Continuous Onboarding in the Gig Economy

confidential | ©2017 Sabre GLBL Inc. All rights reserved. 1
CONTINUOUS
ONBOARDING
GIG ECONOMY
IN THE

The times they
are a-changin’.
“
Bob Dylan

Stephen King may be one of
the most famous gig workers
in the 20th Century..
Stephen King may be one of
the most famous gig workers
in the 20th Century..

In the 1960s, Stephen King sold
collectibles and held a series of
odd jobs in Portland, Maine.

On his first gig, he would
learn how to fix industrial
washing machines..

King was a high school janitor.
One incident would later be
immortalized in his first novel.

Stephen King would drive
checkered taxi cab for a
very, very short time.

In his spare time,
King would write.
He earned $35 for
his first short story
in 1967.
“Glass Floor” was published in Startling Mystery Stories. He had received rejection letter for 5 years.

One winter, the gigs dried up.
He went without a phone to
pay for heat for his apartment.

King was high school English
teacher. He worked side gigs
to earn extra money, while he
pursued his passion of writing.

• Laundry Worker
• Mechanic
• Janitor
• Taxi Driver
• Short Story Writer
• Sold Collectibles

Airbnb Task Rabbit Uber
What If Stephen King Had Gig Tools?

The times they
are a-changin’.
“
Bob Dylan

Why Continuous Onboarding?

Onboarding
Orientation
is more than

Onboarding
Offer Management
Expectations
Respected
Orientation
Access
Adjusting
Communication
Career Growth
Connected
Culture
Transformation
Schedules
Security
HR Paperwork
Accepted
TrustPassion

Onboarding
HR Function
is more than a

Onboarding
Human Resources
Procurement
ITSecurity
Documentation
Legal
Recruiting
Product Managers
Development/QA
Training
Facilities
Technical Support
UX/UI Team
Finance
Third Party Agency

Onboarding
HR Function
is more than a
(especially, in the Gig Economy)

Brian Sullivan
• 25 years of IT experience
• Founder of Big Design Conference
• Author of Design Studio Method
• Co-founder UX Certification at SMU
• Director of Design Strategy at Sabre
• President of DFW-UXPA
• Board of UNT Technical Communication
• Board of XD Leadership Alliance
• Keynote Author on SlideShare

ENTER EXIT

ENTER
• Workers understand their role.
• Equipment is delivered.
• Corporate culture is communicated.
• Access to sites/apps are given.
• Set performance goals.
• Schedules get communicated.
• HR paperwork is turned in.

Of employees
quit in the first
90 days
25%

Onboarding is the
#1 reason workers
give for leaving in
their exit interviews.
EXIT

• Workers DON’T understand their role.
• Equipment is NOT delivered.
• Corporate culture is NOT communicated.
• Access to sites/apps are NOT given.
• Performance goals are NOT set.
• Schedules DO NOT get communicated.
• HR paperwork is NOT turned in.
EXIT

Why the Gig Economy?

• 30+ billion company
• 80+ billion customers
• 3+ million listings
• 192 different countries
• 35,000 cities globally
Combined Value

• 15+ billion value in 2018
• Over 1 million rides per day
• Expanded into Canada
• Zero tolerance drug policy
• Explore self-driving GM cars
Strategic Partnerships

• 1.4 billion value in 2018
• 600 different cities in US
• 56 different markets
• Partnered with Walmart
• Founded in 2013
Combined Value

By 2020, more than
75% of the S&P 500
will be firms you’ve
never heard of yet.
Source: Dr. Richard Foster, Yale

The gig economy will
be mainstream in every
office within five years.

178 Million Workers
in the Gig Economy
Source: McKinsey’s Global Institute Report, 2017

Bigger than
population
of Texas
6X

RUSSIA
147 Million
AUSTRALIA
25 Million
SWEDEN
10 Million

Working age
population of
USA and UK
30%

Free
Agents
Reluctant
Workers
Casual
Earners
Financially
Strapped
4 Types of Gig Economy Workers

• Actively choose gig economy work.
• It is their full-time job/career.
• More commonly known as freelancers.
Free
Agents
5030% Million workers
in US & Europe
Independent workers
in the gig economy

Casual
Earners
• Need to augment their primary income.
• Most pursue a passion with a side hustle.
• Need to pay off student loans/credit cards.
in US & Europe
Contingent workers
in the gig economy

Reluctant
Workers
• Derive income from the gig economy.
• More than likely experienced a layoff.
• Most prefer traditional employment.
in US & Europe
Independent workers
in the gig economy

Financially
Strapped
• Need to participate in gig economy.
• Most did not save enough for retirement.
• Others need to pay medical expenses.
in US & Europe
Contingent workers
in the gig economy

Preferred
Choice
Out of
Necessity
Primary Income Supplemental Income
CASUALEARNERS
FINANCIALLY STRAPPEDRELUCTANTS
FREEAGENTS
16% 28 million
40% 65 million
14% 25 million
30% 50 million

The Millennial Multiplier

In 2015, Millennials became the
LARGEST generation in the US workforce.
Source: Pew Research Center (2015)

Quarter of a million
people turn 65 years
old each month.

47% Already participate
in the gig economy
Want flexibility to
pursue passions51%
72% Want to be
their own boss
Source: MBO Partner Millennial Report (2018)

Preferred
Choice
Out of
Necessity
CASUALEARNERS
FREEAGENTS
16% 28 million
40% 65 million
14% 25 million
30% 50 million
Every Category Has Millennials

Millennials will reshape
modern offices by 2020
with more gig workers.

CONTINUOUS
ONBOARDING
IS THE

Preferred
Choice
Out of
Necessity
CASUALEARNERS
FREEAGENTS
16% 28 million
40% 65 million
14% 25 million
30% 50 million

Skilled Gig Workers Unskilled Gig Workers
(Free Agents and Reluctants) (Casual and Financially Strapped)

Skilled Gig Workers
• Freelance at company or startup.
• 100% of pay comes in gig economy.
• Paid by each assignment or task.
• Longer duration for each assignment.
• Use special skills on each task.
• May work in a different country.
• Heavy use of collaboration tools.
• Pursue passions in spare time.

Unskilled Gig Workers
• Perform personal tasks/services/
• Paid by each short-term task.
• Do not work at a company.
• No special skills are needed.
• Localized work for an immediate need.
• Mostly use apps to get assignments.
• Want to provide personal service.
• Pursue passions in spare time.

CONTINUOUS
ONBOARDING
IS THE
UNSKILLED WORKERS

(CONTINUOUS ONBOARDING)

In the early days, Airbnb struggled
to get travelers to stay in their
listings, except in New York City.

They uncovered an
onboarding issue.
What was the issue?

BEFORE
AFTER

AFTER
BEFORE

Rate the DriverRequest a Ride Enter Destination Check Driver Info Pay the Fare
Onboarding Experience for Riders

Get RatedTrack EarningsDrive to DestinationAccept RequestsGo Online
Onboarding Experience for Drivers

Uber is mainly successful
because they focused on
onboarding new workers
and customers.

Unskilled Workers
• Mobile-first approach to gig economy.
• Simple access to a marketplace.
• Need frictionless onboarding.
• Connect to online banking systems.
• Additional training videos needed.
• Use wizard patterns for paperwork.
• Break onboarding into chunks.
• Connect app to social networks.

CONTINUOUS
ONBOARDING
IS THE
SKILLED WORKERS

Typical Onboarding Process
1
FirstPRIOR TO
START
Confirm start date,
discuss relocation,
send offer letter,
negotiate, confirm
offer, dress code,
send paperwork,
and schedule new
hire orientation.
2
FIRST
DAY
Turn in paperwork,
welcome packet,
get your badge,
review policies,
receive access,
get laptop, confirm
email/phone, and
meet your team.
3
FIRST
WEEK
Read department
policies, receive
informal training,
review technology,
demo of tools,
schedule formal
training, ask a lot
of questions.
4
FIRST
MONTH
Working on your
assignments, met
short-term goals,
determined your
long-term goals,
most questions are
answered, and you
are productive.
5
FIRST
QUARTER
90-day review has
occurred. More
assignments and
training are
scheduled.

Of employees
quit in the first
90 days
25%

Online Talent Platforms
• Match skilled workers to jobs
• Help firms hire/manage talent
• Create freelancer marketplaces
• Set training and performance goals
• Reveal business/talent trends

Three Types of Online Talent Platforms
Transaction-based
The platform takes a cut of each
transaction made. Service fees
range from 5-40%.
Opportunity-based
The platform connects freelancers
to projects, where bids get made
for the services provided.
Subscription-based
The platform offers subscription
plans for customers to receive
levels of service each month.

TopTal Talent Funnel
• TopTal has a very rigorous screening process for their freelancers.
• Their freelancers are ready to ship on day one.
• Only 3% of freelancers make it through the screening process.

1
LANGUAGE/
PERSONALITY
26%

1
LANGUAGE/
PERSONALITY
26%
2
IN-DEPTH
SKILL REVIEW
7.5%

1
LANGUAGE/
PERSONALITY
26%
2
IN-DEPTH
SKILL REVIEW
7.5%
3
1LIVE
SCREENINGS
3.6%

1
LANGUAGE/
PERSONALITY
26%
2
IN-DEPTH
SKILL REVIEW
7.5%
3
1LIVE
SCREENINGS
3.6%
TEST
PROJECTS
3.2%
4

1
LANGUAGE/
PERSONALITY
26%
2
IN-DEPTH
SKILL REVIEW
7.5%
3
1LIVE
SCREENINGS
3.6%
5
CONTINUED
EXCELLENCE
3.0%
TEST
PROJECTS
3.2%
4

CONTINUOUS ONBOARDING
AT YOUR COMPANY

Must Adapt Your Onboarding Process
1
FirstPRIOR TO
START
Confirm start date,
discuss relocation,
send offer letter,
negotiate, confirm
offer, dress code,
send paperwork,
and schedule new
hire orientation.
2
FIRST
DAY
Turn in paperwork,
welcome packet,
get your badge,
review policies,
receive access,
get laptop, confirm
email/phone, and
meet your team.
3
FIRST
WEEK
Read department
policies, receive
informal training,
review technology,
demo of tools,
schedule formal
training, ask a lot
of questions.
4
FIRST
MONTH
Working on your
assignments, met
short-term goals,
determined your
long-term goals,
most questions are
answered, and you
are productive.
5
FIRST
QUARTER
90-day review has
occurred. More
assignments and
training are
scheduled.

Kill the Dead Zone
1
FirstPRIOR TO
START
Confirm start date,
discuss relocation,
send offer letter,
negotiate, confirm
offer, dress code,
send paperwork,
and schedule new
hire orientation.
2
FIRST
DAY
Turn in paperwork,
welcome packet,
get your badge,
review policies,
receive access,
get laptop, confirm
email/phone, and
meet your team.

Day Zero
is the new
Day One.

• Welcomed
• Valued
• Excited
Pre-Boarding
For skilled gig workers, create a pre-boarding
process to get them up to speed faster. Let’s
create a user experience where they feel:
• Respected
• Accepted
• Connected

01 Welcome Messages
• Within 24 hours accepting an offer, a
manager welcomes the freelancer.
• A similar message is shared with the
team to anticipate their arrival.
• It does not have to be complicated or
very long.
• It creates a connection and starts to
build a rapport.
Accepted before Day One.

02 New Hire Buddies Coordinate
• Assign a new hire buddy to every
new gig worker.
• Buddies can answer questions before
freelancers arrive.
• Expectations, assignments, and policies
are reviewed during this time.
• Buddies ensure access to equipment,
sites, and tools occur early.
Connected before Day One.

03 Send a New Hire Welcome Kit
• Send a New Hire Welcome Kit to your
freelancers. Yes, do it!
• It does not have to extravagant, just a
token of appreciation.
• Put a handwritten note for postal
deliveries, if desired.
• Atlassian sends a viewfinder with
customer reels to each employee.
Respected before Day One.

04 Share a Roadmap with Gig Workers
• Share a roadmap based upon the
size of the engagement.
• It can be as simple as a Trello board
for their first day, first week, etc.
• Employees can read and absorb the
schedule before they arrive.
• They show up feeling informed
and ready to go.
Assignments before Day One.

05 Training & Demos
• Training videos are completed before
they arrive on Day One.
• Give demos of products/services during
this time.
• Review company documentation and
department procedures.
• Schedule time to answer any burning
questions.
Trained before Day One.

06 Treat Gig Workers Like Customers
• Manage the onboarding process to set
them up for success (like a customer).
• Measure leading indicators, not lagging
ones. (ex: stories per day, not sprint)
• Build feedback loops, incentivize good
behavior, and penalize bad behavior.
• Pivot and calibrate like you would for
your customers.
Productive on Day One.

WRAP-UP

178 Million Workers
in the Gig Economy

Free
Agents
Reluctant
Workers
Casual
Earners
Financially
Strapped
4 Types of Gig Economy Workers

In 2015, Millennials became the
LARGEST generation in the US workforce.

Onboarding is the
#1 reason workers
give for leaving in
their exit interviews.
EXIT

CONTINUOUS
ONBOARDING
IS THE

Skilled Gig Workers Unskilled Gig Workers
(Free Agents and Reluctants) (Casual and Financially Strapped)

Online Talent Platforms
• Match skilled workers to jobs
• Help firms hire/manage talent
• Create freelancer marketplaces
• Set training and performance goals
• Reveal business/talent trends

Must Adapt Your Onboarding Process
1
FirstPRIOR TO
START
Confirm start date,
discuss relocation,
send offer letter,
negotiate, confirm
offer, dress code,
send paperwork,
and schedule new
hire orientation.
2
FIRST
DAY
Turn in paperwork,
welcome packet,
get your badge,
review policies,
receive access,
get laptop, confirm
email/phone, and
meet your team.
3
FIRST
WEEK
Read department
policies, receive
informal training,
review technology,
demo of tools,
schedule formal
training, ask a lot
of questions.
4
FIRST
MONTH
Working on your
assignments, met
short-term goals,
determined your
long-term goals,
most questions are
answered, and you
are productive.
5
FIRST
QUARTER
90-day review has
occurred. More
assignments and
training are
scheduled.

Day Zero
is the new
Day One.

The times they
are a-changin’.
“
Bob Dylan

CONTINUOUS
ONBOARDING
GIG ECONOMY
IN THE

Continuous Onboarding in the Gig Economy

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