Committee Chair

Taylor, Jessica N.

Committee Member

Rausch, David W.; Crawford, Elizabeth K.

Department

Dept. of Applied Leadership and Learning

College

College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

The onboarding phase is one of the most impactful moments in an employee’s life cycle (Baker & DiPiro, 2019; Kumar & Pandey, 2017; Ritz et al., 2023). New employees’ ability to adjust to their jobs, develop working relationships, and feel a sense of belonging during onboarding influences their decision to remain with the organization (Hassan, 2020; Kumar & Pandey, 2017; Narayansany & Isa, 2021). Creating a positive and engaging experience for employees at the beginning of their time with the organization could help increase job satisfaction and create a better sense of belonging and organizational commitment (Blount, 2022; Pike, 2014). The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a southeastern university’s current onboarding process. The problem to address was the lack of data on the effectiveness of the onboarding process and whether it meets the needs of new employees and prepares them for their roles. The research objectives were to determine the onboarding needs of campus stakeholders, identify gaps based on needs and best practices, and identify opportunities to develop an onboarding program that would meet the needs of the campus. Using Bauer’s (2010) Four C’s onboarding framework as a guide, a needs assessment was conducted. The researcher used a mixed-methods approach that included collecting quantitative and qualitative data from employees and their hiring managers to provide a deeper understanding of their needs. The findings revealed gaps in the onboarding process in all four areas of the framework. Recommendations to help close gaps were the development of a new onboarding program and training for onboarding staff and hiring managers.

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I give all the honor and glory to Jesus Christ, who is the head of my life and the source of my strength. Without him, I would not be where I am today. Throughout this doctoral program, I meditated on one of my favorite scriptures: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). I acknowledge my research chair, Dr. Jessica Taylor, and committee members Dr. David Rausch and Dr. Elizabeth Crawford. I thank them for sharing their knowledge and guiding me throughout the program. I also appreciate Dr. Rausch and Dr. Crawford for sharing their experiences, viewpoints, and insights on topics discussed during the coursework. I express my deepest appreciation to Tracy, my husband of 32 years, my daughters Jessica and Jazmin, and my son Malcolm. Without a strong support system, this learning journey would have been even more challenging. I thank my family for their love, support, understanding, and encouragement. I hope I have set a good example and will serve as a reminder that whatever your dream is, go for it - you deserve it. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Utamu Lackey. She is my cohort partner who, over the past few years, has become a very dear friend. I thank Utamu for being a thought partner, sounding board, and a source of encouragement.

Degree

Ed. D.; A research project of practice submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Education.

Date

5-2026

Subject

Employee orientation--Analysis; Employee retention; Employees--Training of--Case studies

Keyword

onboarding effectiveness; employee retention; needs assessment; gap analysis; Bauer's Four C's framework

Document Type

Doctoral dissertations

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xiv, 146 leaves

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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