The onboarding process at your company has the ability to make or break a new employee’s experience. The numbers are astounding. The first 90 days on a new job are critical and up to 22% of new employees will determine that the job is not right for them during this probationary period. As the manager or business owner you have control over your training process and good programs will keep employees engaged and satisfied. Here are three tips you can start implementing today to improve your employee retention in those first crucial days.
- Constant communication. Your new employee needs to feel like their management and coworkers are accessible to them during the training and ramping up period. Encourage them to ask questions whenever necessary. Check in with them regularly to see how things are going. Have an “open door” policy which will give them opportunity to speak with you directly about any concerns or to bring up any questions. Encourage your current team to be as helpful as possible throughout the onboarding process.
- Immediate feedback. Waiting until the 90 day review is not helpful for employees to improve their performance on the job. Don’t wait to share feedback with them. Gently but firmly correct any actions that are not up to your company standards as they are happening. Equally as important as correction is positive reinforcement. Provide praise whenever possible to encourage your new employee to continue doing a good job. Allow them to have some creative control over their projects.
- Set expectations. No matter how experienced an employee is when they start a new job there will be a learning curve. You may have policies and procedures that differ from other companies in your industry. You have a certain corporate culture that will take some getting used to along the way. Talk to your new employee about the company environment and the methods you use to conduct business. Manage your own expectations as well. Just because you believe they should be on track by the second week doesn’t mean that their learning style matches your training style.
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