One of my favorite responsibilities is to address new staff members each month when they attend new employee orientation. I kick things off for the first hour and try to make it anything but normal. I yell, strut around the large conference room making jokes, using videos, a slide deck, and banter back and forth with one of our HR employees who goes along with my shenanigans as if we were a stand up comedy team.
I love it. I'm trying to impress all of those new people as a representative of my company. I feel pressure to send a positive message, because I know first impressions mean a lot. I want the employees to know that our senior leaders are not dull or boring or stodgy.
I want them to get fired up because new employees are just like first time guests.
Details Don't Matter...Yet
The advantage of early messaging to new employees is clear: no work routines yet, no daily grind mentality yet, no familiarity with the organization yet. Now is the time to connect in a meaningful way.
Attention HR leaders! Are you delegating this moment to someone else? Really? Let me guess, you're too busy with a turnover report? You might not have to complete that report if you engage with those anxious, excited, nervous, terrific new hires you just invested so much time and energy into bringing on board. Remember the fabled war for talent? Guess what? You won! You have talent in that room, now go get them pumped up about their decision to join your company!
How About You
How do welcome your first time guests? Do you take advantage of the opportunity and get them engaged right away? Do you help them believe in your organziation using emotion, stories, and for the love of God some energy! I hope so...because if they think they've made a mistake by joining your team, you'll be busier than ever working on that turnover report.
I'd love to hear from you.
No Excuses.
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How do you bring new employees on board? I don't mean the mandatory orientation program...or the token tour of the department/facility/campus. I mean how do you connect with the people you are putting your trust in to make yourself successful? That's right. You are dependent on your new hire for your success.
Have you ever put onboarding into that context? I didn't think so.
Probationary Periods Are Lame
Have you ever heard a manager say that if their new employee doesn't work out they will just cut them loose at the end of the probation period? I hate that line. After all of the work to source, recruit, interview, hire, train, and most importantly trust that new employee the manager is willing to throw it all away and begin again. Here's the catch: when the manager make these comments they are actually admitting they are unable to select and lead their new employees. In effect, they are admitting they are a failure.
Have you ever put probation periods into that context? I didn't think so.
Invest the Time
New employees do not magically "get up to speed" in their new environments. They need to know they have time to learn, that it's okay to ask questions, and that the goal is their development not a race to some random date when they are supposed to be "competent." Don’t allow the environment (other employees, corporate culture, etc) to eat them alive as they are adapting to their new role. Set expectations, communicate regularly and never assume anything. They're counting on you to be there so they can be a productive member of the team and keep their career moving forward. They are dependent on you (and me) for their success. You made a huge investment on behalf of your organization when you hired this person. Don't waste the company's money.
Have you ever put company investments into that context? I didn't think so.
How About You
Who have you recently brought onto your team? Do they know you are patient, willing to support them, and are not in a rush to get to a mysterious end date? Or, are they watching other new hires get pushed out the door as their probation period wraps up? Have you ever thought about that before?
I'd love to hear from you.
No Excuses.
