Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

November 2013

SOM Faculty Onboarding Best Practices: A Case Study in the

Department of Surgery

Page 2Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

Why institute a checklist?

Inconsistency across divisions

Things fall through the

cracks

Bad first impressions

Not in line with top ranked institution

Initial lost productivity

Faculty selection missteps

Unhappy Faculty

Page 3Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

Checklist Objectives

1. Dedicated focus on getting the right candidates

2. Changing the culture of onboarding:o Just because the candidate said yes, you

aren’t doneo When the candidate agrees to come, there is

a lot of work that needs dedicated focus

Page 4Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

Checklist Objectives

Faculty recruitment Before they arrive Once they’re here

Dedicated focus on candidate selection:

•Phone interviews•Reference checks•Enhanced communication to candidates:

• Job description• Promotions criteria• Contact info &

FAQs• Real estate &

relocation info•On site interviews & candidate evaluations

Credentialing, Privileges, Activity

Preparation:•Initial contact to faculty

• what’s about to happen

• who they will hear from

• what items will be needed from them

• Done by phone followed by email

•Office confirmation•Supplies, phones, lab coats, business cards•OR, clinic, research, call scheduling•Schedule orientation & trainings

Comprehensive introduction to Emory:•Formal meetings with department representatives to go over:

• Key contacts• IT systems• EU & TEC

processes• Expense reports

•Onboarding buddy•Faculty boot camps•Dedicated subject matter workshops

Page 5Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

Checklist Development

Activity Timeline

1. Top tier schools & healthcare organizations were interviewed

Spring 2012

2. Interviews with new faculty Spring 2012

3. Determine what can be controlled by the department; spend less time focused on things outside our control*

Spring 2012

4. TEC Management Development Program (MDP) staff created 1st draft of checklist

Summer 2012

5. Implementation Fall 2012 - present

*Credentialing at Emory & non-Emory entities: the departments can find it challenging to know where each faculty member is those entities’ process.

Page 6Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

ImplementationSuccess & Lessons Learned

Successes Lessons Learned

1. Greater confidence in candidate selection

2. Clear direction for staff

3. More organized weeks right before & right after candidate arrives

4. Boot camps & workshops very well received

5. Consistency across department

6. Less things fall through the cracks

1. Compliance to checklist is not 100%o Takes time to change cultureo Long, tedious recruitments

(difficult to recruit areas, working to get an offer organized within Emory & non Emory entities, competition)

2. Re-evaluating how to interact more with the things we cannot control – credentialing

3. Continually ask for feedback; just because we think this has been addressed, it has been updated multiple times

Page 7Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

Checklist Re-evaluation

In FY13 Surgery began the creation of a shared service model, helping perform some central functions for otolaryngology & urology. Among the three departments there were approximately 20 new faculty. Here

are some things we’ve heard:

“The computer that was ordered for me does not

meet my needs.”

“Can someone help me during benefit

enrollment while I am online?”

“Can someone help me with transitioning my retirement

plan to my new Emory plan?”

“I am 7/8ths VA but the VA does not have

an office for me.”

“Faculty workshops allow me to understand how to

get involved in research at Emory.”

“This was a better onboarding

experience than I had at my last job.”

“How do I get to the OR? Will someone give

me a tour?”

Engaged Faculty

Page 8Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

Future Updates

1. Improving communication with non Emory entities concerning office space & supply ordering.

2. Adding a tour of the facilities.

3. Creating contact lists for department, SOM & TEC staff.

4. Creating listing of key websites, IT systems, & delineation of which password is needed (EU, EHC).

Things we are tweaking in our processes and adding to the checklist:

Page 9Department of Surgery, Council of Chairs Presentation on Faculty Onboarding

Future Updates

5. When appropriate, setting up conference calls with central HR representatives for benefits & retirement transfer questions.

6. Sending list of standard computer options ahead of time to get the right one ordered.

7. Contacting department leadership 2, 3, 4 weeks out from start date with the status of credentialing & office set up to determine if they need to get involved in anything.

Things we are tweaking in our processes & adding to the checklist (cont.):