How to Turn Your New Hires Into A High Performing Team Members
Introduction
Recruiting new employees is a significant task and investment for any employer – regardless of industry or size of the organization.
Once the new hires are on board, you must invest time and energy to ensure they reach their full potential. “According to SHRM, employee turnover can be as high as 50% within the first 18 months of employment!” Don’t be one of them! Here are six ways you can turn your new hires into high-performing machines:
Onboarding and Orientation Session
The onboarding process and orientation sessions are the initial way to welcome new employees on board. Your onboarding process will “communicate” a lot to your new hire. It will represent your efficiency, professionalism, and culture; therefore, it is essential to make onboarding processes as smooth, welcoming, and timely as possible.
Another critical point during the onboarding process is to keep open communication. Yes, your new hire will receive automated email notifications from your HRIS, but take your time to send them personalized emails, texts, or even better, do a phone call! Reaching out with a short introduction of yourself, providing your direct contact info, and welcome them in is the simplest but very efficient approach!
Go above and beyond, ensuring they know they are not just another badge number but a valued professional that your organization is blessed to have. The orientation sessions are an excellent opportunity for your organization to connect with new hires by giving them a better understanding of what to expect from their job and how best to work within the company culture. Be creative and implement fun and interactive way to conduct your orientation sessions.
Be different and communicate your company values, culture, and connection to the community thru activities or events. Ensure that you as an employer learn something new about your new hires and use it later to make them feel “warm and fuzzy” – think of those small touches that we all love.
Buddy System
Another way to help new hires succeed is by pairing them with mentors. A good mentor should be able to answer any new hires’ questions, show them the ropes, and build relationships with other employees and customers. While this may seem common sense, many companies need to improve at this aspect of onboarding because they rely on upper management or higher-ups to provide mentorship for their employees.
While it’s still crucial for larger organizations to have mentors in place, smaller organizations don’t necessarily have that luxury. So instead, pair up your new hires with another employee who has been around longer than they have and knows how your company works. This person can be chosen by senior management or assigned randomly so long as they’re qualified and willing to take on this task.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to train new employees quickly. Apprenticeships are also a great way to attract top talent, as they allow apprentices and their employers to work together on mutually beneficial projects. Apprenticeships can be structured in many ways. For example, some are paid internships with more time spent learning than working, while others provide an apprenticeship certificate at the end of the program.
Apprenticeships can be used to train employees in all industries, from construction trades like welding and carpentry to technology fields like computer programming or network administration to highly skilled careers in a variety of industries.
Post-training Refresher and Quick Learning Opportunities
Post-training refreshers are an essential part of keeping your new hires on track. They should be short, frequent, and cover the most critical topics, and they should be interactive, fun, and engaging.
- Provide learning opportunities that are quick and easy to digest.
- Make learning fun, engaging, and actionable.
- Use real-world examples to teach new concepts.
- During the day or after work, encourage your team members to share knowledge with one another.
Continued learning opportunities let your employees know you value their professional growth and are a proven way to retain staff.
Mentoring
Mentoring is a two-way process. Mentors and mentees both have opportunities to learn from each other. For example, the mentor may learn just as much about their work style and communication skills as they do about helping others succeed in their roles.
Mentoring can be formal or informal, but it’s best to start early in an employee’s tenure at your company—even before they start working. This minimizes any significant surprises during the first few weeks–and having fun together also helps build relationships fast.
The critical point here is to refrain from investing time, money, and effort in recruiting new employees only to have them fail to live up to their potential.
Recognize and Celebrate
There is nothing like sincere “thank you” and expressing gratitude, so show it to your employees. Invest in a program that recognizes and celebrates your team members. Use the recognition and celebration program or event to empower your team members.
The secret to a high-performing team is the ability to hire and retain great people. Empower your staff by allowing them to bring value to the team. Invest in training programs that prepare new hires for success so they can hit the ground running. Plan events and activities to allow team bonding and encourage collaboration.
Another efficient solution is creating a program where employees are asked “exit” interview questions frequently. Then, address their concerns, react to their ideas, and provide them with the tools they might be asking for. Ensure they know that you care, so you do not perform exit interviews as often as you do when employees quit.
