The arrival of a new employee is a key moment for any organization. With a fresh perspective and no internal biases, they notice details and inefficiencies that existing teams no longer see. However, these first impressions are often underutilized. Onboarding feedback provides a structured framework for gathering this input and drawing concrete lessons from it. Used effectively, it becomes a powerful lever for continuous improvement and innovation, helping to optimize internal practices and strengthen employee engagement. In this article, discover how.
The role of discovery report in continuous improvement and innovation
Discovery report: definition
The discovery report is a document written by a new employee (salaried employee, work-study student, or intern) after their first few weeks of integration, generally after one to three months. The purpose of this report is to gather the employees’ first impressions of their work environment, their interactions with colleagues, and the practices in place. It also helps identify positive points and any issues encountered, while suggesting improvements. Organizations that have a suggestion box or idea management system can take advantage of this to gather new ideas.
An outside perspective for an objective diagnosis
Welcoming new employees is a strategic moment, because it is at this stage that they discover the organization with a fresh perspective, without being influenced by internal habits. This objective point of view allows them to highlight dysfunctions, inconsistencies, irritants, or opportunities for improvement that may go unnoticed by long-time employees.
By structuring and formalizing this feedback, the surprise report allows companies to leverage the observations of new recruits, optimize their internal processes, and reinforce a culture of continuous improvement. However, this system is often underutilized, even when managers and employees are committed to progress. Yet it can become a real lever for transformation for organizations that are keen to evolve and adapt continuously.
The benefits of the discovery report in employee experience and innovation
The discovery report involves new employees in the company’s development from the moment they arrive, giving them the opportunity to share their impressions and suggestions. By valuing this feedback, it strengthens their commitment, their sense of recognition, and their belonging to an organization that is attentive to continuous improvement.
Beyond integration, this system is a real lever for embedding a culture of innovation right from the onboarding stage. It is also a communication tool that promotes continuous improvement. It is not simply an HR exercise, but a strategic tool that promotes constructive exchanges focused on concrete solutions. By highlighting employee observations and translating this feedback into action, the company encourages a culture of dialogue and ongoing transformation.
By valuing this feedback and involving employees in this process from the moment they join the company, the company enhances its appeal and employer brand. Demonstrating a genuine willingness to listen and a desire for progress promotes internal engagement and attracts new talent, convinced that they are joining an organization that values collective intelligence and continuous innovation.
How to structure and effectively use a discovery report?
Adapt the level of formality to the context
The discovery report can take different forms depending on the employee, their position, and the company’s expectations. Most of the time, it is a written document that structures the newly arrived employee’s observations and recommendations.
To help employees, a guide can be put in place, providing advice on how to write a discovery report. This support ensures that relevant information is collected, making it easier to use and transform into levers for optimization.
Structuring an effective discovery report
To ensure its relevance, it must follow a clear structure, facilitating both the writing and analysis of observations.
It usually begins with an introduction and context, where the employee specifies their role, responsibilities, and conditions of integration. This first part provides perspective on the perception of the first few days and helps to understand the angle from which the comments are made.
This is followed by first impressions, which allow for an assessment of the welcome received, the consistency between the perceived image of the company and the reality experienced, as well as the general atmosphere. This is an initial diagnosis that highlights any gaps between the employee’s expectations and their actual experience.
The report should also include an analysis of the organization and internal operations. Employees can express their feelings about the clear delineation of roles, the effectiveness of processes, and the fluidity of communication between teams. They can also point out any potential areas of friction related to tools, communication, or working methods.
Another essential component concerns strengths and areas for improvement. It is not just a matter of identifying problems, but also of highlighting the positive aspects of the company. Identifying what works well helps to consolidate these good practices.
Finally, the report must include recommendations and suggestions. Employees are invited to suggest concrete actions to optimize their integration, improve certain processes, or strengthen collaboration between teams. Their fresh perspective can also bring ideas from their past experiences that can be adapted to the company.
The conclusion of the report summarizes the key points and highlights the priorities for action that have been identified. Employees can also share their overall feelings about their integration and give advice to future newcomers.
Leveraging feedback to generate value
The observations of new employees are only valuable if they are analyzed and acted upon. They should not simply be filed away, but rather used as a basis for tangible actions to improve the organization.
If the company has a continuous improvement management solution, action plans, or a participatory innovation management solution, the recommendations from the surprise report can be directly integrated into this tool. A dedicated platform allows feedback to be centralized, reported malfunctions to be quickly identified, and suggestions to be transformed into concrete actions, thus ensuring better follow-up and effective use of new employees’ observations. When an improvement project emerges from this feedback, it can be structured and monitored within the tool to ensure its implementation.
Our IDhall software stands out by offering a comprehensive approach that combines irritant management and participatory innovation management. Thanks to this dual functionality, organizations can both track and resolve irritants reported via the surprise report and leverage initiatives proposed by new recruits. This integration ensures complete traceability of feedback, effective implementation of corrective actions, and integration of the surprise report into a structured continuous improvement process.
