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7 C's of Reboarding

The workplace has undergone significant changes in recent years, highlighting the importance of effective reboarding strategies for staff. Early care and education programs can use this framework to smoothly reintroduce employees after absences, role changes, or broader organizational shifts.

The framework centers on the seven C's of reboarding:

  • Connect
  • Contribute
  • Clarify
  • Communicate
  • Culture
  • Collaborate
  • Celebrate

Use this worksheet to tailor the seven C's of reboarding to address the unique staffing needs of your program.

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What is reboarding?

Reboarding goes beyond simply welcoming back employees after a leave of absence. It encompasses:

  • Resuming operations after a closure
  • Moving to a new facility
  • Returning from leave
  • Hiring past employees
  • Transitioning to new roles within the organization
  • Adapting to major policy or procedural changes
  • Renewing a sense of purpose within the organization

How can the seven C's enhance employee satisfaction, productivity, and organizational success in your early care and education program?

  • Connect: Reboarding helps reestablish connections among team members and with the organization’s mission. In an early care and education program, fostering strong connections among staff members promotes collaboration and a sense of community, enhancing the program’s effectiveness.
  • Contribute: Reboarding encourages teams to contribute their unique perspectives and experiences to showcase their organization’s vision and mission. By creating meaningful opportunities for staff to share their contributions, fostering a sense of unity and common purpose is valuable in an early care and education program.
  • Clarify: Reboarding provides clarity on roles, expectations, and changes within the organization. This clarity is essential in an early care and education program, where staff must understand their responsibilities and how they contribute to the program’s goals.
  • Communicate: Every exchange is a potential moment for understanding, an opportunity to gain clarity, and a chance to be on the same page. Communication during reboarding is essential as policies and procedures, hierarchy, and other elements of the work may have changed. This allows the employee to clearly understand their role and what is expected of them.
  • Culture: Reboarding reinforces the organization’s culture and values. For early care and education programs, which often emphasize inclusivity, diversity, and child-centered approaches, reboarding helps ensure that staff members embody these principles in their work.
  • Collaborate: Effective reboarding identifies where the knowledge gaps are and utilizes its human resources to strengthen those gaps. Staff collaborate to share knowledge effectively and to bond teams together. This collaboration is crucial in early care and education programs, and directly affects the quality of care and education provided to children and families.
  • Celebrate: Reboarding celebrates achievements and milestones, fostering a positive and supportive work environment. In an early care and education program, celebrating successes and progress can boost morale and motivation among staff, leading to improved outcomes for children and families.

Why Reboarding Matters

The seven C's of reboarding help early care and education organizations to navigate change, prioritize employee safety, and foster a positive, engaging workplace culture. Begin by creating a clear road map that outlines the changes affecting employees and demonstrates how your reboarding strategy prioritizes the well-being of both staff and the children and families you serve.

Read more:

,  Human Resources