Spencer Stuart’s recently published “New Director Onboarding: 5 Recommendations to Optimize Your Program” emphasizes that effective onboarding programs should be customized to reflect each director's background, experience, committee assignments, and areas requiring additional development rather than relying on a standardized process for every new director. The report also encourages boards to view onboarding as an ongoing process extending beyond a director's first meeting and, ideally, throughout the first year of board service.
Among its recommendations, Spencer Stuart encourages boards to:
- Establish a structured onboarding program with clear expectations and advance materials
- Facilitate early meetings with directors, senior executives, and key business leaders
- Provide broad access to company, industry, governance, and historical board information
- Accelerate learning by inviting new directors to attend committee meetings beyond their assigned committee where appropriate
- Consider assigning an experienced director mentor, particularly for first-time public company directors.
The report also notes the important role corporate secretaries often play in coordinating and executing the onboarding process.