Getting Started with Us: Why Technology is the First Step

Ignacio Zaragosa’s love of onboarding has been ingrained in him since he first started working for Gap Inc. nearly three years ago, when he was originally hired to help ramp up contractors for the tech department. Since then he has joined a new Customer Success team specializing in the employee experience through end user technology service and collaboration tools. He found that his previous technical experience gave him a solid foundation and unique lens to teach others to find success during their first days with the company. The new role perfectly matched his passions for combining the new hire experience with the latest tools Gap Inc. has to offer.

“First impressions are everything and onboarding at a new company should be no different,” he said. “My personal goal is to make sure every new hire I work with leaves the room with the reassurance that this place is awesome and they can’t wait to get started.”

Within six months he implemented new technology portions into the program that integrated seamlessly with the already existing New Employee Orientation (NEO).

New Employee Orientation
Since the NEO program initially originated in 1997, Gap Inc. has been committed to making every employee’s first day unforgettable. Held in different formats at all Gap Inc. headquarter locations (San Francisco, New York and some of our distribution centers), the day-long orientation program is required for all Gap Inc. employees. This ensures a consistent start for everyone regardless of role, and helps set a solid foundation in which to build their professional career with us.

Tech Buddy
Starting a new job is stressful enough without having to worry about login credentials or how to book a meeting. Ignacio’s first order of business is to give new employees their work laptop and walk through the basics of creating a new account. Once covering the basics, new hires get assigned their very own Tech Buddy. This tech guide is available for the first two weeks to assist with any questions and be a friendly resource during their onboarding. New hires are also introduced to our Tech Bar, our customer in-house IT service that employees can visit during business hours for in-person help.

Tech NEO
Based on feedback received from new employees’ and the types of questions that came up over and over, Ignacio also developed the first Tech NEO earlier this summer. This additional hour-long session happens two days after the first day NEO, and is optional but highly encouraged to give employees a deeper dive into the technology they will be using on a regular basis. This includes things like how to connect to VPN, working on the cloud, using Office 365 and even tips and tricks for getting IT support ASAP. It’s white glove service, and is how we here at Gap Inc. ensure that our new employees start their journey with tech at the core.

Take a look at the current job openings for technology and come join us!

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