The final elements for ensuring effective assimilation and training involve your commitment to following-up on and providing feedback to your new hire. Let’s face it, why go through all the work of preparing assimilation and training plans if you are not going to follow-up to ensure its effectiveness?
A significant level of involvement with your new employee is absolutely critical for their success. Frequent interactions allow the employee the opportunity to get to know you and what makes you tick. It is very frustrating when an employee feels uncomfortable around the boss, as if they have to tip toe around because they don’t understand you. Frequent discussions also help you gain valuable insights into your new employee as well.
The Daily Fly-By
While your employee is in training, it is important to stop by their work area several times a day to check in. Ask questions to gain an understanding of their overall comfort level in the department and the progress they are making on their training. Keep the conversation fairly social and informal, but ask specific questions about how their training is going.
It is also a good idea to try to spark general discussions with other employees in the department. This can help pull the new hire into the team and encourage stronger socialization in the team. Remember, your job is to create a cohesive team environment. Sometimes this happens on its own, but most often it needs some orchestration from the leader.
The Weekly Meeting
Whenever you have a new employee join the team, it is critical that you formally meet with them hire at least once a week for the first month or so. Consider the following when preparing for the meeting:
• Meet with the trainer and get their assessment on how the training is going
• Also ask the trainer for their assessment on other factors like the employees ability to integrate with the team, ability to take constructive feedback, communication skills, adaptability, etc.
Try to keep the meeting with your new employee scheduled for the same time and day each week. That will help the employee by allowing them to plan for the discussion. Suggestions for facilitating the meeting:
• Make sure you have the training plan in front of you
• Have the feedback from the trainer available so you can incorporate it into the feedback you will be giving
• Thank the employee for joining you
• Ask how the employee feels their training is going
• Review the specific topics from the week’s curriculum and ask the employee about their comfort level with each
• Feel free to ask specific questions about the various topics to check for a solid understanding on the part of the trainee
• Reiterate anything you feel is important about the processes they are learning
• Ask about how things are going with the trainer. Make sure the new hire feels they are able to easily communicate with their trainer
• Reiterate any policies or procedures that need to be reviewed
• Review any company communication that has come out over the previous week. Remember, your new hire does not have the history that is often necessary to thoroughly understand large scale corporate communications.
Make sure you are honest with the employee about how you feel their training is progressing. Recognize their positive results, as well as advise them on any concerns you may have. Getting the employee in the habit of hearing your frequent feedback lets them know you are a straight shooter. It will help them get over any fears they may have about meeting with ‘the boss’, and may also deter the employee from pulling any silliness down the road.
Summary
Frequent interaction with your newly hired employees is critical to creating the type of work environment you are striving for. Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to your employee typically translates into their unwavering loyalty and commitment. In turn, you should reap the rewards when your boss recognizes your ability to minimize unwanted turnover and ensure that high quality work is consistently produced in your team.
Effective assimilation and training are the absolute foundation for the successful leadership of your team. Although it will take significant time and effort to prepare your plan, it will certainly reap dividends in the end.
No comments:
Post a Comment