The document discusses optimizing the onboarding process at Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India. It conducted surveys of new employees to understand gaps in the current onboarding experience. The document recommends improvements like assigning a single point of contact for candidates, providing more information pre-onboarding, increasing onboarding frequency, and ensuring goals are set within the first week. It outlines action points and timelines to implement the recommendations, as well as specific issues found with the onboarding process at the Pune location. The goal is to engage employees through a meaningful onboarding to increase workplace productivity.

1. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process
Anurag Kumbhaj, HRM/RDI
18.08.2014

2. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20142
Contents
Survey Method2
Why Optimizing Onboarding Important ?1
Recommendations3
Action Points4
Issues @ Pune5

3. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20143
Why Optimizing Onboarding Important ?
According to the Gallup Research Group:
! Employee engagement is the number one factor in workplace productivity.
And the best way to successfully engage employees is through a meaningful onboarding process. Onboarding
ensures that new employees feel welcome, informed, prepared, and supported.
Also, GPWT survey
results gave us the realty
check. Unlike other
practices in which
department contributes
more, welcoming
(onboarding) is one
practice in which HR
contributes substantially.

4. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20144
Survey Method - Focused Group Discussion (FGD)
Day Target Executive
Level
Final Attendees
Count
Location
1 T9 14 Whitefields Palms
2 T8 13 Whitefields Palms
3 L4, L5 & L6 13 Whitefields Palms
4 T7 10 Whitefields Palms
5 T7, T8 & T9 12 Pune
6 L5, L6, T7, T8 & T9 10 Pine Valley, EGL
Advantages of creating Focused Group level
wise over department wise:
" Representation across departments:
# Diversity in thoughts
# Provides a stage to discuss whether
an issue is across organization or
specific to a department
" Freedom to speak in absence of direct
supervisors or deputies
Questions Floated in FGD’s:
What kind of expectations/aspirations you had while joining MBRDI?
Have they been met? If not, what are the gaps?
How was your onboarding experience?
a) In company
b) In department

5. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20145
Recommendations
Recruitment
• Enforce
managers for
descriptive MPR’s
• Initiate German
Culture readiness
check
• Same SPOC for
candidate till
onboarding
Pre - Onboarding
• Assign SPOC for
general queries
• Appreciation
lunch
• Create MBRDI
info guide
Onboarding
(Day 1)
Frequency: 2/Week
• Orientation
• Briefing Sessions:
• HR
• Finance
• Travel
• LEAD process
• Insurance
• Facilities (canteen, pantry,
stationary, workstation,
meeting rooms, transport)
• Important contact no., email
and links
• Statutory forms
• Recruitment team to HRBP
transition
• Help Desk (HR, facilities,
insurance, bank)
Onborading
(Induction Day)
Frequency: 1/Month
• Daimler History
• Footprints of MBRDI
• Briefing Sessions:
• By MD & CEO, & HOD’s
• Departments in MBRDI
• HR Organization Structure
• Employee Referral Program (RMS)
• Policy (Admin, Benefits, Leaves, LEAD, etc)
• Trainings (Behavioral & Leadership)
• Academy
• Education & Certifications
• Annual Day
• CSR Activities
• EAC (Employee Assistance Program)
• Women Development
• Intercultural training
• Team Building Activities
• Factory Visit
Onborading
(Department)
• Ensure Goal setting & LEAD process are
completed in Week 1
• Enhance customer exposure
• Make buddy appointment by hiring
managers a non avoidable process
• Give preference to new employees for
German language training
• Automate IT approval process
• Enforce timely interview feedback and
minimize candidate on hold period
New (Recommendation/
Recommended Activity)
Existing Activity
(To Be Modified)
Existing Activity
Legend:

6. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20146
Action Points
Action on Recommendation
Responsible
Person/Team
Implementation
Timeline
Budget
Recruitment
• Enforce hiring managers to provide descriptive JD, & project name & task for each MPR
• Initiate German culture readiness check during HR interview using following steps:
• Question: Ask questions to gauge candidate’s willingness to accept German culture
• Validate: Give a situation specific to a project and ask decision making questions
• Confirm: Provide a decision on candidate aptness to the profile & MBRDI
• Recruitment team must ensure only one SPOC for candidate from first communication to
onboarding
Recruitment Leaders
Recruitment Leaders
Recruitment Leaders
With Immediate Effect
With Immediate Effect
Sep 30th 2014
NA
NA
NA
Pre - Onboarding
• Assign SPOC for all general queries such as notice period buyout, reallocation, travel & stay,
reimbursement, etc
• Invite recruited candidates for lunch with Hiring & Recruiting managers after offer acceptance to
discuss Department Strategy & Project
• A small information booklet containing static information such as about MBRDI, departments, brief
of all processes related to onboarding, working hours, etc
Recruitment/HR Leaders
Recruiter
HR
Sep 30th 2014
With Immediate Effect
Sep 30th 2014
NA
NA
INR 20,000
(Euro 250 approx.)
Onboarding (Day 1)
• Include quick briefing sessions on the following topics: HR, Finance, Travel, LEAD process,
Insurance, Facilities (canteen, pantry, stationary, workstation, meeting rooms, transport)
• Share all important contacts and links in a flyer
• Make perforated forms booklet for all statutory form and provide full day to new employees to fill &
submit
• Introduce HRBP concept & formal transition must take place between recruitment team & HRBP
• Helpdesk (HR, facilities, insurance, bank) to address queries
HR
HR
HR
HR Leaders
HR
Sep 30th 2014
Sep 30th 2014
Sep 30th 2014
Starting Q1 2015
Sep 30th 2014
NA
NA
INR 10.000
(Euro 125 approx.)
NA
NA

7. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20147
Action Points
Action on Recommendation
Responsible
Person/Team
Implementation
Timeline
Budget
Onborading (Induction Day)
• Increase frequency of induction to 2/Month
• Ensure lead time for induction from Day 1 to be less than a month
• Ice Breaking session by MD & CEO taking through MBRDI Vision, Mission, Strategy, Facts & Figures
• Department Introduction by respective HOD’s
• Develop an Intercultural training session to help new employee understand German work culture
• Include more team building activities (consider outdoor activities)
• Reconsider Factory Visits for the new employees
HR Head
HR Leaders
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR
Starting Q4 2014
With Immediate Effect
September 30th 2014
September 30th 2014
September 30th 2014
September 30th 2014
Starting Q1 2015
TBD
NA
NA
NA
NA
INR 20,000
(Euro 250 approx.)
TBD
Onborading (Department)
• Make Goal setting & LEAD process completion of new employee mandatory for hiring managers
within 1st week of joining
• Enforce managers to involve more team members in direct customer interactions to increase
employees’ visibility of project
• Hold onboarding if a buddy is not appointed by hiring manager
• A separate batch for German language training with preference to new employee’s
• Make all IT tools & license approval process automated
• Set time limit for hiring managers to give interview feedback and provide timely decisions to
candidates
HR Leaders
HOD’s
Recruitment Leader
HR
HOD - IT Services & ITI/
GS
Recruiter
September 30th 2014
With Immediate Effect
With Immediate Effect
TBD
TBD
With Immediate Effect
NA
NA
NA
TBD
TBD
NA

8. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20148
Issues @ Pune
WorkflowID card
Joining
kits
Finance
Induction
- SPOC
Telephone
Bank
account
OBT /
Concur
VISA
support

9. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development IndiaMercedes-Benz Research and Development India
Optimizing Onboarding Process | Anurag Kumbhaj | HRM/RDI | 18.08.20149
Thank You !!