4 Communication Blunders That Can Derail New Employees

Many organizations spend a small fortune recruiting and hiring the best possible candidates for new jobs.

But their best efforts can be torpedoed on Day 1 if they are insensitive to the needs of people walking into their company for the first time.

In human resources terms, the processes associated with the first day on the job are called “onboarding.” Some call it “organizational socialization.”

If you really want to make it work, call it “welcoming.”

Treating new employees like you are genuinely glad that they have arrived (as opposed to making them feel like they’re being a bit of a nuisance to all concerned) gets you off to the right track. But that is easier said than done.

Here are 4 key mistakes that organizations make that end with the new employee looking for a new job in less than two years.

1. Leaving the new employee abandoned in the reception area- No new employee should ever be brought into any organization when their immediate supervisor is working outside of the office that day or on vacation. Likewise, avoid having the new recruit start when the manager is absolutely overwhelmed with a career-significant project. If you have no option, assign someone else to handle the orientation process and ensure that they have sufficient power to welcome the new employee with confidence and answer all their questions.
2. Overwhelming the new recruit with forms- If your paperwork process is extensive, break it up into short periods instead of taking two or three consecutive hours to go over everything from job descriptions to diversity policies to payroll. Look at things from the employee’s point of view. What they want to know is where their headquarters are, where the washroom is, where the coffee machine and vending machine is, and what is expected of them. Start with that while their attention is at its peak. Suggest if the day is long and the paperwork onerous that you schedule time later to talk about options for their benefit plan etc.
3. Confusing the new employee about what they are supposed to be doing- If your job description says one thing, but the first project the employee will be working on is something completely different, you need to make that clear within their first few hours on the job. Talk about a special initiative that has come up that you want them to be part of and discuss what their role will be. Ensure that they meet the key players on their team and spend some time observing processes or sitting in on a strategy meeting.
4. Failing to keep in mind the basics that matter- The new employee, by day’s end, should have a level of comfort with their place within the organization. They should have a sense of being welcome and being needed, and have a clear picture of what the company is, what it does, and its goals and challenges. Everything else, while important, is extraneous to a successful beginning with your organization.

For more information on how to effectively onboard a new employee in your workplace, contact SkyPrep today!