Starting a new job can be overwhelming, especially in an industry as complex as banking. But what if the onboarding process helped you immediately adjust and set up for long-term success?
That’s exactly what TD Bank’s new onboarding program does. Max Bangs, who recently joined TD after 20 years in the industry, says the onboarding experience here is unlike anything he’s seen before.
Max is a new Store Manager in Portland, Maine, and was enrolled in TD's new Retail Learning Program, which includes the Advice Academy for Platform, Leader Academy, Advice Academy for Tellers, and the Onboarding Coach Program.
The goal of these programs is to improve colleague retention, increase speed to proficiency and reinforce a variety of high-priority topics.
Max was so taken aback by the Onboarding Coach Program that he immediately started telling former co-workers from his previous jobs before TD.
In fact, he’s been successful in bringing new colleagues to TD by telling them about the culture he’s experienced during his short time at the bank.
“I have two past colleagues, a retail banker and a store manager, who have joined the bank and now are going to go through the same training,” he said.
These new colleagues had asked Max about his experience thus far at TD and he raved about the onboarding process. The rest as they say is history!
“I feel like this program de-stressed so much of that new employee experience that I genuinely felt like I can advocate for TD in a really nice way,” he shared. "I'm overjoyed that I'm able to help grow the bank with quality individuals who will fit the culture here perfectly."
A personalized, thorough onboarding experience
Max joined TD Bank four months ago, bringing with him two decades of banking experience. Despite his extensive background, he was immediately struck by the level of attention and care he received during his onboarding.
“I definitely found that we have the most robust and thorough training program, especially for somebody at my level coming into the organization,” Max said.
The Retail Onboarding Coach Program launched full scale in February 2024 after a brief pilot. The program partners 100% of Advice Academy attendees with a Coach for 7-9 weeks. Participants receive a structured coaching curriculum that is tailored to their role and further personalized as needed.
Coaching sessions are a combination of one-on-one sessions and group sessions comprised of scenario-based learning, role-plays, and question/answer segments.
Max was paired with Cayla DeRiggi, one of the original onboarding coaches at TD Bank. Cayla raved about Max and has been thrilled with how he's taken to TD so quickly.
"He's literally one of the best people I know and we developed a friendship through the coaching program," she said. "It's been amazing to watch him hit the ground running."
Cayla's role wasn't just to deliver the required coaching curriculum, but to establish a unique connection where Max could feel comfortable seeking further guidance throughout his early days at the bank.
“I had a really fabulous coach and just consider myself so lucky,” Max said. “She always went above and beyond to make sure I felt at home here."
The onboarding program wasn’t just a quick overview—it was a comprehensive, two-month-long experience that covered everything from teller operations to managing new accounts. Max's training and onboarding journey included cross-functional support from his leadership, facilitators, onboarding coach, and the head of leader academy, ensuring he was ready to take on his role with confidence.
“Every time I faced a challenge or had a question, somebody was an IM or a text away, a phone call away, or a few footsteps away,” he explained. “Where I came from, it’s like apples and oranges when it comes to training."
'Obsessed with this bank'
Cayla is the perfect person to instill TD values in Max as she's been with the bank for almost 16 years.
"I started as a part-time teller and have had many people in my career that have helped me along the way," she said.
In fact, Cayla was essentially performing this new coaching role prior to the program's official launch, because she had an innate drive to help others. She was acting as a floating manger, traveling from store to store helping to onboard new hires.
With that prior experience, she was one of the first coaches selected for this new role when it was piloted two years ago and is now 1 of the program's 20 coaches today.
"We're all here in this role because we're obsessed with this bank and this culture," she said.
Adrian Miller is another coach with TD and someone who is also clearly passionate about the culture here.
"I'm coming off a 10-year anniversary here and it's a very emotional one," he said. "I've always known I wanted to give back to TD Bank in some capacity because in my 10 years here, I've gotten seven promotions. So, when I think about this program, this is my way of giving back to the next generation of TD bankers."
Adrian talked about how much TD has done for him and his colleagues, which drives him to help others to his fullest potential.
When I'm going into a session with a new colleague, I'll prep for hours to ensure the experience is valuable for them. As a coach, I want the colleague to walk away from each session feeling confident and like they have the tools they need to be successful," he said.
Adrian has also been able to forge amazing bonds with some of the colleagues he coaches and says the hardest part usually is the last session.
"You build this connection, then suddenly they are about to graduate and spread their wings and it feels so fast," he said. "That part is the hardest because you really developed a relationship like a friend. You're not just a mentor or a facilitator. You're their friend."
A proven path to success
Both Adrian and Cayla believe that setting up new hires for success is one of the most important parts of this exciting coaching role.
"I honestly ask them, 'Do you want to know how to be an all-star teller? Do you want to know how to be the best in your role?'" Cayla said. "And I lay it out for them. I tell them exactly what their store manager or manager is looking for. I like to be extremely transparent and honest."
Cayla added that it's not just about paving a path to success, but attrition as well, keeping new hires fulfilled and giving them an outlet for support.
For Adrian, he also has experience at another bank prior to coming to TD and said he's never seen an onboarding so robust and supportive.
”Just knowing that you have someone who you can trust outside of your store to just message and chat with, that is unique. That is needed," he said. "I wish I had that back when I started. I probably would've been more of a superstar."
Looking forward: Leadership Academy and continued development
Laura Nitti, who formerly led TD's Leader Academy program, has been elated to hear the personalized attention that new hires like Max are getting.
"It's critical," she said of setting up colleagues for success. "It is yet another investment that TD Bank makes in employees that are either new to the bank or new to this role."
In fact, Max will soon enroll in the Leadership Academy, having just completed his Onboarding Coaching.
“This kind of robust support and training creates the environment that we have here that I love so much,” Laura said. “It’s open. This is your time that you can ask questions, you are brainstorming. This program is designed to empower our front-line leaders to execute flawlessly and efficiently while instilling that much needed confidence to lead us forward. Unlike other programs that may just offer presentations that don’t prepare you for the reality of leadership."
The Leadership Academy also emphasizes real-world application, ensuring that store leaders like Max leave with actionable strategies they can take back to their teams.
"And it's not only just learning for yourself, but networking with peers from Maine to Florida," she added. "Each in-person Leader Academy session brings together 20-30 participants and creates a network of colleagues who can rely on and connect with each other throughout their onboarding journey. In addition, a variety of executives and subject matter experts present and focus on strategy. It's not just hearing about your role and listening to people. It's action oriented and empowers these new colleagues to put what they're learning into action to effectively own their business when they get back to their store."
As TD continues to invest in training and talent development, it's clear the future is bright for the bank's retail colleagues.
"Delivering open, engaging training to our front-line teams is a differentiator for us," said Renee Altomonte, Head of Retail Learning Engagement. "We are empowering our store colleagues to own their success and grow as individuals. I couldn't be more excited to watch the next generation of TD leaders develop."