Live Case – Project

Develop a School District’s Onboarding Program for New Hires

A Collaboration Between

Project Synopsis

The Ashton-Franklin Center School District is in need of your support in developing an employee onboarding program to be launched August 2022. The district is looking to build an efficient and comprehensive framework, process, and set tools for carrying out the new employee induction process.
Some suggested activities include:
Review of existing documents and processes currently being used.
Research on best practices for onboarding new hires taking into account different training target groups, instructional and licensed staff as well as non-instructional staff such as those working in operations and facilities.
Identification of legal requirements for onboarding.
Curation and development of prototype job aids, road maps, organizational charts, and other tools that facilitate new hire orientation and job success.
A successful project would result in a prototype Onboarding Playbook, that includes 1) step-by-step instructions for orienting staff depending on their employee classification (e.g. licensed, instructional, operational staff), 2) collection of sample job aids, building maps, organizational charts, sample forms, etc. that should be supplied to new hires to facilitate orientation and successful transition into work roles.

Project Topics

Corporate Social Responsibility

Operations

Company Information

CompanyAshton-Franklin Center CUSD #275
HQAshton, Illinois
RevenueN/A
EmployeesUnlisted
StageSmall Business
Hiring PotentialN/A
Websitehttps://www.afcschools.net/

Company Overview

N/A

Experiential Learning Program Details

SchoolNorthern Illinois University (NIU)
Engagement FormatLive Case - Think "Hackathon" or Case Competition with a whole class of students! This learning format allows educators to deliver experiential learning to students at scale. Students are often split into groups to work on a live case (or a series of cases) from a real host company that directly relates to key learning objectives.
CourseBusiness in Action, Summer 2022 (Collum) – AFC School District
Level
  • All Undergraduate
Students Enrolled40
Meeting Day & TimeMon & Wed 6:00-8:40 p.m.
Student Time Commitment4-7 Hours Per Week
Company Time Commitment1 Hour
Duration7.57 Weeks

Program Timeline

Touchpoints & Assignments Due Date Type
Company & Projects Reveal

Company & Projects Reveal

June 15th, 2022 Event na
Teams Announced/Team Charters

Teams Announced/Team Charters

June 27th, 2022 Event na
Project Launch

Project Launch

June 29th, 2022 Event na
Visit with AFC School District Representative

Visit with AFC School District Representative

June 29th, 2022 Event na
Deliverable 1 Presentations Deliverable 1 Presentations
July 11th, 2022 Submission Required submission-required
Deliverable 2 Presentations Deliverable 2 Presentations
July 20th, 2022 Submission Required submission-required
Visit with AFC School District Representative

Visit with AFC School District Representative

July 25th, 2022 Event na
Deliverable 3 Final Presentation & Paper Deliverable 3 Final Presentation & Paper
August 1st, 2022 Submission Required submission-required

Key Project Milestones

  • July 6, 2022 -  Establish Status Quo and Parameters for New Onboarding Process

    • Gather and analyze all print and digital materials the school district currently uses to onboard new employees. 
      • What are their purposes? How are they used? What messages are being communicated?
      • Who are they targeting, and at what point in the onboarding process?
      • What about the style and organization of the content? Are they succinct and visual or wordy and cumbersome?
      • If you organize information into thematic categories (not necessarily mutually exclusive), what topics or themes emerge?
      • Which information/messages would be best communicated through video?
      • When will onboarding start? How long will it last? What activities need to begin prior to the start date?
    • How will the program be delivered? What format(s) are available for engaging new employees in the onboarding process (virtual, in-person, hybrid)?
    • What do new employees need to know about the culture and work environment?
    • What policies and other documentation should be integrated into the program?
    • What role will HR play in the process? What about direct managers? Co-workers? What information (agenda, checklist, etc.) will they need to engage new hires successfully and meaningfully?
    • What kind of goals does the school want to set for new employees?

    Suggested Deliverable:

    Onboarding Program Scope

  • July 20, 2022 - Explore and create strategies and tools for onboarding

    • What do new employees need to know about the culture and work environment? 
    • What are the most effective strategies for helping new employees learn about decision making and communication structures and channels?
    • What policies and other documentation should be integrated into the program?
    • What factors are key to success for new employees, and how is their success evaluated?
    • What are the common questions new employees have? Can you create a Q&A document or directory to support newcomers to the organization? 

    Suggested Deliverable:

    Prototypes: Recommendations for onboarding programs and supporting tools (e.g. Checklist of what employees need to be successful; Q&A/Directory; Communication & Decision-making Trees) 

  • August 1, 2022 - Make Actionable Recommendations for Onboarding New Employees

    • How will you structure the onboarding experience for new employees? What are the various components and their associated goals?
    • Are there materials from current onboarding practices that can be used or repurposed? What tools or resources need to be developed?
    • How will each component of the process be delivered? How will employees engage content, material, and other employees?
    • Can you create a detailed flowchart or storyboard that shows how the new employee will experience the process?
    • What costs are associated with these plans?
    • How do you suggest the school district gather feedback on the program and measure its success?

    Suggested Deliverable:

    A Practical Guide to Onboarding New Employees with Tools and Templates

Academic Mentors

Instructor

 

[email protected]

Instructor

Jason Gorham

[email protected]

Instructor

Scott Rosenfelder

[email protected]

Instructor

Neil Doughty

[email protected]

Instructor

Elois Joseph 

[email protected]

Instructor

Jenny Redisi 

[email protected]

Assigned Students

There are currently no students assigned.