Onboarding services in international schools : Enhancing teacher transition in international schools: perspectives of the users
Penny, Thomas (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025112028893
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025112028893
Tiivistelmä
This thesis examines how onboarding services in international schools can be improved to support the transition and well-being of newly hired teachers through user needs analysis. This research is significant given the ever-growing and changing international school sector and the dynamism and flux of globalisation. This research explored the onboarding needs of teachers and of employers using principles from user led service design and design thinking.
The research used a mixed methods approach combining surveys from a wide range of teachers, school leaders and human resources (HR) professionals from 5 continents and then a series of interviews with a smaller representative and self-selecting teachers, school leaders and HR professionals from 4 continents to delve deeper into user experiences. Theoretical foundations of the research included organisational socialisation, cross-cultural management and person-organisation fit. The findings indicate the centrality of onboarding to enable schools to flourish for staff and ultimately for the students in their care. This research shows that onboarding could grow in a more consistent and coherent way for the benefit of all learners.
The results informed the development of user-centred service design for a framework that covers four phases of pre-arrival, immersion, adaptation and ongoing support. The model posits that such experiences must be focused on human relationships, community and building a sense of belonging for new hires for successful transition to a new place of work and being. The thesis concludes that investing in comprehensive, user led, empathetic and agile onboarding processes will assist the sector.
Development proposals include implementing structured feedback loops, co-creating onboarding experiences with users, and leveraging digital tools to personalize and scale support. This research contributes practical strategies for school leaders and HR professionals aiming to build inclusive, responsive onboarding programs in a globally mobile education landscape.
This study also proposes entrepreneurial avenues for scalable onboarding solutions through modular service design and technology-enabled platforms, positioning onboarding as a strategic asset for talent retention and school growth.
The research used a mixed methods approach combining surveys from a wide range of teachers, school leaders and human resources (HR) professionals from 5 continents and then a series of interviews with a smaller representative and self-selecting teachers, school leaders and HR professionals from 4 continents to delve deeper into user experiences. Theoretical foundations of the research included organisational socialisation, cross-cultural management and person-organisation fit. The findings indicate the centrality of onboarding to enable schools to flourish for staff and ultimately for the students in their care. This research shows that onboarding could grow in a more consistent and coherent way for the benefit of all learners.
The results informed the development of user-centred service design for a framework that covers four phases of pre-arrival, immersion, adaptation and ongoing support. The model posits that such experiences must be focused on human relationships, community and building a sense of belonging for new hires for successful transition to a new place of work and being. The thesis concludes that investing in comprehensive, user led, empathetic and agile onboarding processes will assist the sector.
Development proposals include implementing structured feedback loops, co-creating onboarding experiences with users, and leveraging digital tools to personalize and scale support. This research contributes practical strategies for school leaders and HR professionals aiming to build inclusive, responsive onboarding programs in a globally mobile education landscape.
This study also proposes entrepreneurial avenues for scalable onboarding solutions through modular service design and technology-enabled platforms, positioning onboarding as a strategic asset for talent retention and school growth.