A Better Way to On-Board New Employees
By: Mike Fox (April, 2011)
Brightlights
The vast majority of employees are filled with enthusiasm when they begin a new job. Sadly, this often turns to frustration and apathy when the initial on-boarding process goes amiss and when 'buyer's remorse' settles in. Here are some things not to do (albeit a bit tongue in cheek) when bringing someone new into your organization.
- Make sure a work area hasn't been created or assigned. Make him/her sit in a hall or a shared cube!
- Schedule the new employee to start work while their supervisor is on vacation.
- Leave the new employee standing in the company reception area while the staff tries to figure out what to do with them.
- Leave the new employee at his/her workstation to manage on their own while coworkers all head out to lunch.
- Show the new employee his office and don't introduce him to co-workers or assign him a mentor.
- Assign the new employee to a staff person who has a major career-impacting deadline in a few days.
- Assign the new employee to your most unhappy and negative staff member.
- Assign the employee 'busy work' that has nothing to do with her core job description because you're having a busy week.
On a more serious note, many organizations celebrate more when an employee leaves the company than when they arrive (go figure!). Why not learn to celebrate and appreciate the value of an employee from the start. To accomplish this your on-boarding program should include:
- Information and materials to get a head start before the employee's first day on the job.
- All of the basics needed on the first day - whom to meet, where to park, workstation information, etc.
- A peer or buddy to answer questions and to communicate the "unwritten rules" of the company. This includes someone to take the individual out for lunch.
- A full onboarding training session that communicates company culture, values, products and/or services, clients, geographical information, leaders etc.
- Job-specific training including formal training and shadowing
- Performance expectations and coaching from the employee's immediate manager
By simply thinking of how you'd like to be treated first day on the job you'll be well on your way to managing, and surpassing, your new employee's expectations. For a full on-boarding action plan feel free to contact me (MIke Fox) directly.