Securing an official job offer is nothing short of exciting. The hard work has paid off and you’re ready to dive right in. Securing an official job offer is nothing short of exciting. The hard work has paid off and you’re ready to dive right in. With a heavy focus on supporting the digital nomad community, the onboarding process at Social Discovery Group may look a little different than that of other companies. Social Discovery Group Social Discovery Group One of our newest hires for a managerial position, a Delivery Manager, recently wrote about their onboarding experience at SDG and stated, “For most of my career, I have worked in companies ranging from 15 to 350 employees. Naturally, every new job comes with an onboarding process, and I have had different experiences with how this process is structured in various organizations.” He shared key observations with us about the onboarding process and how it differed from other experiences. Step One: Onboarding with the System Administrator The onboarding process had three stages, first, a meeting with the system administrator. 👩‍💻 The admin meeting is usually no more than an hour long and incredibly useful. The system administrator walked the newcomer through all the software used at SDG. While tools like Slack, Jira, and Confluence may be familiar, setting up the computer and understanding the company’s analytical tools required additional explanation, as these aspects vary across organizations. SDG SDG This session also served as a cultural onboarding experience. The admin explained how meetings are typically scheduled in Google Calendar within the company, which Slack channels to use for different inquiries, and most importantly, how the company’s Confluence wiki is structured.🔍 The system administrator is a go-to person for technical questions, so new employees never feel lost. *¨Onboarding is a crucial part of integrating into the job and the team. It significantly impacts how quickly a newcomer adapts to the workflow, gets to know the team, and understands their tasks.*¨ — Eugene Bandarenka, Delivery Manager *¨Onboarding is a crucial part of integrating into the job and the team. It significantly impacts how quickly a newcomer adapts to the workflow, gets to know the team, and understands their tasks.*¨ — Eugene Bandarenka, Delivery Manager Eugene Bandarenka, Delivery Manager Step Two: Onboarding with your Mentor The Social 3.0 team is continuously expanding and SDG has many experienced managers that take on the role of mentor to newcomers. 🌱 During the first meeting, expect mentors to cover the following topics: A detailed overview of the team, its structure, members’ strengths and weaknesses, their motivations, and career expectations.


Established processes within both the team and the company, and understanding the different workflows.


Key documentation about the team and products, as well as a separate list of needed access permissions.


A template for message requests, the relevant contacts for approvals, and the purpose of each access level.


Most importantly, the mentor will go through key responsibilities during the probation period, including (for managerial positions) delivery metrics, establishing strong connections with the team, and defining objectives. Key responsibilities will differ depending on the position. A detailed overview of the team, its structure, members’ strengths and weaknesses, their motivations, and career expectations. A detailed overview of the team, its structure, members’ strengths and weaknesses, their motivations, and career expectations. Established processes within both the team and the company, and understanding the different workflows. Established processes within both the team and the company, and understanding the different workflows. Key documentation about the team and products, as well as a separate list of needed access permissions. Key documentation about the team and products, as well as a separate list of needed access permissions. A template for message requests, the relevant contacts for approvals, and the purpose of each access level. A template for message requests, the relevant contacts for approvals, and the purpose of each access level. Most importantly, the mentor will go through key responsibilities during the probation period, including (for managerial positions) delivery metrics, establishing strong connections with the team, and defining objectives. Key responsibilities will differ depending on the position. Most importantly, the mentor will go through key responsibilities during the probation period, including (for managerial positions) delivery metrics, establishing strong connections with the team, and defining objectives. Key responsibilities will differ depending on the position. 🔑 During the 3-month probation period, newcomers will have weekly check-ins with their mentor to discuss questions and track progress. Step Three: Onboarding with HR 🎯 The next stage of onboarding is meeting with a team HR representative. Some key topics that are covered: Team insights from an HR perspective, included details on salary review timelines, employee motivations, and any personal circumstances to be aware of


HR processes, such as salary adjustments, professional development requests, and the team’s feedback system


Probation period evaluation


Gamification and internal rewards Team insights from an HR perspective, included details on salary review timelines, employee motivations, and any personal circumstances to be aware of Team insights from an HR perspective, included details on salary review timelines, employee motivations, and any personal circumstances to be aware of HR processes, such as salary adjustments, professional development requests, and the team’s feedback system HR processes, such as salary adjustments, professional development requests, and the team’s feedback system Probation period evaluation Probation period evaluation Gamification and internal rewards Gamification and internal rewards 👨‍🏫 Additionally, the HR representative provides a structured checklist to guide adaptation, divided by priorities for the first few days, the first week, and the following months. Newcomers are highly encouraged to get involved to learn through hands-on experience and participate in collaborative decision-making. SDG utilizes a structured and data-driven approach to enhance employee satisfaction. The feedback process consists of surveys tied to measurable indicators, and HR and management implement targeted initiatives to assess the impact of their actions. Final Thoughts on the Onboarding Process Joining a technical team can come with a steep learning curve, but the onboarding process at SDG is designed to make this transition as smooth as possible. The structured documentation, clear processes, and support from multiple people ensure that new employees not only understand key information but also apply it instantly. 📅 Written by Eugene Bandarenka, Delivery Manager at Social Discovery Group Written by Eugene Bandarenka, Delivery Manager at Social Discovery Group Written by Eugene Bandarenka, Delivery Manager at Social Discovery Group Social Discovery Group Social Discovery Group

This story contains new, firsthand information uncovered by the writer.

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