Three Ways the Business of Onboarding is Like the Craft Beer Movement

Originally published on the TalentWise blog July 9, 2014.

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I came to TalentWise after working nearly seven years for a regional craft brewing company. With the craft beer movement exploding nationwide, it was an exciting time to be a part of the brewing industry. Changing my focus from beer festivals to the hiring process in a rapidly growing marketing department has had its challenges, but during my first few months of ongoing learning and adjusting I’ve noticed some intriguing parallels between my current and former worlds. As it turns out, the business of onboarding and the craft beer movement aren’t so different. Here are three fundamental ways they are similar.

First impressions are instrumental because a negative experience can affect retention.

Since the brewing industry is so competitive, a brewery needs to offer quality and variety in their beer selection to make and keep fans. Lackluster brews, or even poor branding and workplace culture, can truly affect drinkers’ impressions of the company. Similarly, if a new hire is experiencing process delays, inconsistent communication, or too much time sitting in a conference room filling out paperwork, it can leave a taste in their mouth that’s as bad as a botched recipe.

Constantly evolving regulations and compliance issues can introduce complications.

Most people don’t realize the hoops brewers must jump through to open a brewery. There are local waste ordinances and permitting procedures, labeling laws that vary depending on the state in which the bottles are sold, and approval processes required by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. HR professionals also experience an ever-changing landscape of federal, state, and even local hiring regulations. Gathering the correct information from candidates can be a hassle, not to mention the massive government fines if an audit reveals incomplete documentation, like mistakes on Forms I-9.

External trends can affect a business on many levels.

It’s no mystery that the increasing number of microbreweries is a reflection of the larger movement to support smaller, local businesses. We’ve seen this with food, beer, and craft ciders. A different type of revolution is happening in the world of onboarding. Technology is changing the collection, storage, and transferring of information across many industries, and for HR professionals it won’t be long before hiring and onboarding go completely paperless. Cloud technologies are making the process faster, more efficient, and even more compliant—such as our cloud-based and paperless platform at TalentWise.

I feel fortunate to have joined TalentWise at such an exciting time for the industry, and I can’t wait to see what the future serves up next. I know two things are certain: As the business of onboarding continues to evolve, TalentWise is dedicated to improving the hiring process; and as the craft beer movement progresses, I am committed to sampling new offerings!

Cheers!