I am back from day two, which was the concluding day) of the new employee orientation session, which I previously mentioned in my day one coverage.

I was over any culture shock by the time I showed up this morning, and later in the day got to see my new cube with a view (thanks boss!) where I start working tomorrow.

So, I thought it would be interesting to list all of the major activities and games of the two-day orientation. I think it is kind of mind-blowing in one sense.

One thing worth noting is, I realized today that the company had a kind-of rough time internally in the 1990s, where most everyone was up-against some kind of overbearring management and lots of entrenched employees. So, in the last couple years, there has been this big turn around and these kinds of orientation sessions are given in the context of trying to make sure no one falls or buys into the company's 1990s orientation.

Also, I should note that I am posting all of this as a more fact-oriented record of my experience. Down the line, when I have more context / perspective on it, I might post more of my opinions about it.

Orientation, day 1:

• intros
  • we are asked to place our names on a post-its, and place the post-its on the org wall-chart where we think our jobs are
  • we each introduce ourself to everyone, stating our name, our job, our favorite color, etc.
  • workplace agreements decided on by a the group, like "be on time" and "cellphone off"

• the company's values
  • the values, we each define what they mean to us
  • the values, we read articles on what they mean to members of the senior management team
  • company history, a game where we are in teams and we try to match company historical event photos with the years when the events happened
  • company history, looking at these events as examples of the company's values
  • company history, intro to its business lines

• the company's clients
  • the company's clients, we read cards with stories about company-client interactions and put those up on the wall under headings for each of the company's business lines
  • we present the company-client interaction stories to the group, highlighting in the stories illustrations of the company values
  • learn about the company's core and auxiliary products
  • get overview of the client demographics

• Jeopardy-style game where we compete on questions about company history, values, business lines, etc.

• the company's structures
  • company org chart in detail
  • game where, as teams, we make up flow diagrams showing how each of our individual jobs might affect the client
  • present and explain flow diagrams to group

• the company's job review process
  • learn about job review process
  • we write and present examples of what we expect ourselves and our managers to do in the job review process

• we prepare questions to ask senior management representatives tomorrow
• go over safety and emergency procedures
• intro to an assignment we will do tomorrow where we do special presentations on issues like diversity and ethics
• go over employee benefits and sources for more information on employee benefits (e.g., on the intranet)
• we fill out evaluation of the day's proceedings

Orientation, day 2:

• office complex exploration
  • get game instructions to go to different buildings to collect artifacts and/or information facts
  • we go out in teams and figure out how to get around all the buildings
  • we present what we learned to the group

• intranet and phone systems
  • go over the different phone systems and who uses what
  • go over the intranet and how to use the calendar and set up appointments
  • game where teams try to find specific information on the company intranet

• discussion with three members of senior management
  • each manager meets with smaller group, and then rotates through all the groups
  • we ask questions about what they do and what they think about what they do
  • senior folks give closing words of advice to whole group

• company policies on diversity, workplace violence, ethics and harassment
  • break into four teams and get assignments to present topics to others
  • one team's (our) assignment is to present as a quiz show
  • one team's assignment is to go over definitions and give examples, including a flow chart
  • one team's assignment is to present an online slide show and highlight the company's programs
  • one team's assignment is to have everyone sketch bumper stickers with slogans, and to present a collection of t-shirt ideas similarly expressing ideals

• work styles
  • we each take questionnaires that are like very brief Myers-Briggs tests
  • game where, for each letter (e.g., in Myers-Briggs, the I and E types) gets together and tries to do something together, then their results are compared with the other group (so, in Myers-Briggs, I vs E, N vs S, T vs F, and P vs J)

• fill out evaluation of the day's and the whole orientation's proceedings
• get coffee travel mug with the company logo

So, besides all of this, I learned today from my boss that there is another two-day session on the company values and their relationship with the company plan that all employees are going through—and that I will be going through at some point soon as well. And, after I take that, I will also be going to another session dedicated to diversity in the workplace.

As I mentioned before, I have never gone through this level of job orientation to a company (i.e., this isn't an orientation to my job, just an orientation to working at the company at all), and I find it is pretty stunning the amount of information and expectations that the employees are being oriented to.