchmark Findings & Observations, p. 9
• Benchmark Participant Demographics, p. 26
• On-Boarding Program Structure and Scope, p. 29
• Engaging Employees Quickly & Effectively: Critical On-Boarding Program
Elements, p. 40
• Creating High “Set Points” for Productivity, Positive Attitude & Loyalty: Key
Program Objectives, p. 48
• Training on Technology, Mentor Systems & Managing Peak Hire Periods:
Other Critical Success Factors, p. 61
• Technology Platforms & Applications That Are The Cornerstones of On-
Boarding Success, p. 67
• Understanding Company Culture, Values & Strategy: The Importance of
“Soft” Factors To Success, p. 74
• On-Boarding Pitfalls, Lessons Learned & Best Practices, p. 80
• About Best Practices, p. 85

3. 2
Copyright © Best Practices®, LLC
Project Blueprint To Inform On-Boarding Success
Benchmark
Survey
Deep Dive
Interviews
TargetMajorPharmaceutical,Biotech&
MedicalDeviceCompanies
Tools For
Insight:
Segment
Analysis:
Engage
Research
Participants:
• Which On-Boarding
Activities Foster
Retention
• Evaluation of Topics
and Venues that
Enhance On-Boarding
Experience
• What is the Optimum
Amount of Time for an
On-Boarding Program
• How do you
Effectively Measure
the Success of an
On-Boarding Program
Benchmark Themes
To Examine:
Study Protocol:
Key Areas Probed:
• On-Boarding
Structure &
Scope
• Engaging
Employees/
Retention
• On-Boarding
Priorities and
Effectiveness
• Speed to
Productivity
• Technology
and Other
Tools for On-
Boarding
This benchmark study analyzes factors associated with on-boarding (Learning &
Development) activities – including structure, objectives, and effectiveness – to help
leadership evaluate the organization’s approach to on-boarding relative to other market
leaders.
Focus:
All
Companie
s
On-
Boarding
Leadership
Pharma-
Device

4. 3
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Universe of Learning
In total, 33 Training and Development leaders with On-Boarding responsibilities among 33 national and
global organizations participated in this research. All study participants answered all or relevant parts of a
comprehensive Commercial On-Boarding performance benchmark assessment. In addition, selected
executives provided qualitative insights through deep-dive interviews and “lessons learned” observations.

5. 4
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Commercial Function is Largest On-Boarding
Target
Approximately what percentage of the employees that your organization on-boards come from
each of the following corporate functions?
Other functions,
31%
Corporate
functions(e.g.,
Finance, Legal),
8%
Commercial
functions
(e.g.Sales &
Marketing), 36%
Management, 8%
Research &
Development
functions, 16%(N=11) (N=31)
Pharma/Device Segment Total Benchmark Class
Other functions,
11%
Corporate
functions(e.g.,
Finance, Legal),
9%
Commercial
functions
(e.g.Sales &
Marketing), 65%
Management, 5%
Research &
Development
functions, 10%
*Other Responses from the Total Benchmark Class- Operations(4), Engineering and Program Management, Global - foreign
affiliates, Consultants/ Contractors/ Laborers (2), Physicians, Individual functional managers, Technical / Services(2),
Manufacturing(2), Medical function, Environmental and Safety, Occupational Health etc
*Other Responses from the Pharma/Device Segment- Manufacturing, Operations(2), Technical Support, Environmental and Safety,
Occupational Health etc
Commercial operations are routinely cornerstones of on-boarding programs. In these
customer-facing and revenue-creating functions, speed to productivity can dramatically lift
or drive performance. Many other functions utilize on-boarding programs but at a lower rate
than sales and marketing functions.

6. 5
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All Employee Types Use On-Boarding Programs
Which of the following employee types are included in your on-boarding activities ?
(N=11) (N=33)
100%
55%
73%
45%
9%
97%
45%
42%
33%
3%
New hires from
outside the company
Contract employees
Current employees
moving into new
functional areas
Employees absorbed
in merger/acquisition
Other
Pharma/Device Total Benchmark Class
Both the Total Benchmark Class and Pharma/Device Segment listed
Interns as a group included in on-boarding activities.
New hires are the target for on-boarding across all companies. Interestingly, many other
employee types – including contract, intra-company transfers, and merger employees)
utilize on-boarding activities as well.

7. 6
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81%
81%
78%
78%
69%
15%
15%
15%
15%
23%
74%
70%
7%
4%
Create an onboarding schedule for
new employee
Use a standardized onboarding
checklist, that's centrally
warehoused, to ensure
Set up computer, phone, log in
password, office supplies
Schedule new employee to attend
New Employee Orientation
Session
Set up workspace and computer
New employee completes personal
information for HRIS through
online
Send an announcement via email
to the department announcing the
new hire and start date
Highly Important Somewhat Important
Before Day 1: Set Up On-Boarding Schedule & Work
Station
What activities are important for the company to accomplish prior to the first day to help ensure on-boarding
success and early employee engagement ?
Pharma/Device Segment Total Benchmark Class
(N=10) (N=27)
80%
80%
80%
60%
60%
20%
20%
30%
20%
60%
60%
10%
4%
Create an onboarding schedule for
new employee
Schedule new employee to attend
New Employee Orientation Session
Set up computer, phone, log in
password, office supplies
Set up workspace and computer
Send an announcement via email to
the department announcing the
new hire and start date
New employee completes personal
information for HRIS through online
Highly Important Somewhat Important
Confirm personal offer letter sent to
new employee by manager, Human
Resources head or a key executive
For both employee and organizational success, It’s important to do several things before a
new hire’s first day: Creating an on-boarding schedule for the employee and setting up the
worker’s work station are two important steps, participants agreed.

8. 7
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Reaching Productivity Quickly Key On-Boarding Goal
Key Program Goals & Objectives: Which of the following are primary or secondary goals and
objectives of your on-boarding program?
Successfully
integrating new
hires into the
corporate culture
Decreasing
the time for
employees to
reach full
productivity
Helping
employees
build
relationships
Affirming the
employee's
decision to
join the
company
Increase
employee
retention
Primary
Goal
45% 64% 36% 27% 27%
Secondary
Goal
55% 36% 55% 55% 45%
Not a Goal 0% 0% 9% 18% 27%
Primary
Goal
65% 67% 47% 33% 50%
Secondary
Goal
35% 27% 43% 50% 40%
Not a Goal 0% 7% 10% 17% 10%
Pharma-
Device -
n=11
Total
Benchmark
Class -
n=30
Getting employees up to productivity quickly is a primary goal for both segments. While
the Total Benchmark Class places a high premium on integrating employees into the
corporate culture and increasing retention, the Pharma/Device segment places less of an
emphasis on these objectives. This signals improvement opportunities for the sector.

9. 8
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On-Boarding Programs Have Many Objectives
(N=8)
What additional goals and objectives are important to your program?
• Set up on company systems
and tools
• Increase employee
engagement
• Provide product knowledge
training on focus product
lines.
• Industry regulation
requirements
• Ensure quick adaptation to
technology used
• Safety and Quality Systems
Training
• For college hires -- transition
from school to work
environment
• Acclimating to the company
culture
• Benefits overview
• How to use CRM and quoting
system.
• Employee Benefits
• Personal/Job Satisfaction for
the new employee
Primary Goals Secondary Goals
Many companies customize and tailor parts of their on-boarding programs to support
specialized objectives that are important to the organization’s success. Goal diversity
ranges from employee engagement and safety to CRM and quoting systems training.

10. 9
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Technology Training, New Hire Feedback Keys to
Overall On-Boarding Program Success
Please indicate the importance to the overall success of your on-boarding program of each of the following
components?
(N=10) (N=28)
Pharma/Device Segment Total Benchmark Class
75%
75%
64%
64%
61%
57%
54%
18%
25%
29%
29%
18%
36%
7%
Technology training/setup (e.g.,
using hardware & systems)
Collecting new hire feedback on
the process
General employee orientation
(e.g., HR forms, benefits
instruction, corporate policies)
Introduction to corporate culture
Introductions to training
curriculum
Job success guidelines
Corporate overview (e.g.,
mission, history, values)
Very important Somewhat important
100%
80%
70%
60%
60%
60%
60%
20%
30%
40%
40%
20%
Introductions to training
curriculum
Technology training/setup (e.g.,
using hardware & systems)
Collecting new hire feedback on
the process
General employee orientation
(e.g., HR forms, benefits
instruction, corporate policies)
Commercial strategy overview
(e.g., products, goals)
Networking opportunities with
peers
Job success guidelines
Very important Somewhat important
Both segments placed high importance on two things: Training on an organization’s
technology – which is important to quickly bring new hires up to productivity - and
collecting feedback from new hires on the on-boarding process – a trait of continuous
improvement that ensures the on-boarding process is not static.

11. 10
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Other, 12%
1 day, 19%
Not offered
through
onboarding
program, 19%
2 days, 12%
Less than one
day, 38%
Other, 20%
1 day, 20%
Not offered
through
onboarding
program, 20%
2 days, 10%
Less than one
day, 30%
Technology Training a Day or Less at Many Companies
How long is spent during on-boarding acclimating new hires to company technology and
systems?
(N=10) (N=26)
Pharma/Device Segment Total Benchmark Class
*Other Responses from the Total Benchmark Class- 6 days, Manager does
based on needs, self service for IT help
*Other Responses from the Pharma/Device Segment- Manager does based on
needs, self service for IT help
Half of both segments devote a day or less to acclimate new hires to a company’s
technology and its systems. Twenty percent, meanwhile, don’t offer technology training as
part of their on-boarding programs – a recognition that technology is a part of everyday
professional and personal life and some groups require less extensive training.

12. 11
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Standardization
• “Creating a well-laid out and standardized
on-boarding schedule”
• “Provide additional self-directed
development”
• “Provide mandatory training during
orientation”
• “Coordinate process across functions”
Technology
• “Determine which items best covered live
vs. via e-learning”
• “Technology access, with job aides on
how to use and access information”
• “Synchronize systems so data feeds
seamlessly”
Set Expectations
• "Provide basic commitments from the
company and expectations of employee
during orientation”
• “Solicit Feedback”
What are your top three lessons learned or best practices for rapidly and successfully on-
boarding new employees?
Personal Interactions a Theme of Best Practices
Mentor
• "On the job training and mentoring are
most effective”
• “Implementing mentor program”
• “Peer trainer to provide information on
informal workings of team/company”
• “Discussion with high performers”
Relationships
• “Need to leverage face-to-face time to
build relationships and communicate the
most important things”
• “Connect with people that will help them
do their jobs in the near future”
• “Long-term engagement”
Other
• “Clearly train on focus products benefits,
features, specifications, advantages,
competitive positioning and ability to do
one stop shopping with our company”
Interactions with other employees – from sessions with leaders to mentor programs – was a theme that
surfaced in many of respondents’ lists of best practices for successfully on-boarding new employees.

13. BEST PRACTIC12
Copyright © Best Practices®, LLC
Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work
based on the simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a
course to superior economic performance by studying the best business
practices, operating tactics and winning strategies of world-class
companies.
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
919-403-0251
best@best-in-class.com
www.best-in-class.com
About Best Practices, LLC
Link for Report: Bringing New Employees Up To Productivity Quickly and Effectively