Our May mastermind session delved into a critical aspect of any thriving business: The Onboarding Process. We were thrilled to have two operators share their wisdom, Zak Richardson from Northern Lightning Wash and Israel McMillan from PowerWash LTD in New Zealand, both of whom have significantly evolved employee onboarding strategies. Thank you to Zak and Israel for generously sharing their time and expertise! It’s clear their insights will be invaluable to our Operator Network.
Please log onto the Operator Page to view this video discussion.
To start, we explored their journeys and why onboarding stands out as a vital component for business growth.
Nine Years of Growth: Israel’s Journey
Israel, based in Auckland, New Zealand, runs PowerWash LTD with a fixed wash bay and a team of 30 employees. He’s been in business for nine years. When he first started, it was just him and his first employee, with training being very unstructured. As the business expanded and Israel moved away from daily operations, a more formalized onboarding system became essential. Now, with operations managers handling customer and employee interactions, the goal is for new hires to be fully proficient within a month, requiring zero input from Israel. This progression highlights how onboarding systems evolve with a company’s growth and layers of management.
Three Years and Counting: Zak’s Evolution at Northern Lightning Wash
Zak has been with Northern Lightning Wash in northern Michigan for three years and has risen to the role of operations manager, overseeing their onboarding and hiring processes. With 15 employees currently, Northern Lightning Wash is at a point where Zak can’t directly oversee every new hire’s training. This has necessitated the development of comprehensive systems to ensure consistent and quality training, from the initial phone call with a potential candidate to their first day on the job and future positions.
Why Onboarding Matters for Growth
Both Zak and Israel emphatically agreed on the importance of a robust onboarding process.
Zak emphasized that a strong onboarding system ensures consistent training for every new team member, providing them with the same experience from day one. This consistency helps in hiring top-quality individuals and sets them up for a positive initial experience.
Israel highlighted two key reasons. First, it’s about customer satisfaction. Without proper onboarding, new employees might not deliver the expected product quality, which isn’t fair to the customers. Second, it’s about employee success. When you find a good person, you want to give them the best chance to succeed and make them feel welcome and part of an organized workplace. Ultimately, a good onboarding process enhances new employee success and ensures customers receive what they’ve been promised.
Crafting a Welcoming Experience: From First Call to First Day
The discussion then shifted to the practicalities of making potential employees feel valued from the very beginning.
Zak at Northern Lightning Wash focuses on identifying individuals who fit their culture and core values. From the initial phone call, they prioritize being welcoming and showing genuine interest in the candidate – their interests, plans, and long-term goals. They want this to be more than just a temporary job; they want individuals to join the team, grow, learn, and succeed with them. This commitment extends to day one, where new hires receive a welcome box filled with Northern Lightning Wash stickers, a Yeti mug, gloves, headphones, and even a personalized item. This gesture reinforces that they’re part of a team and not just a number.
Israel at New Zealand Operator echoed the importance of casting a wide net during recruitment, then funneling down to the best fit. He emphasized that previous experience isn’t the primary factor; rather, it’s the person’s attitude and potential cultural fit. They are upfront about their four key criteria (beyond criminal background checks and pre-employment drug testing):
- Reliability and Punctuality: Can they turn up on time? Are they reliable? This is tested from the get-go; if a candidate is late to a group interview or doesn’t notify the company, they’re immediately disqualified.
- Growth Mindset: Are they eager to learn and develop? This is exemplified by encouraging employees to progress through licensing stages and to learn new skills like becoming a Bay leader or handling oil spills.
- Productivity: While this can only be assessed on the job, the expectation is for employees to meet or exceed revenue per man per hour standards.
- “No-D___ Policy”: This straightforward policy ensures a positive and safe work environment. Zero tolerance for drama, racism, or unsafe practices. Israel has moved people on because of this, ensuring the existing team feels supported and respected.
Assessing Key Traits During Interviews
When asked how they identify these traits during interviews, Zak and Israel shared some insights.
Zak often asks, “What do you like to do in your free time?” This helps him gauge a candidate’s motivation. Is this someone who just sits on the couch, or are they actively pursuing projects and demonstrating a driven personality?
Israel uses a more direct approach for punctuality and reliability. For group interviews, they provide a strict arrival time and a contact number for notifications if they’re running late. Those who fail this initial test are disqualified. For the growth mindset, simply having a learner’s permit indicates they need to progress to a restricted license before being considered.
Interestingly, both shared stories of highly productive employees who don’t necessarily “rush” or “walk fast.” Efficiency, they noted, often trumps speed. One of Israel’s highest revenue-per-man-per-hour employees, with eight years of experience, is surprisingly efficient without appearing rushed. Zak shared a similar experience with a four-year veteran who takes his time but consistently delivers quality work, meets customer expectations, and is a great team player.
The First Week: From Orientation to Hands-On Training
The discussion then moved to the crucial first few days of a new employee’s journey.
Zak at Northern Lightning Wash schedules orientations on Tuesdays, as their workweek runs Wednesday through Sunday. On Wednesday, new hires are scheduled on a route with one of their production leaders. These leaders are experienced, reliable, and consistent team members who handle many location-specific tasks and basic customer service. The new employee spends their entire first week with a production leader. Zak recently implemented a checklist for this initial training period, which has received positive feedback from both new hires (who can track their learning) and production leaders (who can ensure all necessary skills are covered, especially for tasks like driving the truck in the following week).
Israel’s process for the first week involves new hires shadowing an experienced employee on day one. They work eight-hour shifts for their first month. At the end of each shift, they meet with a manager, who goes through a day-one to day-twenty checklist to reinforce the day’s learning. A unique aspect of their onboarding is the structured rotation through their six wash bay positions. For the first month, new employees spend a week in each of four different positions, buddying up for the first day and then independently performing the role for the remaining four shifts. This hands-on experience, totaling 160 hours of truck washing in the bay, provides a comprehensive understanding of their operations. Additionally, during each of those 20 shifts, new hires complete a Talent LMS training, which can range from 15 minutes to an hour, ensuring continuous learning.
The Benefits of Effective Onboarding for Leadership
For Zak, a well-structured onboarding process primarily brings peace of mind. He knows that the quality and customer expectations will be met consistently, even by a new hire from six weeks ago, because they’ve received the same, consistent training as his three-year veterans.
Israel noted that a good onboarding system means they don’t have too much turnover. If they had more employees, they might adjust their process, but with a manageable team and a successful system in place, they don’t need to.
Zak also shared a pre-onboarding step that involves having potential candidates spend a day in the field to experience the job firsthand. This helps manage expectations, as many applicants might picture a simple Home Depot-style pressure washer, unaware of the actual trucks and equipment. If it’s not a fit, they pay them for the day, and they part ways. If it’s a good fit, a job offer is extended.
The Future of Onboarding
Both Zak and Israel continuously look for ways to refine their processes. Zak’s new six-week checklist is a recent addition, and he’s eager to see its full impact. Israel mentioned that New Zealand recently reinstated a 90-day probation period, which provides more flexibility in assessing new hires.
It’s clear that a well-thought-out onboarding process is not just about training; it’s about setting clear expectations, fostering a positive work environment, and ultimately, driving business growth and customer satisfaction.
What are your biggest takeaways from Zak and Israel’s onboarding strategies? How does your company approach new hire training?