For any manager, the first few weeks of a new employee's tenure with an organization are vital for a myriad of reasons. First, these 28 days or so firmly set the tone regarding what is expected of the individual, it lays down a firm timeline of where that employee should be in the next few months (sometimes years), as well as establishes trust between the manager and the new recruit.
Moreover, it is during these first few weeks that the employee will ultimately make the decision as to why or why not they are going to want to work at the company for the coming years. Despite the fact that many managers fail to recognize and act on these common sense variables within the aforementioned timeframe, it is vital that they do. Being hands off with these new recruits and leaving them in a cubicle, for any manager, can have dire personnel and performance consequences.
Below, you will find some ways to be "hands on" with new employees and, thus maintain a level of trust with the new individual as well as get him or her excited about their future prospects within the company.
Allow the Employee to Mirror You
For a new employee to truly be trained, you must allow the individual to spend countless days (sometimes up to a month) with both yourself and his or her future piers. This is the best way for them to learn, as not only are they being taught directly from you, but they are also seeing you in action. On the back end, this will help you evaluate whether or not they can do well within the culture that has been dictated and practiced by the other employees.
Let's face the facts and be candid. There is only so much a training manual can do. More or less, you must become that training manual. Taking that employee to meetings is a supplementary way for them to see the job from a first-person business perspective. If you fail to do so, it is inevitable that the employee won't produce to his or her fullest extent.
Show the Employee All the Different Company Divisions
Allow the employee to see the "bigger picture."Â Even if they are just going to be working in the sales or marketing department, they should see every division of the firm and be allowed to meet the individuals within those company facets; even if it is just a two-second handshake.
Upon doing their job, this will enable the individual to paint a much more lucid picture as to what they are selling, as they now know the workflow of the company. This desired professional progression of the employee will not be achieved by the manager if they do not actively practice and, subsequently implement this seemingly easy, but rarely used training tactic.
Set Firm Expectations
For any manager, the first few weeks is the best and sometimes the only time in the employee's tenure with the organization in which a manager can set and implement firm expectations with the individual. Therefore, upon working on a one on one basis with the person, firm expectations as to where they should be in the coming months and years should be clearly stated to the individual.
The manager should make it clear that they do not allow complacency, they expect the individual to do his or her best and, if they execute these tasks properly, they will be rewarded through various means. Some managers fail to set expectations the initial few weeks and, because of this, they end up with a team full of insubordinates, and just as bad, frequent turnovers.
Follow the above guidelines, and your new hires will start out on the right track toward a successful career with your company. Do you have any tips to add? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Ken Sundheim is the founder of KAS Placement Executive Staffing, which is a 5-year-old company with nearly 10 employees and growing at a very rapid pace. Read more about Ken here.
