Every once in a while I share things here that I’ve put out to our managers. Why? Because I know that many of you struggle with getting your managers on board in some areas, too! The message below is one that I recently passed to our supervisors in order to help them understand the end of the recruiting process.
I see this as a critical juncture, because as the in-house corporate recruiter, I’ve developed a rapport with the candidate and have their trust; however, to ensure that the working relationship goes smoothly, I have to transition them into the care of their supervisor for any future needs. Here’s how I try to set the managers and employees up for success:
Next time you have a new hire coming onboard, please take the time to look at the steps that they will be going through. The HR, security, and accounting teams are working closely with the new hires to make sure they are as ready as possible for their first day of work, but you have a job to do in that regard as well.
You'll notice that there is no specific training to help the new hire fit into your team. Oh, there is an orientation session for new hires, but that is for answering benefits questions, gathering paperwork, etc. The moment they leave the orientation session, they are starting to gather input and learn more about the company and person they will be working for.
Here are a few tips that you can use to help get the employee productive (and profitable) while making them comfortable as well:
1. Email the person a few days before their start date to see if they have any questions, concerns, or comments. Be sure to mention how excited you are about them starting with you.
2. As soon as their orientation session is over with HR, consider implementing your own short orientation session to help get the new hire engaged with regard to team dynamics, communication styles, workload, and anything else they might not think to ask about. (Check with HR if you want some help with developing a department-specific orientation session; we’re happy to help!)
3. Take time often in the first days to ask and answer as many questions as possible. The more time you invest in the person, the sooner you'll be able to “take off the training wheels†and let them do what you hired them for!
This isn’t an all-inclusive list, but if I can get managers to understand, accept, and practice these three items, then it will go far in helping them to have a happy, well-adjusted staff from the earliest days of work. If you’re looking for additional ideas, check out the free New Hire Orientation eBook.
What tips and ideas do you share with your managers about onboarding, orientation, etc.?
I wish more managers actually did this. Starting a new job is one of the most disorienting and confusing experiences a person can go through–everyone is watching you, and you don’t even know what you don’t know! Having access to someone with the answers makes all the difference. I’ve always wished someone would hand me a staff chart with names and the kinds of things they know, like “Tiffany: SEO and Web. Loren: Events and newsletters.” I waste so much time during the first month sending emails that start with “Who do I ask about…”!