Creating a Functional Onboarding Process for Company X's Sales Personnel
Paananen, Kaisa (2018)
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018120319673
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018120319673
Tiivistelmä
Onboarding is a key strategic element for the company. Onboarding is the first phase after the recruitment when the new employee faces the company. That encounter can be the deciding factor on whether the employee wants to commit to the company or not.
This thesis focuses on the sales onboarding aspect and aims to discover the factors leading to successful sales onboarding. The objective of the thesis is to create a functional onboarding process for company X’s sales personnel.
The research method chosen for the thesis is qualitative research. Half-structured theme interview was the selected data collection method for both of the interview rounds. This research is a multi-method study, as the third phase of the data collection was done in the form of the implementation workshops. The detailed research philosophy, approach and design are based in the research onion model.
The chosen research strategy is action research. It is well suited for solving organizational problems. It was in the end a natural choice considering the researcher’s own role inside the organization. The sponsor company’s employees act as the co-researchers for the study.
The sponsor company and author decided to conduct the first initial interview round prior the literature review. In order to gain an idea of how the top management sees the matter. Four company X’s Vice Presidents were interviewed during this round. The first interview round provided guidance for the literature review.
After the literature review, the author was ready to conduct the next phase of the data collection. At the second interview round, the author conducted eleven sales professional interviews globally.
Based on the interview results, the sponsor company’s tutor and author created a proposal for the new sales onboarding process at company X. The new process was presented at the thesis implementation workshops. The new process consists a starting point evaluation and personal onboarding plan for the new sales professional.
The author believes that the new process will speed up the sales onboarding process, increase efficiency and gain cost savings. Company X’s HR in cooperation with the management will continue the development work of the sales onboarding process after this thesis project.
This thesis focuses on the sales onboarding aspect and aims to discover the factors leading to successful sales onboarding. The objective of the thesis is to create a functional onboarding process for company X’s sales personnel.
The research method chosen for the thesis is qualitative research. Half-structured theme interview was the selected data collection method for both of the interview rounds. This research is a multi-method study, as the third phase of the data collection was done in the form of the implementation workshops. The detailed research philosophy, approach and design are based in the research onion model.
The chosen research strategy is action research. It is well suited for solving organizational problems. It was in the end a natural choice considering the researcher’s own role inside the organization. The sponsor company’s employees act as the co-researchers for the study.
The sponsor company and author decided to conduct the first initial interview round prior the literature review. In order to gain an idea of how the top management sees the matter. Four company X’s Vice Presidents were interviewed during this round. The first interview round provided guidance for the literature review.
After the literature review, the author was ready to conduct the next phase of the data collection. At the second interview round, the author conducted eleven sales professional interviews globally.
Based on the interview results, the sponsor company’s tutor and author created a proposal for the new sales onboarding process at company X. The new process was presented at the thesis implementation workshops. The new process consists a starting point evaluation and personal onboarding plan for the new sales professional.
The author believes that the new process will speed up the sales onboarding process, increase efficiency and gain cost savings. Company X’s HR in cooperation with the management will continue the development work of the sales onboarding process after this thesis project.