Joining Runtastic? Here Is What to Expect During Your Onboarding

_{By Orlane Murat, Talent Scout at Runtastic}

It’s already been 6 months but I can still remember my first day at Runtastic perfectly. The excitement of joining a new team… and the slight apprehension that comes with every new situation. As a fairly new Runtastic and member of the Human Relations team, here’s what I can tell you about your first few days and months with us. #welcomehome

Preboarding — Know what to Expect

Have you always dreaded first days, never knowing what will happen? No worries, we’ve got you covered.

At Runtastic, we have what we call “Kick Start Days”. They happen every first Monday of the month and are dedicated to welcoming our newbies. After enjoying a cup of coffee with a member of your team/squad, you will meet your fellow new Runtastics and us, the Human Relations team.

On that day, you will also get to know our company better, going through a wide range of topics — from our company’s culture and products to the systems and programs we use. We will cover everything you need to know about working together (most importantly learning where to find the information you need when you need it) and having fun at Runtastic!

The First Week: Setting Mutual Expectations and Getting First Insights

During the first week, the flow of information can feel pretty overwhelming. Thanks to our internal knowledge base, Wiki, all the tips to working at Runtastic can be reviewed later (also useful to long-term Runtastics when we need to refresh our memory).

In addition, the Runtastic TeamPage will give you the chance to get acquainted with your new teammates and to know more about everybody’s tasks and responsibilities in the company.

The goal during your first week is for you to get an introduction to internal processes (on both a team and company-wide level), to get to know your team, and set mutual expectations. By the end of the week, you should feel settled in your new work environment and ready to gradually take on some of your tasks/responsibilities.

The end of this exciting week is also marked by your first feedback talk with your team lead where you can review your first days at Runtastic. Check our blog post on Feedback at Runtastic to know how we do it here!

The First Month — Taking on Responsibilities and Tasks

At Runtastic, we believe in a step-by-step approach. The goal is to slowly empower new team members to take on more responsibilities. It is a careful balance of autonomy and support.

If you’ve followed us for a while, you know that having a strong team is the core of our organization. In order to foster this at all levels in the company, we organize the “Meet the Management” event for all those who recently joined, during which you will get the chance to meet our founders and management team and ask them anything you’d like to know.

You will also get the opportunity to introduce yourself to the whole team by saying a few words about yourself during your first All-Hands meeting (our monthly company meeting).

The first month marks the end of the probation period and also the time for another feedback talk with your team lead to reflect on your experience so far.

The First Three Months: Settling in and Setting Goals

The first three months in a new role usually include a steep learning curve and exciting discoveries everyday. You will gradually become fully aware of your role and responsibilities, start working independently and producing meaningful work.

You will continue to get acclimated to the environment both professionally and socially and take part in all our regular events such as DONI (Days of New Ideas), Mystery Lunch (get a voucher and participate in a raffle to find out who your lunch partner will be), and Company Breakfast.

Onboarding is the first step to ensure that our newest employees are part of the Runtastic family right away. It is important to us that the whole company is included in making the new team members feel welcome and ready to tackle challenges together!