Lloyds Banking Group – Groupwide Induction

Challenge

Onboarding new recruits is a crucial moment for any business. Getting it wrong can lead to costly high attrition rates, with one in ten people reported to have left a job within the first six months because their first impressions of a company have been underwhelming.

Businesses are increasingly putting more thought and care into their new start’s onboarding needs.  From the employee’s first day (if not before), it’s increasingly recognised that the overall experience needs to be more invigorating than a quick orientation of the facilities followed by a flick through a handbook that’s six years out of date.

Great onboarding means making a positive first impression. It sets out the culture and ethos of a business and helps new starters understand how they fit within the organisation. It’s also a good time to focus on the opportunities for success and progression that new colleagues can aspire to achieve. Done well, onboarding can be critical in substantially reducing staff turnover, as well as boosting morale, motivation and productivity.

In an organisation the size of Lloyds, with a broad range of roles across its different brands, using an interactive digital solution as part of its onboarding process helps to make a consistent good first impression for every new starter.

Lloyds asked us to work with them to create an innovative immersive digital experience that sets out Lloyd’s values and lays bare the opportunities on offer for all its colleagues.

Fair, enough

Set within a digital welcome fair, learners explore what’s on offer from a career at Lloyds, from social groups and support networks, to opportunities to learn and grow. Scrolling through the intuitive 360 menu, learners visit booths, meeting characters along the way and taking part in games and other activities. With a keen sense of depth and place offered by the immersive experience, learners feel a sense of physical exploration as they discover each new piece of content.

As you explore the fair, you’re invited to click on objects such pictures or laptops that take you to interactive experiences, including games, videos and useful information to take away. Topics are neatly structured but cover a wide range of subjects, from setting out the company’s headline strategy to providing details on who you can contact for a range of support needs.

A people thing

A balance of professionalism with friendliness and fun sits at the heart of the design. It’s a joyful experience aimed to inspire participants and welcome them into the broader Lloyds’ community. Along the way, you meet a supporting cast of characters, including the host who greets you at the start and becomes a trusted adviser throughout. You’ll even meet other ‘new starters’ in need of your help. Getting learners to become a source of support to someone else is a great way to bolster the sense that ‘you’re not alone’ in the experience, while slyly checking in with what the learner is absorbing.

As well as engaging activities that underpin the key learning, there are also vlog-style videos featuring real Lloyds’ colleagues. These engaging, approachable people share their experiences and insights with humour and encouragement, to both inspire and reassure the learner.

Clever Pocket

As with any fair or conference set in the physical world, people will be drawn to certain offerings they feel particularly excited about or want to understand better. In the real world, they might want to pick up leaflets or take contact details to follow up at a later time. To replicate this type of self-driven  learners can bookmark their favourite things by using a friendly smartphone interface called Pocket.

Pocket also provides helpful tips as the experience progresses; it pops up from time to time to track user confidence and to invite learners to reflect on their feelings about their induction journey so far. Learners can call on Pocket at any time to check their progress as they navigate the experience, adding to the sense of friendliness and support.