If someone who had never set foot in NYC before were dropped in the middle of Manhattan, they’d still likely be able to find their way around the city with ease.
Manhattan’s grid design, neatly composed of 600 feet long and 200 feet wide blocks, just makes sense. Dating back to its inception in 1811, this uniform, simple layout of rectangles and numbers makes navigating the area an intuitive process — even for those who may be entirely unfamiliar with their surroundings.
This feat of urban planning reflects a key feature of any successful onboarding process. As new hires try to get the hang of things, the onboarding process can’t be improvised; it has to be the product of thoughtful design and careful consideration.
For Danae Ioannidis, who works in customer experience at healthtech company Headway, the transition into a new role — and sector — came with expected, yet daunting challenges.
“Joining a mental healthcare company at the start of a calendar year without much industry experience is like high-diving into the deep end of a pool when you don't quite know how to swim,” explained Ioannidis.
“Luckily, Headway is a company that values culture, community and connection. My colleagues and team jumped right with me.”
Headway is currently hiring, and Ioannidis shared how the company and her team members set her up for success from the very beginning.
Headway created a software-enabled network of therapists that now powers over 300,000 appointments per month.
At what point in the interview and hiring process did you realize that Headway was the company for you?
I realized that Headway was the place for me quite early in the hiring cycle. Operationally speaking, the process was incredibly streamlined and efficient. I submitted my application online, and the next day I had an email from their internal recruiter with links to book a screening with a member of the CX team.
The screening took place within days of my application submission, which was not only encouraging but also made for a painless process since things moved swiftly. Once I did get to chat with the initial screener and subsequent employees along the process, I was truly impressed with the friendly, kind and open nature of everyone I met. Headway’s culture shone through every interaction and conversation I had — from the moment I applied to the role until the end when I signed to join the company.
What made it even easier to determine that Headway was the company for me was that I had concurrently been interviewing with a few competitors whose process was disorganized, discouraging and lacked any positive cultural insights. This cultural and organizational dichotomy spotlighted Headway as the frontrunner. I joined Headway in December 2021 and never looked back!
How did your colleagues set you up for success and help you get acclimated once you came aboard?
Coming from a background in education, moving into the healthcare tech startup world was a bit of a jolt for me. Full disclosure, for those who don't know, joining a mental healthcare company at the start of a calendar year without much industry experience is like high-diving into the deep end of a pool when you don't quite know how to swim — see insurance benefits reset.
This made for an exceptionally fast-paced and potentially high-stress new work environment. Luckily, Headway is a company that values culture, community and connection. My colleagues and team jumped right with me, carrying all the life vests and oversized flamingo pool floats they could find. From onboarding to shadowing tenured colleagues to what we lovingly call “WIS rooms” (work-in-silence Zoom rooms, so you're never alone in a remote world), there was an abundance of support from my team and colleagues to set me up for success and help me acclimate to this new industry and work.
Navigating the telehealth landscape with our insurance partners, providers and users has been a great journey, thanks to our powerhouse CX team and my Headway colleagues!
There was an abundance of support from my team and colleagues to set me up for success and help me acclimate to this new industry and work.”
Looking ahead, what do you hope to accomplish with your team?
Joining Headway with ten years of counseling and educational experience, I was fortunate to have a manager with a similar background. Pivoting to a new career meant starting from the beginning, and my manager deeply understood my interests and career goals. She consistently advocated for and encouraged my progression at Headway, which helped me achieve a promotion to the enablement team.
Being tasked to craft and deliver the CX New Hire Training Program at a mental healthcare tech company was no small feat. Having the direct support of someone who similarly understands people’s and learners’ needs makes this work all the more fun and motivating. It has been an honor and a pleasure to grow alongside my manager.
Headway is reshaping the mental healthcare landscape in the United States. I am endlessly inspired by the opportunities that lay ahead and immensely grateful to be a part of this mission, this company and this journey!
