Helping New Employees Become Productive Faster
Published Date: 07/29/2004
Isn't it ironic? Employers spend anywhere from $2,200 to $11,200 to hire a new employee, according to Staffing.org, but few put much effort into helping workers acclimate and become productive. The result is that many employees quickly leave or take longer to reach the "break-even" point-the point at which new employees stop costing money and start contributing to the bottom line.
Employers that take steps to meet new employees' needs can accelerate performance and reduce the costly problem of employees leaving in their first three months by as much as 66%, according to Joe Mullich in Workforce Management magazine. A survey of 610 CEOs by Harvard Business School estimates that typical mid-level managers require 6.2 months to reach their break-even point.
Quint Studer, author of Hardwiring Excellence, tells supervisors to ask five key questions to head off potential problems and cement early retention:
· How do we compare with what we said in your interview process? · What's working well? · Which individuals have been helpful to you? · On the basis of your past experience, what systems or ideas do you feel could improve our operations? · Is there anything you're experiencing that would cause you to think about leaving?
Some employers find that the best way to bring new employees up to speed quickly is to have veterans share their "secrets." Michael Watkins, an associate professor at Harvard Business School and author of The First 90 Days, worked with one company that accomplished this by selecting 10 employees who had been with the firm for two to three years. This was long enough to know the terrain, but short enough so they remembered what it was like to be the new kid on the block. The 10 employees-all of whom were articulate and successful in their jobs-were videotaped candidly answering the kinds of questions that new employees have, like, "What do you wish you had known about this place when you started?" The responses were edited into a 30-minute video that was handed to each new employee immediately after hiring.
Watkins notes that a new employee's relationship with his or her boss is the top factor in determining failure or success. Watkins details five key conversations that every boss should have with a new employee early on:
Expectations. What does the employee need to do in the short term and long term? How and when is the employee's performance measured? What constitutes success?
Style. How can the boss and employee best interact? Does the boss prefer communications in writing or by e-mail? What kinds of decisions does the boss have to be consulted on?
Resources. What does the employee need to be successful in terms of equipment, funding, and personnel?
Personal Development. How will the job improve the employee's personal development? Are there projects or special assignments he can do without neglecting his main duties? Would courses or programs strengthen his capabilities?
The Business Situation. Is it a turnaround, a start-up, or a realignment? How did the company reach this point?
Managers should try to connect new employees to key people throughout the organization. At the start, managers should hand new employees a list of 10 individuals they should touch base with early on because they'll be critical to effective job performance.
Reprinted with permission from The Point for CU Research and Advice at thepoint.cuna.org.
