Mason: Hey Rahim! It’s so great to finally meet you!

Rahim: Hey Mason, happy to meet you too! Are you ready to get started in the research team?

Mason: Oh, boy, I’m so ready. I can’t wait to learn more about your workflows and find out which tools you use. I just finished reading the latest issue of Tech in Research and…

Rahim: I was feeling pretty confident about onboarding Mason today, but that’s before I realised how much he had prepared for his first day! I’m pretty sure he will get bored quickly with the basic workflow and tools training that I have planned for him… What can I do?

Conor: Welcome to today’s episode of Talking on the job. My name is Conor and, as always, I’m your host and business English mentor. I’m here to talk you through some tips and tricks for using English in an international workplace. I’ve chosen a great title for today’s episode, All aboard!

Rahim is responsible for onboarding Mason. Because Mason is new, Rahim expected him to have very little knowledge about workflows, or work processes. How do you onboard someone who seems like they already know the job?

Well, it’s not as bad as it seems. Mason is motivated, and that is already a great start to any training or onboarding session! And yes, Mason has done some research about general workflows and tools for business. He has… done his homework, as we say. But, Mason does not know the specific details of the workflows and tools that are used in this business’s Research and Development department. Rahim needs to share his knowledge and experience of the R&D department with Mason in a clear and logical way.

There are four main things to remember when teaching someone or giving someone instructions. Let’s go through them.

One, be clear and specific. You can start by clearly stating what the goal, sometimes called the desired outcome, of the onboarding is:

Rahim: By the end of this onboarding, you will be able to enter research data…

Two, give examples. Giving general definitions and explanations is a good start. But, giving examples of when, or how they will use the tool in their job will help them when the time comes to use it in practice.

Rahim: We use this tool when we want to…

Conor: or

Rahim: This tool is great if you need to generate a…

Three, tell a story. People love stories, and just like with examples, our brains remember things better when they are connected with a story. So, use phrases like…

Rahim: We once had a client that needed a really…

Conor: or

Rahim: There was a very interesting case when I first started working here.

Conor: And four, check that you’re being understood. If you want someone to perform a task based on your training, you need to check that they can do it right! Don’t simply ask “do you understand?”. Ask the person you are training to show, or demonstrate to you that they understand.

Rahim: Can you show me how to…

Conor: or

Rahim: How would you…

Conor: Ok, let’s see how Rahim deals with this onboarding!

Rahim: Ok Mason, I’m really impressed that you have done some research on this topic. It’s a great start! By the end of this onboarding, you will be able to enter research data and generate five different types of reports.

Mason: Wow, that sounds great, Rahim!

Rahim: Ok, let’s start with data entry. We use this tool when we want to input prototype and testing data.

Mason: Ehh, how many types of data are there?

Rahim: Good question, there are approximately 50 types, but we will only discuss two types today.

Mason: 50 data types! Woah!

Rahim: Haha, yeah, let me show you the main dashboard and where to input the data. So, here…

Conor: I love how Rahim has managed to find a way to onboard Mason that’s both engaging and relevant. Let’s keep listening!

Rahim: Aha, ok, let’s look at report generation. This tool is great if you need to generate a quick report with the key data points.

Mason: Wait, are there 50 types of reports too?!

Rahim: Ah, no, we only have around 15 different types. You will get to know all of them. It depends on the client, and their specific needs. We once had a client that needed a really detailed report that they could show their investors. We needed to generate 20 separate reports, and then we used another tool to merge them into one. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle! I can show you how to do that another day!

Alright, are you ready to show me what you’ve learned?

Mason: Let’s do it!

Rahim: So, if you were asked to enter prototype data for, say, a hypothetical language learning app called…

Conor: Tell me Rahim, are there any more trainee positions on your team? I would love to come aboard! There was some great vocabulary in there! Prototype data, tools, dashboards, report generation, workflows! So much to teach, and Rahim, you handled that wonderfully.

What about you, dear listener? Have you ever onboarded anyone? Do you think you could? My advice for you today is to pick one or two of your daily work tasks. Break them down into clear steps and practice explaining the workflow. Maybe you can practice explaining to someone who is new to your company – just make sure they actually work in your department, first.

That’s all for today, happy onboarding!