26 · Survey Results: Survey Questions and Responses
Acclimating staff to library organization.
Acculturating them to the unique culture, local language, and protocols of Hawaii (if they are not local). For example,
when do you present someone with a lei?
Achieving consistent orientation of employees across departments.
Assisting them in gaining an understanding of the organizational structure and the roles and services of the wide variety
of units within the campus library system and understanding unique role of Libraries faculty in learning and research.
Charged a newly formed Employee Engagement Team to develop an onboarding program for all library employees.
Their biggest challenge (or opportunity) is starting almost from scratch there is a Librarian Association that has a local
committee on Welcoming, Orientation &Mentoring that has not developed a programmatic approach in the past, but
these two groups are working together on developing programs.
Communicating all the necessary “new employee” details. Introducing new employees to colleagues outside of their
unit/department. Physical separation of employees at various locations.
Coordination between university and library efforts
Delays in university services related to onboarding new staff e.g., setting up the person’s IT account.
Diffuse locations make it difficulty to get everyone together.
Ensuring that they have a consistent view of the library’s strategic directions, organizational structure, and that they
understand the ‘big picture’ when it comes to planning and directions.
Ensuring that they meet people from across the library and learn about areas besides just their own department.
Focus has been on librarians, so staff employees are only exposed to the one-day orientation provided by the university
and functional training in their departments. The challenge is balancing time away from assigned duties with the need
for better organizational knowledge and socialization. A second challenge is connecting the dots between information
about a candidate’s competencies and strengths collected during recruitment and on-going professional development/
performance management. We treat each of the talent management areas as if they are discrete activities. They would
be much more powerful if we were more intentional about connecting the dots.
Getting them familiar with other divisions where they do not work.
It is challenging to find the “right” timing for different information. What do they need immediately? What will be
forgotten if delivered too soon? Different positions have different information needs. It is difficult to create a standard
experience while maintaining the individuality needed.
Lack of a mentorship program for new employees
Making them feel a part of our large organization.
None we have a documented process, strong materials, engagement of staff at all levels, excellent communication
strategies and processes to check in on performance prior to the end of the initial 90-day period.
Orienting the new employee to the university.
Our greatest challenges in onboarding new staff are timing and size. New employee orientations occur quarterly, and
more often than not, attendees have figured out the essential information by then. More frequent programs are not
influenced by the turnover/ new hire rate.
Providing all the appropriate training needed to assume the new position.
Acclimating staff to library organization.
Acculturating them to the unique culture, local language, and protocols of Hawaii (if they are not local). For example,
when do you present someone with a lei?
Achieving consistent orientation of employees across departments.
Assisting them in gaining an understanding of the organizational structure and the roles and services of the wide variety
of units within the campus library system and understanding unique role of Libraries faculty in learning and research.
Charged a newly formed Employee Engagement Team to develop an onboarding program for all library employees.
Their biggest challenge (or opportunity) is starting almost from scratch there is a Librarian Association that has a local
committee on Welcoming, Orientation &Mentoring that has not developed a programmatic approach in the past, but
these two groups are working together on developing programs.
Communicating all the necessary “new employee” details. Introducing new employees to colleagues outside of their
unit/department. Physical separation of employees at various locations.
Coordination between university and library efforts
Delays in university services related to onboarding new staff e.g., setting up the person’s IT account.
Diffuse locations make it difficulty to get everyone together.
Ensuring that they have a consistent view of the library’s strategic directions, organizational structure, and that they
understand the ‘big picture’ when it comes to planning and directions.
Ensuring that they meet people from across the library and learn about areas besides just their own department.
Focus has been on librarians, so staff employees are only exposed to the one-day orientation provided by the university
and functional training in their departments. The challenge is balancing time away from assigned duties with the need
for better organizational knowledge and socialization. A second challenge is connecting the dots between information
about a candidate’s competencies and strengths collected during recruitment and on-going professional development/
performance management. We treat each of the talent management areas as if they are discrete activities. They would
be much more powerful if we were more intentional about connecting the dots.
Getting them familiar with other divisions where they do not work.
It is challenging to find the “right” timing for different information. What do they need immediately? What will be
forgotten if delivered too soon? Different positions have different information needs. It is difficult to create a standard
experience while maintaining the individuality needed.
Lack of a mentorship program for new employees
Making them feel a part of our large organization.
None we have a documented process, strong materials, engagement of staff at all levels, excellent communication
strategies and processes to check in on performance prior to the end of the initial 90-day period.
Orienting the new employee to the university.
Our greatest challenges in onboarding new staff are timing and size. New employee orientations occur quarterly, and
more often than not, attendees have figured out the essential information by then. More frequent programs are not
influenced by the turnover/ new hire rate.
Providing all the appropriate training needed to assume the new position.