From Interns to Graduates: A Team Solutions Exclusive

Strong employees are the backbone of every great organization, and companies should take great care in ensuring they hire only those candidates who will add value to the existing structure. A new hire should embody the organization’s values and be provided with support, resources, and every opportunity to excel in their work. 

At Team Solutions, we use the first 90 days of an employee’s career to carefully assess various factors and characteristics that make the best employees. Known as the Introductory Period, this time frame allows us to keep every new employee at close reach as we observe and support them in their evolution to becoming strong contributors within the organization. 

Team Solutions Dental is immensely proud of our graduates who, in only 90 days, have shown unwavering dedication and tremendous perseverance to reach this impressive milestone. Our rigorous introductory period challenges our employees with a daily influx of new information, hands-on training on various tasks within the lab, and full immersion into our organizational culture and values. Most of our new employees join us without any experience in the dental field and come to us with various backgrounds and experiences. These diverse experiences add to our collective strength as a company. We believe that if you hire the right people, everything at TSD is teachable. Through personal instruction and well-thought-out training, new employees can acquire the competence and confidence they need to excel here at Team Solutions.

HR Director Melissa Parziale emphasizes the importance of the introductory period, “At TSD, we recognize that traditionally, it takes an individual approximately 90 days to immerse themselves in an organization's culture fully, establish a foundation from which to grow, and get an opportunity to shine and showcase their capabilities. It also provides time for the company to get to know the employee's personality,  habits, and work ethic, and measure their contribution and value to the organization.”

Melissa explains that this is the “get to know you” period that allows both the employee and Team Solutions to determine if there is a mutually beneficial relationship.

We assess the employee’s performance and development during the introductory period every 30, 60, and 90 days. The expectations are set on the employee’s first day at TSD, and the bar is raised at each review period.  This keeps the employee engaged and encourages them to continue learning and growing. The reviews are submitted and assessed, and approved by the Director of HR.  Each performance review consists of seven categories, where one of three determinations is made:  the new hire exceeded the expectations, met the expectations, or failed to meet the expectations.

Through these periodic evaluations, we can observe the employee's growth compared to the previous month. Candidates meet with their Team Lead to review their performance, where they are offered constructive feedback, insight into areas for development, and recognition in areas of success.

Team Solutions prides itself in upholding a culture of shared values that every team member follows and contributes to.  At the end of the review, we conduct a "Values Check" to determine which behaviors the employee showed that align with our values.

Following their final 90-day review, an assessment panel comprised of Management, Executive Leadership, and other key employees is assigned to review the data surrounding the employee’s performance. The panel reviews the employee's profile, which consists of their resume, 30, 60, and 90-day reviews, and disciplinary records. Feedback from peers on their work performance, attitude, and interpersonal interactions is also gathered and reviewed by the panel. The data is carefully analyzed, and careful attention is given to patterns in behavior, work ethic, and performance to ensure that both the employee and the company have established a mutually beneficial relationship.

If the data shows that the employee's time here at Team Solutions has positively impacted the organization, then the candidate graduates from their introductory period and is invited to join the team!

Meet Kolby Scott, Elizabeth Pagliazzo, QC Technicians, and Ben Burke, 3-D Print Technician- our most recent graduates!

In the beginning, our 90-day graduates were uncertain of what lay ahead. Instructional Design Team,  Zack Schaff and Heather MacLean facilitate an all-encompassing two-day New Hire Orientation, which provides insight into our values, mission, culture, workflow, policies, and expectations of all employees here at TSD. 

Over the course of three months, our graduates gained hands-on instruction and mentorship from experienced team members and leadership. They developed an understanding of the Team Solutions approach to problem-solving while becoming familiar with the technology used throughout our laboratory. With each new task they encountered, they increased their abilities to independently identify the necessary course of action and communicate effectively with their colleagues.

Upon completing 60 days of their introductory period, we checked in with our soon-to-be graduates to better understand their experience. 

Ben Burke already felt welcomed by the work environment, saying how rewarding it feels to be here. “I’m doing something I’m passionate about, and it makes me feel like I'm not getting up to go to a job.” Kolby noted that the process has been incredibly educational, remarking, "I'm discovering that the more quality I put in, the more I get out." He expressed that he had already received a significant amount of knowledge, making him feel he had already been here for an extended period.

Although they have acquired considerable knowledge about their positions and Team Solutions' Mission, a wealth of knowledge is still yet to be gained! Elizabeth expressed how her current position has already afforded her many learning opportunities. Yet, seeing the array of talent she is surrounded by daily has opened her eyes to how much still remains to learn.

As they gain a better understanding of Team Solutions and familiarize themselves with their new work environment, they have discovered that not only is this meaningful work, but they have also identified a range of opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Ben is elated to be part of the Team Solutions family and feels fulfilled in his 3-D Printing role. Throughout his time, he has learned more about the organization's mission, what drives Team Solutions to do things the way we do, and the positive impact we have on others. This has sparked an eagerness to want to learn even more.

Kolby has grown into his role as a Quality Control Technician, which has allowed him to expand his skillset and cross-train in other positions. His fondest part of the job is “The opportunity for growth. I learn something new every day.”

Elizabeth has been offered the opportunity to receive mentorship from Emi Boardman, the Procurement and Compliance Manager. She is currently developing her skills in Procurement and training to become the Procurement Assistant. In just three months, these dedicated, high-potential graduates have experienced opportunities for skill development and career advancement.

Elizabeth shares that she feels Emi and her have a great connection and is eager to build on that as she learns more. She considers this opportunity a "step up" in her career growth at Team Solutions.

At Team Solutions, we work to provide an atmosphere in which our employees can truly thrive. We offer a welcoming environment for everyone and encourage growth, collaboration, and contribution. 

Ben was especially impressed with the friendly atmosphere at Team Solutions, remarking that there was an immediate sense of camaraderie and acceptance. Kolby praised the ample opportunity for development that working at Team Solutions has shown, allowing him to grow and learn something new each day. Elizabeth was drawn to the meaningful mission that Team Solutions is working to fulfill, finding it rewarding to contribute to something that positively impacts the community.

Reaching their final 90-Day evaluation, the recent graduates became increasingly more comfortable in their new roles. They demonstrated determination and an eagerness to learn. They have created mutually respectful relationships with their colleagues and added measurable value to the organization.

Elizabeth is proud of her accomplishments. Having arrived in this field with no prior experience, she already feels confident with her level of understanding. “As a patient, you’re aware that dentists take impressions, but you’re unaware of the intricate steps behind the scenes. I’ve been enjoying the opportunity to uncover the nuances of the craft.

Ben, Kolby, and Elizabeth all highlighted what has made their time at Team Solutions so memorable thus far from Ben's perspective of feeling supported and acknowledged to Kolby's experience of President and Co-Founder, Jason DeFranco’s willingness to teach. Elizabeth highlighted the environment of collaboration and support that makes this place so special. 

Kolby fondly shared a special moment with Jason DeFranco, “Liz and I had a question to ask Jason, but instead of giving us a quick answer, he set up an entire lesson to explain our question better. It felt great he took the time to teach us and not just give us an answer.”

Our leadership regularly creates lessons and workshops to aid our employees in reaching their goals both in their work and personal lives. We have high expectations of all those who join the team, and in return, we provide the resources and tools needed to reach their full potential. 

Elizabeth has participated in a recent 7 Habits of Highly Effective People workshop, led by President Jason DeFranco, every Friday. Elizabeth says, “I’m enjoying it. It’s teaching me a different outlook and perspective on how I handle situations and how I can tend to overlook things.”

Melissa is full of confidence in each of these team members,  saying, “We’ve gathered the data and feedback, and all signs point to the fact that these are fantastic hires whose work ethics and values are aligned with our unique TSD culture.” She is eager to see where they go from here as she knows they understand the only limitations they’ll face at TSD are the ones they place on themselves. 

After 90 days of hard work and dedication, these motivated individuals have successfully completed their introductory period, officially joining the Team Solutions family. However, this marks only the start of their journey. Executive Leadership continues to watch these individuals as they keep their momentum going, advance their skills, and demonstrate exactly why they graduated - with high regard - from this intense 90 Day Introductory Period.