The Year Our Onboarding Reached New Heights

The past year, Orifarm, the large pharmaceutical company from Funen, has welcomed more than 900 new employees. Therefore, to integrate all into the Orifarm family, the organisation has increased its number of introduction programmes. Hence, it has established a broad system to ensure the best possible onboarding to all new employees where they fell as welcome as possible from the first time they enter Orifarm. In this way, Orifarm aims to create a mutual foundation and an even more united organisation among its now 2,200 employees in 13 countries. 

Birgitte Ladefoged, Chief Human Resources Officer, explains that Orifarm’s onboarding process helps to remain the corporate culture and the special Orifarm DNA.

“It is a solid stepping stone when you join Orifarm as a new employee. Both employees, leaders and also the owners themselves, Birgitte and Hans Bøgh-Sørensen, prioritise our onboarding program,” Birgitte says and continues: “It is a huge strength that the Orifarm story continuously is being told by the owners.”Birgitte also mentions Orifarm’s feedback culture which definitely is observed in the onboarding process: “We ask for feedback after each general introduction programme and based on the comments, the programmes are regularly adjusted. With it, we challenge status quo,” she says.

When a newcomer joins a department in Orifarm, one will be introduced to colleagues and relevant stakeholders. Parallel with the onboarding process within the department, the new employee will take part in the organisation’s formal onboarding process which consists of several elements. With a buddy program, a general introduction programme and a welcome session by Orifarm’s owners, Birgitte and Hans Bøgh-Sørensen, the company aims to onboard its new employees in the best possible way.

Looking back on the onboarding in 2021, evaluations of Orifarm’s introduction programmes indicated how their newcomers truly value the effort that is put into welcoming all our new colleagues. Patrik Krog Christensen, S&OP Partner Trade, joined Orifarm in September, 2021, and has recently experienced the Orifarm’s onboarding process:

Unluckily, at Patrik’s first day in Orifarm, he became stuck in a tailback. Even though he had left his home in Vejle in good time, he was half an hour late. However, his leader and colleagues was by no means bothered by his delay. He was meet at the parking space and followed to the office where they welcomed him with breakfast. “From the beginning, the spirit was very warm and friendly. I felt very welcome,” Patrik says.

Josefine Toftdal joined Orifarm in 2021 as a Sales Executive Assistant and she explains that she has never heard of such an intensive introduction programme before. Patrik agrees:

“This onboarding is different to other onboarding processes I have experienced. You are not just thrown to the lions but instead, you are given the exact introduction you need to fulfil your job in the best possible way. It makes it unique.”