When is a new employee not considered “new?” Many companies often give a 90-day trial period where new hires can expect to be trained about the position and the company culture. But onboarding is a lot easier said than done. For an employee to succeed, expectations must be set in all aspects of the work environment. And without the right training, it could take longer than 90 days for an employee to really find their groove – personally and professionally – in their new position. Here are a few of our top tips for ensuring new hires experience a swift, smooth, and successful transition.
Address the Basics
Every company is different and so is every employee. Even if it may seem like common sense, acceptable and unacceptable behaviors should be clearly stated to all new hires. How long is a lunch break? When does the day start and end? How is vacation and sick time reported? Where are the restrooms? Don’t skip over anything. Not only does it ensure a fair workplace for all employees, but it also allows you to hold your educated employees to higher standards.
Talk About Performance Up Front
It may seem premature to start speaking about promotions and pay raises, but a new hire should know how their performance will be measured. Employees often start out slow and steady, but if they know what benchmarks they’ll be held to at the end of 90 days, they’ll have a goal to work toward. They’ll ask better questions while they’re on the job and they’ll understand their positions better.
Tell Them Where to Go For Help
The hardest part about being a new hire is not knowing who to turn to for advice, answers, and direction. Not to mention, a little camaraderie! Nobody wants to eat lunch alone on the first day, or not have anyone to say goodbye to on the way out the door. Make them feel welcome and set them up for success by introducing them to the right people. With who will the new hire be working closely? Who will they be reporting to? Who is an expert on problem X? Who can help solve problem Y? Encouraging face-to-face interactions is just one way to ensure a happy workforce.
Decode the Jargon
While an employee may be experienced in a particular field, internal abbreviations, unique industry terms, and unusual acronyms can seem like a foreign language to a new hire. It may even be necessary to provide a dictionary of sorts for new hires. Even basic internal jargon – for example, one company may refer to a sick day as “PTO” – will help an employee feel more clued in.
Onboarding is overwhelming. ABR Employment Services can help. We provide our Work Ready Talent with a more detailed orientation process to prepare our employees for your company. Less turnover means less hiring risk for you.
For more information on custom staffing solutions, connect with ABR Employment Services today.