When I first started there was no "onboarding".
There was training. There were clear expectations and instructions that you followed to get the work done.
As we've moved towards the concept of "onboarding", I think the metaphor implies the need to answer the question- On to What?
If you work in the for-profit sector, it's usually pretty clear. You are there to help the company make profits. Sure it might be wrapped in or honestly connected to mission focused work, but ultimately if the profit margin isn't reached there will be changes that could find you looking for new work by the end of the day.
In the nonprofit world, onboarding actually starts the minute someone applies to join the staff. Having a shared understanding of the mission and some personal an/or emotional reason that ties to that mission is one of the best ways to prevent burnout and keep turnover rates lower. But how do you assess that in the interview stage as an employer and how can bring up that conversational topic when you are interviewing?
In building my team, I have attempted to find the connection during that interview process with the simple question of why do you want to work here. For me, listening to that answer is critical in gauging if someone really has thought through the choice, or if they are looking for work with skills but not necessarily passion.
As I've interviewed places, I've tried to uncover some of this by asking about culture. If "culture eats strategy for lunch", I have certainly encountered a variety of people who don't seem to know what to say. In some cases, what I've heard is a tie to the values of the organization which seems to bode well if those are something that are in actual practice. Other places I've heard a mission centered story. In both cases, it was easier to see how I could fit in to the staffing plan.
As we head toward a recession in 2021, along with the US Presidential election in November, massive climate change and epidemics, this is a time of great unease and the nonprofit staffing market will probably get flooded with potential staff and the exact same time that corporate and individual giving will undoubtably plummet.
If you've committed yourself to change, now is a great time to be onboarding- just make sure you are on the right bus.