At one time, onboarding presented some challenges for Gilbane Building Company, as courses were difficult to deliver due to regional constraints and completion timelines varied, creating a disconnect for new hires. Then Gilbane created Foundations Onboarding, which centralized course delivery, ensuring all employees complete core onboarding within their first four to nine months of employment.
Program Details
Foundations Onboarding is a multi-day, in-person, enterprise-wide event designed to immerse new hires in the company’s culture, values, and strategic vision. This conference-style event lays the groundwork for long-term success by fostering connection, bolstering engagement, and providing clarity around what it means to build a career at Gilbane.
The program includes high-impact sessions such as:
- Gilbane Strategy, which delivers an energizing introduction to the company’s mission and identity
- Gilbane’s Culture & Values, which uses storytelling to highlight the company’s rich history, core values, and commitment to its people
- Winning & Delivering Together, which defines superior performance and the behaviors that drive high-performing teams.
- Gilbane Cares, which reinforces the company’s culture of safety, well-being, and community involvement
Breakout sessions such as High-Performing Teams, Ethics: Staying on the High Road, Insights Discovery, Fostering a Respectful Work Culture, Gilbane Health & Safety, and The Risk Advantage provide targeted training in leadership, inclusion, ethics, and strategic risk management.
This program marks the first time Gilbane introduced a mobile event management app. Through a combination of gamification and interactive training features, the app has transformed how learners engage with training content. Attendees earn points for participating in session interactivity, such as live polls and real-time Q&A, downloading session materials, learning about event speakers, and attending bonus activities such as the networking social hour and HR office hours. As learners accumulate points, they unlock badges and climb the “Engagement Challenge” leaderboard.
To support continued learning and connection, attendees are provided with access to training materials after the event concludes. The event management app remains open for several weeks post-event, allowing participants to revisit content and stay engaged with their Foundations cohort. Additionally, to foster a sense of community within the global organization, Gilbane shares a contact list of all attendees. This encourages ongoing collaboration and relationship-building beyond the training experience.
Follow-up Insights training sessions focus on enhancing team effectiveness, adaptability, and interpersonal connection. These sessions build on the introductory training provided at Foundations, which equips participants with a shared language and framework for collaboration, enabling them to engage more meaningfully in subsequent development opportunities. Similarly, the Gilbane Health & Safety orientation provides employees with essential baseline knowledge, preparing them to fully participate in ongoing safety initiatives, including monthly safety calls and other required trainings throughout their tenure.
Results
Following the implementation of Foundations Onboarding, the rookie turnover rate improved 2.2 percent from 2023 to 2024.
