Orientation programs are notorious for being boring. Death by PowerPoint. Endless forms. A parade of presenters sharing policies and procedures.
Yet, despite all of this, many new hires walk out feeling inspired.
They’ve heard executives speak with pride about the organization’s purpose, mission, vision, and values. They’ve listened to stories about making a difference. They believe they’ve joined something special.
The real question is: what happens during the rest of onboarding that threatens to fly in the face of those aspirations?
The Gap Between Promise and Reality
I was facilitating a focus group with employees at their 60-day mark when one of the attendees said something that stopped me cold:
“I was really excited to work in a mission-driven place. But once I started, I didn’t see any signs of the values in action. It seemed like a completely different organization than the one that had been described to me.”
That’s the kind of disconnect that’s not just disappointing—it’s dangerous. The gap between promise and reality erodes trust. It sends a message that the values are just words on a wall, not principles that actually guide daily work and how leaders lead.
The gap between what’s promised in orientation and what’s experienced in departments is where engagement goes to die.
Why Traditional Onboarding Falls Short
Traditional onboarding often falls short. Why? Because the focus tends to be on tasks: here’s where supplies are kept, here’s how to access the computer system, here’s who to call when you have a problem.
That’s all important information of course. But it’s not information that helps introduce and engage new hires with the culture.
Too often, we assume new hires will just absorb the culture through osmosis. We expect them to figure it out. We hope their preceptors will model it.
That’s not a strategy. That’s wishful thinking.
What Makes Meaningful Onboarding
So what creates onboarding experiences that actually reinforce organizational values rather than contradict them? Based on my work with healthcare systems across the country, here’s what works:
1. Pair new hires with someone you know displays the values consistently.
Don’t leave this to chance or convenience. Be intentional about who guides new employees through their first weeks. These cultural ambassadors should be people who:
- Model the values in their daily work
- Can articulate why the values matter
- Have the patience and skill to mentor effectively
- Will be honest about both successes and challenges
This isn’t about assigning the person with the lightest workload. It’s about identifying who can best represent your culture in action.
2. Share stories of values in action.
Don’t just list your values. Shares examples of those values in action. Show how team members and leaders have lived the values in explicit ways.
Stories help spotlight good things happening and give you natural opportunities to weave in values. They make abstract principles concrete.
3. Give scenarios of things they may encounter and what a values-based response looks like
Don’t wait for new hires to stumble into difficult situations unprepared. Equip them with frameworks for decision-making.
“You might encounter a situation where a patient is demanding something that isn’t medically indicated. Here’s how our value of respect shows up in that conversation…”
“When you’re understaffed and overwhelmed, you’ll be tempted to take shortcuts. Our value of safety means…”
Real scenarios. Real solutions. Real application of values.
4. Ask them to keep a values journal
This might sound unusual, but it’s remarkably effective. Ask new hires to document:
- When they observe values in action
- When they observe misalignment with values
- Questions they have about how values apply
Review these journals together during check-ins. It serves multiple purposes:
- Keeps values top of mind during the critical onboarding period
- Gives you real-time feedback about what’s actually happening in departments
- Creates opportunities for meaningful coaching conversations
- Helps new employees develop the language and lens for values-based work
Bridging the Gap
When the CEO talks about compassion, integrity, and teamwork in orientation, those same principles need to be visible, discussed, and reinforced when new hires arrive in their departments. Otherwise, you’re setting up a credibility gap from day one.
Meaningful onboarding doesn’t happen by accident. It requires:
- Intentional pairing with cultural role models
- Consistent storytelling that brings values to life
- Practical scenarios that show values in application
- Ongoing reflection and dialogue about how values show up in daily work
When new employees see values lived—not just listed—they’re more likely to embrace those values themselves. When there’s alignment between what’s promised and what’s practiced, you build trust, engagement, and retention from the start.
So here’s my challenge to you: Review your onboarding process. Is it reinforcing your values or contradicting them? Are new hires walking into departments where your culture is alive and visible, or are they experiencing that disappointing gap between aspiration and reality?
How are you building values into the onboarding experience in your organization? What’s working? What needs to change?
Tags: Culture Change, Employee Engagement, Grassroots Innovation, healthcare leadership, Organizational Culture
