4.2 Onboarding (The "Dannie Academy")

Onboarding is the critical process of transferring necessary cultural, procedural, and safety knowledge quickly and efficiently. It transforms a new hire into a productive contributor while mitigating the risks associated with untrained personnel entering a high-precision environment. The process must be standardized, rigorous, and tailored to the employee's physical role (Office vs. Factory).

Phase 0: Administrative and Logistical Foundation

Before substantive work begins, the legal and logistical framework must be established to ensure compliance and immediate productivity.

• Document Collection: All employment contracts, tax forms, and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) must be signed and filed prior to granting system access. Access to IP without a signed NDA is a critical security breach.
• Access Provisioning: IT and Facilities must provision badges, email accounts, and MES/ERP access rights before the start date. "Waiting for access" is a form of Waste (Waiting).
• Hardware Setup: The workstation (laptop, monitor, or factory bench) must be configured and ready. For remote staff, this includes verification of the secure VPN connection.

Track A: General & Digital Mandates (All Personnel)

Every employee, regardless of role, must master the organization's operating system and cultural protocols.

• Culture and Values: Mandatory training on the Core Values, the Async-First Manifesto, and the Blameless Retrospective protocol. This aligns behavioral expectations immediately.
• Tools and Security: Mandatory training on the official tool stack (Project Tracking, Knowledge Base), IP protection protocols, and data security policies (e.g., "The Walled Garden").
• Communication Gate: All new hires must pass a short quiz confirming their understanding of the Urgency Hierarchy to prevent misuse of synchronous interruptions.

Track B: Factory and Safety Mandates (Operations Only)

Personnel entering the manufacturing floor must pass strict physical safety and process gates.

• Safety First (EHS): Mandatory training on Emergency Procedures, chemical handling (SDS), and machine safety lockouts. Prohibited: Entry to the production floor without EHS sign-off.
• ESD and Gowning: Mandatory training and practical verification of ESD control (wrist strap testing, grounding) and proper gowning protocols to prevent contamination (FOD).
• Standard Work: New factory personnel are trained directly on adherence to Standard Work instructions and the 5S Methodology. Training is hands-on and verified by a process audit.

Social Integration and Team Alignment

Effective integration requires deliberate social connection to build trust and facilitate future communication.

• The Team Handshake: The manager must facilitate a structured introduction to the immediate team and key cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., "The QE you will work with").
• The "Buddy" System: A peer mentor is assigned to guide the new hire through informal processes and social norms for the first 30 days. This reduces isolation and accelerates cultural adaptation.

Final Checklist