COLUMBUS, Ohio –
It was the first day of the New Employee Orientation and a new adventure for both the employees and the orientation presenters. The Coronavirus Pandemic challenged the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime People and Culture Office to continue providing new employees the same experience as they would at the in-house sessions. The first, and probably not last, Virtual New NEO was held May 20 and 21, 2020.
A lot of research and preparation went into making sure new employees felt just as welcomed and connected as if they were sitting in the room during the presentations. After viewing Defense Finance Accounting Service virtual NEO and several other virtual meetings using different formats, the Defense Collaboration System (DCS) was ultimately determined to be the best format. Presenters attended a dry run session to ensure microphones and slide decks were all in working order. They were given the opportunity to ask any questions and test out their systems. New employees were also invited to a dry run so they could become accustomed to DCS and briefed on what to expect during the NEO.
The morning of the session, new employees logged onto their computers for the first DLA Land and Maritime “Virtual Orientation”. The process went smoothly as 18 presenters briefed a portion of the NEO, including DLA Land and Maritime Director of Operations Griff Warren’s welcoming remarks.
Virtual meetings are a growing trend, not only for onboarding but also for all meetings. COVID-19 has challenged the DLA Land and Maritime culture and the People and Culture Office has risen to the challenge. New employees were given all the information and networking opportunities they will need to hit the ground running in their new job whether on base or virtually.
The next NEO will be virtual and held on June 24 and 25th. All new employees to DLA Land and Maritime are required to attend in accordance with the Enterprise Newcomers Getting a Global Entrance (ENGAGE) procedure. Tenants of the DSCC Installation are welcome to attend. Please contact the Program Manager, Julia Jennings for an invite.