Sciencenter

Orientation Packet for New Team Members
What’s in this packet:

Orientation goals

Checklists

Orientation meeting agendas

Orientation Goals

At the end of the orientation period,we would like you tobe familiar with:

Core organizational framework (mission, strategy, etc.)

Staff handbook

Approach to communication: “Crucial Conversations” CD-based course

Quarterly staff survey process

Annual staff review process

Work plan and planning process

Budget and budgeting process

Safety policies and procedures

In addition, we would like to make sure that you have:

Met with other staff andlearned their primary functions

Obtained / ordered any basic equipment you need

Learned the basic tools you need to use (IT, financial procedures, etc.)

Met with your staff mentor

Scheduled lunch with the president one monthafter your start date

Checklists

Checklist for Hiring Manager

Before the first day of work:

Set up meeting with president for first morning of work

Make sure other candidates have been notified of the hiring decision

Have PR & Media Manager post an updated org chart staff listing on website

Prepare orientation schedule – see template

Schedule meetings (in addition to position-specific meetings):

1. 1st day:Organizational overview (Executive Director)

2. 1st week:Approach to communications (Associate Director)

3. 1st week:HR & business matters (Dir of Finance & HR)

4. 1st week: Network communications and IT (Dir of Finance & HR)

5. 2nd week: Budget process (Dir of Finance & HR)

6. 2nd week: Annual planning process (Associate Director)

7. 4th week:Lunch with president(Executive Director)

  • Arrange for new staff member to meet for 10-15 min with all departments and staff members during first week

Make sure new staff member brings these on first day:

  • ID (driver’s license,Social Security card, passport, or birth certificate)
  • Voided personal check or deposit slip (for direct deposit of salary/wages)

Havemailbox set up in main office(via Guest Relations & Operations)

Checklist for New Staff Member’s Manager

(typically the department head)

First day

Meeting with executive director (allow 2 hours)

Tour facilities

  • Exhibits
  • Store
  • Restrooms
  • Shop
  • Storage areas
  • Equipment cabinet (show combination lock)
  • Show location of fire exits, fire extinguishers, fire alarms

Lunch together

Show main office setup and equipment, including:

  • Mail room
  • Postage scale and meter
  • Copiers & spare paper
  • Fax machine
  • Office supplies(report to volunteer coordinator if low or out of stock)
  • Kitchenette (emphasize cleanup after each use)
  • Fridges (label your own food if you want to save it)
  • Trash and recycle bins

Meet with Director of Finance & HR to fill out basic HR forms

Assign a staff mentor (a peer in another department, if possible. Not the new team member’s manager)

Emphasize that new team member should read the Staff Handbook within one week

  • File on server in: \Administration\Policies and Procedures\HR - Staff Handbook)
  • Sign certification sheet (give to Director of Finance and HR to file)

NOTE: Additional training is tailored to the position description.

Checklist for Director of Finance and HR

Before first day

IT items to set up via IT team:

  • Email address initial+
  • Staff listserv
  • Workstation account
  • Account and staff folder on server

Set up workspace & desk

Organizational chart update

  • Update in Visio
  • Save as PDF, send to Public & Media Rel Manager to post on website

Phone extension

  • Set up extension name from Extension 10 in main office
  • Set up voicemail box

First day

Get copy of new employee’s

  • ID and social security card (or passport)
  • Voided check for direct payroll deposit

Fill out the following forms:

  • I-9
  • W-4
  • New York State Wage Theft Protection Act
  • Flexible Spending Account sign-up form (health and/or dependent care)
  • NOTE: must fill out at hire and each year, even if declining
  • Insurance becomes effective 1st day of month after hire
  • Give beneficiary form for disability and life insurance, get back in 1 week

Credit card form: assign to operations, exhibits, or education group

Fill out personal information form and distribute to:

  • Membership manager (update museum database)
  • Public relations manager (update staff website[1], order bus cards)
  • Manager of VSO(name badge)
  • Enter phone and emergency info in lists on server
  • Enter birthday in staff birthday listing
  • Enter start date in staff hire-date listing

Train on security

  • Issue keys (get from facilities manager)
  • Train on security system
  • Stress need to keep outside doors locked at all times
  • Note: Use last-one-out procedure if after 6 pm

First week

Train on IT

  • Outlook
  • Email system
  • Staff listserv:
  • Server: orientation on server file system

Train on phone system

  • Record name and outgoing message
  • Demonstrate shortcuts to change/get voicemail

Schedule meeting with health insurance representative (if appropriate)

Set up on Paychex payroll system (using W-4, I-9, voided check)

Get 4-digit PIN assigned by staff member (fax to Omega Systems)

Ensure that a mentor has been assigned by the hiring manager

Notes for Orientation Meeting #1 (first day)

Topic: President’s Welcome and Introduction to the Sciencenter

(New team member, President(lead), new team member’s manager)

NOTE: This meeting should take place at the start of first day (~2 hours)

  1. Welcome letter
  2. Orientation outline
  3. Core documents
  4. Mission-vision-values (bulletin board item)
  5. Visitor service statement and goal to provide a legendary visitor experience
  6. Core audiences
  7. Visitor learning goals
  8. Organizational strategy
  9. Organizational chart (board-staff relations, matrix management)
  10. Decision-making guidelines (bulletin board item)
  11. Note decision strategieswe use: command, consult, consensus, vote
  12. Organizational culture
  13. Communications –Crucial Conversations CD course, listen within 1 month
  14. Staff handbook (read & sign staff handbook certification sheet within one week)
  15. Quarterly staff survey
  16. Annual performance review procedure
  17. Strategic and Annual Work Plans
  18. Outline of planning process
  19. Strategic initiatives & Annual objectives
  20. Miscellaneous
  21. United Way – We are a Pacesetter Organization & do August staff campaign
  22. Sign confidentiality statement
  23. Importance of keeping building & grounds clean
  24. Staff mentorship program
  25. Schedule lunch date with executive director (in one month)
  26. Ask for questions

Orientation Meeting #2 (first week)

Topic: Approach to Communications

(New Staff Member, Associate Director (lead), new staff member’s manager)

ITEMS TO BRING TO MEETING:

  1. Culture summary
  2. “Crucial Conversations” summary
  3. Decision making guidelines

AGENDA FOR MEETING

  • Welcome to the team!
  • Culture summary
  • Crucial conversations course
  • Listen to the 6 CDs in first month
  • Summary is a reminder of techniques you can use to communicate most effectively,once course has been listened to
  • Decision making guidelines
  • Involving the right people in decisions
  • Communicating meetings through minutes to the right people
  • Staff mentor program
  • Review guidelines
  • Ensure that mentor/mentee relationship has been established

Orientation Meeting #3 (first week)

Topic:HR Matters

(New Staff Member, Dir of Finance and HR (lead), new staff member’s manager)

ITEMS TO BRING TO MEETING:

  1. Benefits listing
  2. Credit card reconciliation form
  3. Time sheet
  4. Expense reimbursement form
  5. Purchases in local stores and weekly orders are coordinated by Guest Relations & Operations Dept.

AGENDA FOR MEETING

  • Welcome the new staff member to the team
  • Describe benefits
  • Paydays (15th and last day of month)
  • Time sheet
  • Credit card (if appropriate)
  • Monthly reconciliation procedure
  • Time-off policies
  • Expense forms (note current mileage reimbursement rate)
  • Travel, including personal auto use (if appropriate)

NOTES:

  1. Set up credit card, if appropriate

Orientation Meeting(s) #4 (first week)

Topic: Network Communications and IT

(New staff member,Director of Finance and HR (lead))

ITEMS TO BRING TO MEETING:

  1. Telephone instruction sheet

AGENDA

  • Telephone procedures
  • Server access and folder privileges
  • Email and email policies
  • Use of staff listserv
  • Basic software (as appropriate)
  • Policy on shutting off computers after work (always turn off unless needed)
  • Computer backup procedures
  • Printers, cartridges, and other supplies (ordering, paper, recycling)

Orientation Meeting #5 (second week)

Topic: Budget Process

(New staff member, Director of Finance & HR (lead))

ITEMS TO BRING TO MEETING:

  • Annual budget

AGENDA

  • Every dollar counts - We are not a “use it or lose it” organization
  • Our fiscal year
  • Budget development process & schedule (consider the position and at what level the new staff member is involved in budgeting)
  • Budget requests by departments (Sept)
  • Compilation by director of finance & HR (Sept)
  • Review by staff directors (October)
  • Review by finance committee (October)
  • Review by trustees (October)
  • Revisions (November)
  • Review by finance committee (November)
  • Approval by trustees (November)
  • Categories of funds
  • Operating
  • Grants, overhead, and overhead recovery
  • Capital funds: building and equipment items > $2,500
  • Value of staff time (including benefits & overhead)
  • Hourly equivalent = Salary / 1000
  • Example: $40,000 salary --$40/hour =approximate value of your time once salary, benefits, and indirect costs are combined
  • Role of endowment and how each staff member can help through visitor service

Orientation Meeting #6 (second week)

Topic: Annual Planning Process

(New staff member,AssociateDirector (lead), new staff member’s manager)

ITEMS TO BRING TO MEETING:

  • Annual plan

AGENDA

Strategic Plan

  • Overview of strategic planning process and goal of the plan
  • Strategy Map: Vision statement as the starting point for all activities
  • Relation of strategy to annual plan (annual plan is based on long-range strategies and goals)

Annual Work Plan.

  • Current plan and how it is developed
  • Cross-functional nature of most organizational objectives
  • Matrix management of projects
  • Time allocation for ongoing work and special projects
  • Importance of team effort

Sciencenter Orientation Program for New StaffPage 1 of 11

[1] Make sure that all other candidates for the position have been notified before posting on website.