MURProgram
Khaitan & Co | Pathfinder : Digital onboarding journey using microlearning and gamification.Background
The objective of this exploratory virtual learning journey was to onboard the 48 Law Associates by :● Introducing them to the Firm, its inception and history
● Enable them to know each other and develop as a cohort
● Solve engaging challenges while knowing the Firm
● Complement the virtual learning sessions through engaging activities and reinforcements
With the Pandemic still active, new Associates had to be onboarded virtually – while they continued to work from home. The virtual onboarding, delivered through an app, was built on an engaging storyline centered around travel. The Associates board a plane, complete check-in formalities and visit multiple locations in India. Read on to see how the journey unfolds.
Solution & Execution
The 7 – Week Journey was designed to ensure that the Associates progress gradually through a journey. We began with brief history of the Firm before proceeding to more complex topics and challenges, all the while, using an engaging storyline.
Below is a brief outline of the journey.
Week 1 :
The Pathfinder journey began a week before the Associates were due to join the Firm. This was to ensure that Associates felt more connected with each other and also a little more confident before they joined and interacted with some key stakeholders.
Content Covered :
● Introduction to fellow Associates
● Welcome Message from Director HR
● History of the Firm
● Employee Engagement Initiatives
● Messages from Associates of Last Year
● Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives of the Firm
Virtual Journey on the App :
● Associates are welcomed onboard a flight where they share selfies with their home workspaces. They visit 3 cities – Kolkata, Delhi and Bengaluru – in the same order that the respective offices in these cities were established by the Firm. They learn about the Firm as they move from one location to the other.
● As part of the ‘In-flight Entertainment’, Associates binge watch a series where they hear the Associates from last year talk about their life at Khaitan & Co, the culture and tips on how to approach their first year.
● Associates were engaged in interesting activities such as talking about the talents they pursue, movies that describe them, sharing details of their family members, painting unique handprints and participating in the polls and quizzes.
On the day of joining, the Regional HRs of the firm commented on how prepared the Associates seemed to be. As part of a team call, some of the newly joined Associates were quizzed and the remaining team members were pleasantly surprised about how well prepared they were. The Associates also complimented the onboarding journey thus far and were looking forward to more.
Below are some snapshots from the app from Week 1 of Pathfinder :
In Week 2, Associates had already joined the Firm. Through the day, they attended virtual learning sessions wherein they listened to key stakeholders from the Firm and built their capability in specific areas. In the evening, they were asked to use the app to check – in, share insights and more. By triggering recall, learning ensued.
Content Covered :
● Introduction to the Firm
● Learning & Development Function
● Office policy and essentials | Work from Home
● Knowledge Management Policy
● Timesheet
● Khaitan & Co Style Guide
● ERGO & Publications
Virtual Journey on the App :
● Associates set up camp in a forest while attending virtual sessions to build capability as Associates of Khaitan & Co.
● Associates returned to the App ‘basecamp’ at the end of the day, shared their key takeaways from the day and played some puzzles which refreshed the concepts.
● One of the days, they also recognized the role of the buddy (assigned to them by the HR) and connected with them with an introductory email.
Below are some snapshots from the App :
Content Covered :
● Career Aspirations and key experiences
● P.O.S.H
Virtual Journey on the App :
● Associates were invited to undertake a trek to a summit which closely represented their journey to fulfill their career aspirations. As they try to brave the summit, they discuss their strengths, areas they would like to improve and key experiences which can help them move closer to their aspirations. All the while, we draw parallels to their trek : the summit they want to reach, the cliffs they foresee and the trails they wish to choose.
● After the trek – the Associates moved on in their journey and they decide to make a pitstop at a village where they solve a couple of instances related to Prevention of Sexual Harassment. The villagers are thrilled with the insights from the Associates.
Below are some snapshots from Weeks 3 &4 of the Pathfinder Journey :
Content Covered :
● CLE Credit Policy
● Time Sheet Policy
● Style Guide
Virtual Journey on the App :
● Associates play a friendly match of cricket with the villagers and answer quizzes and puzzles related to CLE and Time Sheet policies.Very soon, they realized that their cars have been stolen, while they were busy playing and they have to find a way to reach the next destination.
● The villagers offer to help them but only if the Associates help them once more. Associates use their skills to decipher an encrypted manuscript. Once the Associates complete this, the villagers award them with an alternative mode of transportation – mules! With no other option, the Associates load their luggage and start moving towards the next destination – which is in fact a spot for treasure hunt!
● Alibaba has hidden a century old treasure in the caves. Will the associates be able to solve the puzzles in each cave to retrieve this treasure? Through a series of puzzles based on the Style Guide, Associates spot errors in the emails, redundant words, appropriate citations and other important skills that are critical for them to get started.
Below are some snapshots from Weeks 5 & 6 of the Pathfinder Journey :
Content Covered :
● Summary & Closure
● Feedback
Virtual Journey on the App :
● After retrieving the treasure hidden by Alibaba (which was infact the values of KCO), Associates head on to their final spot – a beautiful scenic spot by a waterfall
● They reminisce their journey this far, share their favorite moments and share their feedback.
Below are some snapshots of Week 7 of the Pathfinder Journey :
Impact
There was good engagement on the journey from Day one. 48 Associates participated in the journey which had a total of 73 Challenges. And we had a total of 1659 completions. The learning journey was complemented by a leaderboard which kept the competition on and an activity feed which kept the engagement going.
Other tangible benefits that we saw were with respect to the preparedness of the Associates before they joined the Firm. It also helped the Associates to get to know each other at a deeper level despite being caught in the virtual world and this is a significant point. It will play a big role in how the Associates develop as a cohort within the Firm.
Below are some things that we heard from the Associates who participated in the journey :
Q : A moment in the Pathfinder journey that really stayed with you
“The beginning of it. Suddenly getting a mail that the firm wants us to play games. Then slowly realizing the intent behind it.”
“Quizzes about different cities/offices”
“A moment in the Pathfinder journey that really stayed with me is the day when we all were allotted mentors. I had no mentor back in law school and in my first year, the initial two months were so difficult. The moment I realized I had good seniors made me feel hopeful about the fact that I won’t get lost because I have someone to look up to know what is right and how to go about things”
“The overall effort put into this entire journey and the information about the culture of this firm will stay with me.”
Q : A challenge that you really liked :
“The puzzles were definitely my favorite challenges.”
“I liked the challenges which had crosswords to solve.”
“Make a funny face challenge”
“The one where we had to put our hand imprint.”
Q : Any emotions that you felt as you took this journey
“Excited, happy and ready”
“I was very confused initially. Things made some sense in between. I am still learning but right now I know stuff which seemed completely alien. That feeling of being able to navigate is peaceful.”
“Awe and wonder at the talent of colleagues. May it be art or just the way they use their words or even how everyone interpreted a challenge in a very similar manner or were poles apart in the submissions.”
“I would say I discovered that it helps to share and learn about others, no matter how different they are to you.”
Q : Anything else?
“The way the first week and month was planned was incredible. It worked as a great transition into the fast-paced corporate world we now find ourselves engulfed in. The team at KCO has put in tremendous effort in welcoming us into the firm and I couldn’t be more grateful!”
“Thank you for putting in this effort and ensuring our transition from university to work, in this virtual world, has been seamless.”
“I felt really connected with my colleagues, even though I have not met most of them. It was an overall excellent experience!”
“I’d like to thank the entire team for arranging this for us. Thank you for your effort, thought and time. I absolutely enjoyed the whole induction process. It couldn’t have been better 🙂 looking forward to seeing you all in person :)”
