Newly hired employees participate in the one-day orientation program offered through Stanford’s Cardinal at Work Welcome Center on Porter Drive. By the end of the day, they will have obtained their Stanford ID cards and taken care of many tasks that previously took days to complete. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

At the Cardinal at Work Welcome Center, new Stanford employees can pick up their ID cards, join the Commute Club, sign up for direct payroll deposit, complete their paperwork and learn about BeWell@Stanford – all in one day, at one location.

In addition, new hires learn about the university’s key resources and benefits and receive a warm welcome to Stanford  – via video – from President John Hennessy.

“Our goal is to provide our newest community members with an understanding of how Stanford works, from our culture and values to our systems and parking,” said Megan McDevitt, program manager of the Cardinal at Work Welcome Center.

“Partnership is a critical skill for success at Stanford and new hires see a great example of collaboration firsthand during our orientation program, with the ID Card Office, Parking & Transportation Services, BeWell@Stanford, Stanford Benefits,  University IT  and various University Human Resources departments working together to provide a seamless experience.”

The redesigned orientation program provides an integrated approach to introducing new academic and non-academic staff to the university and assimilating them into the Stanford community, reducing the burden once shouldered by centers, departments and schools.

Done on day one

New employees are “work-ready” on their second day on the job – no longer spending their first week or more traveling all over campus to complete tasks in a disjointed way. Most of the administrative tasks that were spread out over days by several offices are now taken care of on day one.

Under the Welcome Center program, new employees spend their first day of work at the Cardinal at Work Welcome Center, located at 3160 Porter Drive. Stanford offers the program every Monday and encourages hiring managers to start all new employees on Mondays. If Monday is a holiday, the orientation program is held on Tuesday.

The comprehensive program, which takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes breakfast and lunch, gives new employees time to meet other new staff members from a variety of university schools and units.

The Welcome Center asks each new employee to complete three important tasks before arriving at orientation: set up the SUNet ID and two-step authentication; watch two benefits videos – one on medical plans and another on retirement savings options; and upload a photo, so that the Stanford ID card can be produced in advance and delivered in person. Employees upload their own photos, following instructions on the ID card upload page.

Each new employee is provided an iPad to use during the day in order to follow along during presentations, get familiar with useful university websites, and complete a variety of tasks, such as entering emergency contacts and payroll withholding allowances (W-4) and enrolling in required training to meet compliance requirements.

University Human Resources launched the new orientation program in November 2014, after a six-month pilot program. Now, a full year into the new orientation, 80 percent of new hires participate in the program: Stanford’s goal is 95 percent.

New hires like program

Mark Rosenberg, online programs manager at the Stanford Medicine Continuing Education Center, said the new orientation program was engaging, entertaining and educational. Rosenberg’s first day of work was May 4.

“It was an awesome introduction to the breadth and depth of the Stanford community, as well as the ins and outs of newbie navigation,” he said. “I loved the trivia about the origin of the Marguerite shuttle. I felt very well taken care of and supported. It was also nice to have an opportunity to do some practical hands-on activities along with listening to the formal presentations.”