On-Boarding New Agency Employees with IMPACT
Key Takeaways
- Inbound Certification is a requirement to even interview at IMPACT - raising the bar before day one
- A 30-day onboarding process covers professional goals, company orientation, leadership meetings, and role-specific training
- Employees who lag behind during onboarding receive a 30-day notice period to get on track
Bob Ruffolo, co-founder of IMPACT Branding & Design, and Natalie Davis, Director of Talent, join the show to share how one of the leading inbound agencies approaches employee onboarding.
Raising the Bar Before Day One
IMPACT requires Inbound Certification as a prerequisite just to interview. HubSpot certification then becomes part of the onboarding process. This front-loads education and ensures every candidate has demonstrated a baseline commitment to learning before the agency invests time in the hiring process.
Four Talent Attraction Channels
IMPACT sources candidates through four channels: the company website, paid job boards like Indeed and AngelList, LinkedIn outreach, and their existing team network. Leveraging the team’s connections has proven particularly effective because referrals come pre-vetted for cultural fit.
The 30-Day Process
The onboarding process is structured around clear milestones. New hires identify their professional goals, go through IMPACT orientation covering values, mission, history, and team introductions, meet with the leadership team, and complete role-specific training before integrating with their assigned team.
Performance management is built into the system from day one. Employees self-grade against core values and quarterly objectives, with supervisors providing feedback in structured meetings. If someone is lagging behind during onboarding, it triggers a 30-day notice period. If progress does not improve, the agency makes a change. The pod-based account management system ensures that every client has a dedicated cross-functional team responsible for results.