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- Weekly Newsletter Vol. 7
Weekly Newsletter Vol. 7 - October 18, 2023
Generating your Lead Story…
Dedicating Time to Onboard Employees Saves you Time in the End.
Have you ever had an incredible interview experience that made you think, “Yes! This is going to be the company I work at forever — this is going to be so incredible”? I did.
I walked in the first day and asked the receptionist if Mike was in, as I was expected to meet him on my first day. I was told, in an unwelcoming tone, “Mike is on vacation until next week. Are you sure you’re starting today?" There were two other people in the office that I had never met and they were both on a different team, so I had to hunt down my travelling manager Mike via email to try to get an idea of what I was supposed to be working on. Mike didn’t respond until two days later, only to say, “Sorry I forgot you were starting Monday. Keep yourself busy and we will get you situated when I am back.”
I ended up quitting 2 months later.
We all get really excited when we start a new job. We have high hopes that the company will be great; they will provide resources and there will be ample amounts of opportunity to grow. Most of us ask the right questions during the interview process and get told stories of how successful we can be if we buy into their process.
But, a new work environment can be a scary place, especially when you don’t know too many faces the first time you walk through the door. It’s even scarier when you’re trying to integrate yourself into a culture that is already well-established. We often hear the saying from hiring managers during the interview process that they are looking for new employees who can, “hit the ground running," but it’s a funny thing to expect when in some cases new employees aren’t given a road to walk on…
I am writing about this because this happens far too often at far too many companies. Onboarding is supposed to be the next leg of the journey after the interview process is complete. When someone starts a new job, you, the company, should provide some type of welcoming package that makes them feel like they are already a part of the team, including resources and access to tools for them to establish themselves. You, as an organization, are responsible for providing training on systems and integrating people into their new teams. It all seems like common sense but, unfortunately, it rarely is.
People are busy beings. We are all guilty of being forgetful at times and get caught up in the day-to-day. As well, companies are often more reactive than proactive. Budgets are tighter than advertised, and resources are limited based on the projects being worked on.
Onboarding isn’t just a theory, it’s a job someone should have — especially at larger companies.
For an onboarding program to be effective from the start, it has to be built into the company’s ideology. At the very least, a few months should be dedicated to making sure the new employee has everything they need to succeed. When onboarding is done well, you’ll see the following results: increased immediate engagement, decreased delay in projects, and long-term relationship building between co-workers.
A Great On-boarding Experience Ensures 69% Of Employees Stick With a Company for at least Three Years, according to Employee On-boarding Statistics.
3 Benefits to Onboarding New Employees:
Immediate Engagement: The first thing you want out of a new employee is their immediate attention. By creating an onboarding program for them that provides tools and resources, you’re not only setting them up for success but you’re also showing them that you are engaged.
Decreased Delay of Projects: New employees are supposed to be joining a team and a team is only as strong as its weakest link. Bringing the new employee up to speed on all things they are responsible for right out of the gate should mean that no projects suffer major delays, especially if you’re only adding to a team and not replacing.
Relationship Building: We always hear companies say, “We are like a family,” and although the company isn’t really your family, they are meant to be a close second. You spend 40+ hours a week with these people. A new employee should feel like they are an addition to an already great foundation.
Shortlisted Tips & Trends
How to Retain Your Best Employees:
Include them in decisions: Your best employees want a seat at the table, and you should want them there too. Being able to delegate authority to them is the first step in the process of making them feel like they are a part of the big picture. If your employees feel included, they will be more motivated to put their best foot forward.
A path to promotions: Laying out a clear path to a higher-up position with increased compensation is an easy way to keep your employees happy and driven. It is proven that you will see long-term gain by promoting employees who have earned it. It is also going to encourage other employees to follow a similar path, which overall promotes harder working employees.
Flexible schedules: Micromanagement can hinder an employee’s progress more than anything. This can be when it comes to assignments, but it can also be when an employee clocks in and out. We need to start measuring people based on their input and less on how many hours it took them.
Build their own teams: Employees, especially managers, strive to be leaders. When given the autonomy to help select a team that they will manage, they are often able to demonstrate these leadership characteristics best through confidence in their decision-making skills. The same goes for new employees who join companies in senior roles when given the green light to add people to their team without too many hands in the cookie jar. This validates they were hired for their delegation and decision-making skills, and you respect them as a leader.
You can’t make this stuff up
(*Disclaimer: these are real experiences provided by RME's community of job seekers and hiring managers)
"Last week’s newsletter reminded me of a story from a few months back, which I’m sure many recruiters have their own version of! I work for a small recruitment firm that places candidates in the retail industry. I had a senior management level role to fill and found a stellar candidate that met all of our client’s qualifications. They were very interested in the opportunity because this role was a promotion and was even located much closer to their home. They nailed all their interviews so it was no surprise that our client wanted to offer them the job. We presented the offer and they accepted quickly. When placements are this smooth, you can’t help but wonder, “When will the other shoe drop?” Well, they never showed up on their first day of work. When I reached out to them they let me know that they accepted a counteroffer from their employer. Gut punch! Counteroffers happen often in the recruitment industry. That’s part of the business. But in these instances I just wish candidates were more forthright and they accepted the counteroffer before their first day of work!"
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