First and foremost, turnover is expensive. Your recruiting and HR team has worked diligently to get you, candidates, to fill the positions, and now it is time to train new team members. Training guides and manuals only go so far. What steps can you take to guarantee new hire success?
New Hire Training Methods
Some companies employ a shadow training model where the new candidate sits next to or shadows someone else handling equivalent tasks to get an understanding of how to go about the job. Other companies prefer to teach via manuals, videos, and online training courses so the candidate is immersed immediately in the tasks. Benefits can be found in either method. The success of each department depends on your team size and department budget. While it is hard to create a one size fits all solution, we want to stress the importance of creating a training program for your team. Additionally, if you have an existing training program, when is the last time it was audited or updated? If you are a start-up, rapidly growing, or simply curious about best practices, below are a few helpful tips on creating and reefing your employee training.
New Hire Training Best Practices
- Are you creating a welcoming environment? It’s important to remember that every interaction is a potential plus or minus in the employee morale bucket. Especially in the first few weeks of working with your company. Analyze the touch points and where you can increase the experience for little to no budget.
- Do you have a monitor inside the facility you can add the new employee's name and a welcome message? Does the receptionist team know the new employee is starting and where to send them upon arrival?
- Does the training team or manager know the employee is starting? You would be shocked at how many new hires wait in the lobby for way too long due to a lack of preparation for the start date.
- Is the training pacing sufficient so new hires can understand company culture, their own responsibilities, and where to turn when questions arise? This is a fine balance of boredom and too much content too quickly.
Do not undervalue the organizational structure, history, and overall goals when training new hires. This helps guide employee decisions and allows them to feel more connected. Mentorship can go a long way in employees staying with your company for two weeks of project-based hires or 20-yearlong-term careers.
If an employee feels safe, valued, and a part of the team, they are far more likely to ask questions and increase engagement in learning and development. Feedback and surveys are also helpful in the onboarding process as everyone learns differently and has a unique perspective of how the process takes place. We recommend constant refinement to improve the experience for the next potential new hire.
Training can be overwhelming and a daunting task overall. Remember simply starting is a victory and asking your employees what skills they feel are important is a great way to begin. Involving your stronger employees to talk about skills or tactics for success and even pitfalls to avoid can be a nice substitute for the monotony of reading and watching non-interactive material.
Comments