You’ve added some top talent to the
organization and they’ve jumped right
into the job. Are you integrating them into your company so that they feel like
important team members? Orientation programs, ongoing training and feedback can
be valuable tools for both the employee and
the company.
“Integration is a key part of making new
employees more effective,” says Rob
Wilson, president of the Employco Group.
“They join the company and don’t know
anyone. A good orientation program will
help them feel more at ease.”
Smart Business spoke to Wilson about
what a company can do to make every new
employee feel like a key member of the
team.
How important are orientation programs?
Orientation programs are extremely
important. A good program is not only
informative, it’s also an ice-breaker that
welcomes a new employee and integrates
him or her into an already established environment that might otherwise be intimidating or overwhelming.
We hire many payroll employees, and
they all have experience. They know how
to perform the payroll functions, but we
need to train them so that they adapt to our
system, methodology and corporate culture. It’s imperative that they understand
how we do things so they can best respond
to our clients. A good orientation program
is a great way to achieve that.
What is the purpose of an orientation program?
Orientation programs should educate the
employee on the company history, its mission statement, corporate conduct and possibly the individual’s roles and responsibilities. I say ‘possibly’ only because if you have
two or three new hires, it makes sense to
discuss job descriptions in the orientation.
But if you have a large group, say 20 or so,
you probably want to keep it more general.
Beyond putting a new hire at ease on the
first day, an orientation program is a good
way for new employees to meet their fellow
staff members.
How detailed does an orientation program
need to be?
This depends on the size and nature of the
company and its business. Many companies do a basic review of employee benefits
and the rules and regulations of the work-place. This can be accomplished by following an outline of an employee handbook.
Larger companies or those who may be
governed by multiple laws might desire a
more extensive program to fully cover all
aspects of the business.
Should a training program be a part of the
orientation or something entirely separate?
It is a little bit of both. The training program is an extension of orientation.
Training really focuses on the specific job
function and will vary in length and scope,
based on the position.
For example, a clerical position may
require a ‘softer’ approach that consists of
on-the-job interaction with a colleague. On
the other hand, a more technical position
might require training from a certified training instructor.
Does the function of the company influence
how much training is required?
The industry in which the firm operates
will dictate the type of training and requirements necessary. A sales organization will
train more on customer service, overcoming objections and how to ‘close the deal.’ A
chemical company will have to comply with
OSHA training requirements, safety and hazardous material training, etc. Financial institutions will train on market conditions,
laws, regulations and compliance.
How much training should continue, and is
there a set amount of time?
It really needs to be an ongoing process.
There will always be new developments,
regardless of how experienced the person is
in his or her job. Some positions by law require continuing education and recertifications. Other ways to expand or extend your
company’s orientation program are through
quarterly or semiannual company outings,
which also help to build company morale.
How much feedback should be given to
employees who have gone through training?
As much as necessary for both the success of the employee and the company. The
lines of communication should always be
open. If there is a problem, it should be
addressed early on before it escalates.
Feedback does not always have to wait
until the formal annual review to be given.
Equally, when an employee is doing something well, encouragement will foster a
more positive and productive employee if
given on an ongoing basis.
In summary, once you finally find those
new employees that you believe can do the
job right and benefit your company, you
need to orient them on the company that
you’ve built. Educate them to get up and
running in the shortest amount of time, provide ongoing training to continually grow
talent and always keep communicating with
both encouraging and critical feedback to
positively impact all parties involved.
ROB WILSON is president of Employco Group. Reach him at (630) 286-7345 or [email protected].
