Beyond Onboarding: How to help new hires

With so many job seekers in the industry these days, finding the right person for the job can be a gratifying feeling. When the hiring process is done, however, many employers fail to fully integrate their new employee into the company. As a result, employees lose focus and quickly jump ship.

To avoid high and frequent turnover, here are a few suggestions for helping your new hires stay active, interested, and engaged:

Go Beyond Onboarding

Most organizations have some type of initial training or onboarding process that helps the new employee become familiar with organizational processes and procedures, along with strategies for communicating with the team.

Onboarding should involve much more than manuals and hand-holding-- onboarding should also explore your new hire’s personal and professional goals and talents.

Help your new hire set quarterly goals and establish areas for professional development. Provide them with the necessary tools to help accomplish their goals and with opportunities where they can shine.

During review processes, be sure to highlight their talents, gifts, and what they bring to the team.  By promoting their successes, you let your new hire know you see their value.

Give Them Training Wheels

Establish a thorough training process: outline precisely what you want your new hire to do--and how you want them to do it.

Sometimes, strict boundaries help the new hire avoid errors that may cost you time. By clearly communicating your expectations, you help the employee feel they are getting the job done.

Over time, however, be sure to offer opportunities to innovate: as the new hire demonstrates their capabilities, invite them to make modifications or changes to processes and procedures that would better suit your company and enhance their productivity.

Further, offer leadership opportunities to help your employee grow. They will know they are trusted with greater responsibilities, and in turn, will likely commit to staying with the company.

Be Patient

Truth be told, it take about three months for anyone starting a new job to feel comfortable with their environment, their coworkers, and the job itself. Spending eight or more hours a day at an organization requires a lot of trust, understanding, and commitment.

While you may expect a new hire to hit the ground running, be patient as they adapt to their new environment, both mentally and emotionally. Know that they ultimately chose to be a part of your organization, and like in any long-term partnership, a little bit of patience goes a long way.