Orientation and Onboarding

New direct support professionals (DSPs) will only thrive in an organization if they quickly connect to the organization and their co-workers. It is important for new employees to feel welcomed and supported in their new roles. It is during the initial stage of employment that an effective onboarding process can help the new employee fit into the organization. While most organizations provide orientation, it is usually based on mandated or required training that includes: learning job expectations, earning certifications in required skills such as CPR and medication administration, reviewing policies and procedures, and learning about the people they will support. DSPs want to know what is expected of them. Supervisors need to tell and show new employees what is expected of them on the job and how to do these tasks. Onboarding includes orientation, training, coaching, and mentoring within a specified timeframe. Effective orientation and training not only improves the performance of DSPs but also improves the chances that new employees will stay on the job longer.

View the Orientation and Onboarding webinar to learn about the difference between onboarding and orientation, best practices for DSP onboarding and orientation, and the importance of the frontline supervisor during orientation and onboarding.