"Towards" successful onboarding of casual academics in higher education: A systematic review of existing practices.

Abstract

<h4>Aim</h4>To understand what casual academic onboarding practices exist that lead to improved onboarding experiences and retention of casual academics.<h4>Background</h4>The number of casual academics employed by universities increases, effective onboarding practices are crucial to maintain quality teaching. Casual academics are often recruited with short lead times and at different intervals throughout the academic year, which presents challenges for onboarding.<h4>Design</h4>A systematic literature review was selected to identify, analyse and synthesise current knowledge.<h4>Methods</h4>Databases searched ERIC, CINAHL, Medline, Academic Search Complete and Web of Science. MESH headings were searched and used in all databases where applicable. Data from included studies was extracted and evaluated for quality using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical evaluation tool.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 13 studies are included. Onboarding programs delivered through a multimodal approach combining face-to-face and online learning are increasingly favoured over traditional face to face method, due to the accessibility of the online learning whilst still allowing for organisational socialisation. Programs that include content on role clarity, course overview, pedagogy and information on appropriate contacts led to improved onboarding experience and retention.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Casual academics play a vital role in academia and have a large impact on student experiences and learning outcomes through direct teaching of students. For universities, casual academics are highly attractive due to their flexibility in hiring practices and resulting cost savings. Employing a multimodal casual academic onboarding program leads to improved onboarding experience and retention.