4 Tips on How to Bring Out the Best in Your New Hires

Here are four tips to help bring out your new hires’ best
qualities from day one, using the right onboarding and
social learning experiences:
1. Provide a training path.
To be successful, every learning and development
initiative needs to begin with a plan. New hires need to
know with whom they are training, when they’re
training and what they’ll learn, so they don’t feel lost
coming into work each day. The absence of such a plan
-- by itself -- will kill confidence.
So, define a clear training plan for each new hire to
follow. But make sure it's based on the employee's
new position, current level of knowledge and experience
on the subject matter. If you don't, new hires already
familiar with the material may feel bored or taken aback
that their time is being wasted. Customize the training
plan to their needs.
2. Show how and where to ask questions.
No matter how clear the job duties or task steps are,
new hires still face unexpected challenges in the
workplace. In fact, a Glassdoor survey conducted by
Harris Interactive in 2013 revealed that six in 10 workers
found their jobs different than they expected them to be.
Questions will pop up, and for a smooth learning
experience, new hires need to know where they can get
answers. Instead of referring new hires to one person,
use the collective knowledge of the entire team to help
them out. Create a space, such as a Q&A forum, where
they can seek advice from everyone. Crowdsourcing
answers will ensure that they get a variety of opinions,
for a more complete picture of a process with plenty of
tips.
Related: 7 Ways to Make the First Day Perfect for New
Hires
3. Give new hires the tools to contact
someone for immediate help.
We’re beginning to see workplaces harness the power of
social tools for communication, especially with the
sprouting of so many apps over the last few years.
I can’t think of a time when an instant messaging tool
wouldn’t come in handy. Trainers and supervisors aren’t
always around when new hires encounter problems.
They need some kind of communication tool that lets
them reach out to others for immediate help, even if it’s
just basic mobile messaging. Merely knowing they have
the ability to contact someone for help will help them
feel more comfortable navigating the unexpected bumps
in the road.
4. Schedule one-on-one meetups with
more experienced team members.
When set up properly, mentoring can be a frontrunner
idea for more confident, competent employees. In my
experience and research, the most successful
mentorships occur when both people have knowledge to
share. This can lead to “reversed mentoring,” a scenario
where the less experienced employee mentors the more
experienced employee for a session or two on a skill he
or she possesses that is beneficial to the business.
As business strategist and benefits consultant Deana
Calvelli stated in a January 2013 article in the
Philadelphia Business Journa l: “Reverse mentoring is an
inexpensive way for your organization to make younger
employees feel more confident and valued.” Quite
simply, younger employees don’t just want to be taught,
they also want to teach."
Calvelli continued with an example of how a two-way
mentoring relationship can help close the knowledge
gap. “Millennials have the highest level of utilization of
social media, while Boomers can share the business
savvy they have attained over many years,” she wrote.
Help new hires identify team members with experience in
the areas they need to learn. Encourage one or two
meetings, and if the mentorship is a good fit, let it
continue until either party feels the need to move on. If
not, don’t force it. Everyone connects and learns
differently, so ensure the mentorship plan is flexible
enough to accommodate the new hire’s needs.
One of the greatest challenges when onboarding new
hires is the lack of confidence that comes from the
minimal know-how a new hire may have when starting a
new role. Given the need to absorb company culture,
history, department functions, procedures and case-by-
case situations, new hires have a lot to take in that first
day or first week.
Reassure them. Connect them with other employees and
information to learn. Then watch them soar.
What are some of the greatest challenges your organization
faces in onboarding new talent? Contribute to the
conversation in the Comments section below.