At Eendigo, we ensure that our sense of responsibility and commitment to excellence are effectively transmitted to new team members through our hiring process and own onboarding program, both of which are focused on helping team members experience rapid development and forming a team with a high density of talent. In this article, we will deep dive into the onboarding program and growth tracks we developed in Eendigo.
Beyond Apprenticeship: Our Onboarding Program
The foundation of the development culture in strategy consulting is said to be “apprenticeship”. In many professional services industries, apprenticeships are seen as the only way to teach the craft of serving clients and cultivate the specific set of skills. However, Eendigo thinks beyond learning on-the-job to support the professional development of new team members.
Our onboarding program includes an 8-week program that integrates learning on the job with comprehensive onboarding tools. This approach is complemented by a weekly feedback cycle, contrasting with the standard yearly performance evaluations, to identify developmental needs as soon as possible and provide plenty of time for newcomers to calibrate to the expectations. Additionally, each newcomer is paired with a mentor, ensuring personalized guidance and support throughout this journey.
Our onboarding program is based on 6 core development dimensions to our onboarding program:
- Self-study: We equip new joiners with curated educational material, tailored to the skill set of an ideal Eendigo consultant. From selected readings to training videos and proprietary resources, candidates have access to structured learning materials to enhance their intellectual and hard skill development. Progress is tracked through a predetermined and monitored schedule.
- Peer-to-peer learning: We foster collaborative knowledge sharing among peers, encouraging the exchange of insights, experiences, and expertise within our team. Through informal gatherings and structured activities, we ensure that the wisdom of highly experienced senior leaders is shared with all junior team members, enriching everyone’s knowledge base about best practices. As an example, juniors convene during one of their daily conference calls, where newcomers are encouraged to present a deliverable they’re working on. This allows newcomers to present their work to fellow juniors and receive constructive feedback.
- Mentoring: Each newcomer is assigned a mentor to help them integrate into the team, offering guidance on professional development, administrative support, and useful tips for skill improvement. This mentorship ensures newcomers effectively act on the feedback they receive.
- Feedback system: Embracing a “fail-forward” mindset, we provide candidates with multiple opportunities to align with our development expectations. Through weekly feedback from partners, managers, and peers, candidates receive valuable insights to guide their growth. Development areas highlighted in feedback are revisited by mentors to ensure support on progress.
- Consulting simulations: Newcomers participate in activities designed to simulate real client interactions. This includes presenting sections at internal meetings, contributing to internal project deliverables, engaging in process tracking, making internal calls, sending progress updates via internal emails, and more.
- Learning on-the-job: Last but certainly not least, newcomers learn by doing, starting with well defined tasks and gradually taking on more responsibility. They shadow experienced consultants, participate in project activities, and are encouraged to ask questions to deepen their understanding.
To support and oversee the progress of our onboarding process, we have a dedicated taskforce that tracks activities, evaluates learning through assessments, and organizes feedback for continuous improvement.
Path to Onboarding Graduation: Consulting Foundations Track Completion
The onboarding journey for new members starts as soon as they join Eendigo. Every new member receives access to their company email along with preboarding materials that introduce them to our organization’s culture, values, and the specifics of the onboarding schedule, among other things. On their first day, they’re welcomed with a call from their peers, facilitated by their mentor to ensure a smooth transition into their project teams.
After completing our 8-week intensive program, new members are ready to finish their first development track at Eendigo: “Consulting Foundations”. We use a tailored grading model to review overall performance, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
Candidates can earn one of six grades at the end of their onboarding, from A (the highest) to F. Those who achieve an A grade are considered for fast-track advancement, while those at D might engage in an additional 4 weeks of onboarding to ensure they’re fully prepared to contribute to projects independently. When they complete the process, they receive a certificate of graduation from our consulting foundations track. Completing this program not only equips our newcomers but also marks a moment for us to celebrate their accomplishments and discuss their next career steps at Eendigo.
We understand that the responsibilities change, and on-the-job training prepares our team to take on new tasks and different responsibilities. Therefore, at Eendigo, we have developed 3 growth tracks to support and to prepare our team members for career milestones.
- Track 1: Consulting Foundations
The first track is a mandatory track for every newcomer. Throughout the 8-week program, the candidate is supported for easy switch from shadowing to autonomy in assisting project tasks.
- Track 2: Commercial Excellence Basics
The second track is initiated when a business analyst is being prepared for a promotion to the associate position. Before the promotion, the candidate is assessed on Eendigo’s unique methodology, commercial excellence knowledge library and their understanding of the material. This track ensures that the candidate has the necessary knowledge for their new role as an associate.
- Track 3: Project Management
The third track comes into play when an experienced senior associate is being prepared for a promotion to the consultant role. In this phase, the senior associate receives training to enhance their project management skills. This training is crucial because the consultant role serves as the basis for advancement to engagement manager positions.
In Summary
- We’re committed to building a talent dense team, providing everyone with the tools and support they need to grow fast. Our focus is on developing our people, achieving high standards, and delivering quality service.
- Our approach moves beyond traditional training, ensuring every Eendigo employee has the skills and knowledge to succeed. Our unique onboarding process and career development plans are designed to help all employees progress and excel.
- As we celebrate the achievements of our team members and prepare them for key milestones, we remain steadfast in our mission to reinvent consulting.