The Employee Retention Handbook - by No-Fail Hiring

THE EMPLOYEE RETENTION

H A N D B O O K

- A NEW ERA MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION -

http://www.nofailhiring.com

DISCLAIMER

This e-book is designed to provide information and education in personnel selection and hiring. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and the author are not engaged in rendering legal or accounting services. The content of this e-book is solely based on the author’s professional experience and observations, and does not necessarily always reflect opinions or positions of any other quoted author(s).

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Copyright © M2-TEC USA, INC. All rights reserved.

Published by M2-TEC PUBLISHING, a division of M2-TEC USA, INC. 1988 Freedom Drive Clearwater, FL 33755 [email protected]

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ONBOARDING:

A VITAL LAST STEP IN THE HIRING PROCESS

The purpose of this write-up is to help you optimize the odds that you will keep good new employees. All your hiring efforts and energy can be wasted by neglecting this vital onboarding step.


WHY DO NEW EMPLOYEES LEAVE?

1) False expectations

• Statistically, 4% of employees in the USA walk out of the job on the first day,

• 50% of them quit in the first 6 months,

• 40% of executives fail to last more than 18 months in their new position.

Get Top Employees! Find Out More ►


2) Lack of attention

• 20% of new employees find their way through and quickly develop a work pattern that fits well with your expectations.

• 20% of them loose control within less than 6 weeks and show unacceptable performance.

• 60% of them spend more time and energy trying to find out what needs to be done and how, than to actually do the job. They waste a lot of time, as well as their direct supervisor’s and yours. Nobody is really happy. After a

while, management starts to doubt about their employees’ ability to make it go right.

• Some of them will remain on the job because they, somehow, were able to handle emergencies and important issues. But in the process they also developed inefficient work habits and/or inappropriate responses to difficult work conditions.





3) Lack of appreciation

Over 74% of employees in the USA feel disengaged at work. Here are the main reasons given:

• Poor management - uncaring and unprofessional managers; overworked staff; no respect, no listening, putting people in wrong jobs; speed over quality; poor manager selection processes.

• Poor communications - problems communicating top-down and between departments; after mergers; between facilities.

• Lack of recognition – no validation or acknowledgment for what the employee does.

• Poor senior leadership - not listening, asking, or investing in employees; unresponsiveness and isolation; mixed messages.



• Lack of training - nonexistent or superficial training; nothing for new hires, managers, or to move up.

• Excessive workload – being asked to do more with less; also sacrificing quality and customer care to make the numbers.

• Lack of tools and resources – inadequate supplies, poor technical support, lack of human resources to relieve overwork.

• Lack of teamwork – not enough cooperation and commitment to get the job done; conflicts between departments or services.


3) Lack of appreciation -continued



HOW CAN

PROPER ONBOARDING HELP?

Onboarding is a crucial part of building employee engagement, satisfaction and success. There is a clear correlation between effective onboarding efforts and improvements in employee performance and reductions in turnover.

Onboarding is a process that focuses on helping new employees become a part of the organization, building crucial relationships, understanding their role and learning how they add value. The duration of onboarding programs varies – from days, to weeks, to months and up to a year. The overall objective is to ensure that the employee feels connected to the organization, builds key relationships and understands how he/she fits in the overall mission and values.

A key element in successful onboarding is having a sponsor/buddy. A sponsor/buddy is someone who can answer, in a positive way, questions about the work environment, the culture and norms, and the unwritten practices and procedures. The sponsor will help socialize the new employee, taking them to lunch, introducing them to peers, and helping them find needed resources. When choosing a buddy, look for someone who has the time to be accessible, holds a job that is similar to that of the new employee, has a good performance record and enjoys working for the organization, is well regarded by others in the department, has good interpersonal skills and has a strong sense of confidentiality.

Finally, keep in mind that it is easy for the new employee to be overwhelmed in the beginning. An employee who is introduced to an entire staff in the course of a single day and who is assigned the task of reading voluminous materials for hours at a time can feel overwhelmed and introvert as he/she feels there is no “real work” to do.

So, when new employees start, follow this recipe for successful onboarding and see the difference it can make.

HOW CAN

PROPER ONBOARDING HELP? -continued



The Proper On-Boarding Process

SUGGESTED ON-BOARDING MODEL

• Send an appointment letter and information (e.g., benefits and first day logistics) to provide the specifics on their job offer and welcome them to the organization.

• Encourage review and completion of paperwork before their first employment day.

• Contact them to answer questions and set expectations.

• Assign a sponsor/buddy to help them get oriented to their work group and environment.

• Provide the sponsor/buddy with a copy of the job announcement and job description.

• Assign and prepare workspace and provide office supplies

• Ensure “office essentials” (e.g., computer, phone, e-mail, training accounts) are set up.

PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT



• Personalize the experience with something unique for the new employee (e.g., welcome note, flowers and name plate).

• Communicate vision and mission, and administer a formal oath (if expected).

• Introduce new employee to sponsor/buddy.

• Complete paperwork and security requirements.

• Explain benefits and policies.

• Have a senior leader welcome new employee.

• Arrange for new employee to eat lunch with other peers on first day.

• Provide realistic information about the organization and its culture and avoid “over promising.”

FIRST DAY ORIENTATION



• Ensure that job roles and responsibilities are clearly communicated to the new employee.

• Introduce the new employee to other employees and senior staff.

• Provide meaningful work for the new employee – either training or substantive work related to the new job.

• Ensure that a senior leader (in the new employee’s office) welcomes the new employee.

• Review the organization structure and key staff.

• Provide a list of contacts who can address the new employee’s questions on a variety of issues.

• Gather feedback about the orientation program from new employee.

FIRST WEEK



• Review performance objectives and set individual development goals.

• Give performance feedback early and often to the new employee.

• Provide training, as needed, to help the new employee understand internal systems, general operating practices and obtain other information or skills required to perform.

• Discuss individual work styles and preferences.

• Arrange for the new employee to meet key stakeholders from other departments.

• Check with new employees regularly to ensure that they continue to assimilate and expand their knowledge and capabilities; connect to mentoring programs.

FIRST 90 DAYS



• Provide training to build competence and fill any skill gaps.

• Conduct a new employee survey and address any issues surfaced.

• Assess the performance of the new employee and provide feedback.

• Ensure a senior executive or manager sends a congratulatory e-mail or letter on the employee’s one-year anniversary.

FIRST YEAR



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Recruiting & HR

The Employee Retention Handbook - by No-Fail Hiring