The Importance of Onboarding New Employees

Do you remember your first day of work? Most people have some anxiety of starting a new job. After all, there will be new co-workers, managers, routines and new expectations. The comfort zone will have to be re-established.

During the beginning of a new hire’s employment is where retention is at stake. If co-workers are reluctant to make someone feel welcome or management is “too busy” to show someone the ropes because they are “too busy,” then serious problems exist.

Many companies have come to realize that onboarding strategies are a great way to ensure that new hires are engaged right away and on the right track. How many times have you, as a new hire; wondered about who to contact regarding a question pertaining to a report? Where can one search for information to complete or answer a project or question? All too often, companies assign the security key card, introduce the new employee to a few employees , show where the restrooms are and of course, their office or cubicle. Welcome to the Company! Is that the message you want to send?

Here are some ideas to implement Onboarding to New Hires:
Pick up the phone to congratulate the new hire on his new role.
Greet the new hire on his/her first day and escort them to HR
Take them on a complete tour of the company covering the following:

* Each Department, introducing them to key employees and managers
Immediate co-workers
* Map of Facility/Parking areas
* Show them break areas and restrooms
* Assign them a point of contact for any questions they may have. (A work buddy)
* Expectations of the work they are to do.
* Take the new hire out to lunch with their department
* Check in frequently with them to see if they are settling in as expected.

Review their work and offer praise or constructive criticism on how to improve. By catching any work related mistakes early, this saves time and money by correcting as soon as possible. It also helps establishes a point of reference and foundation for other projects on how to complete properly.

Remember, a Gallup concluded in their May, 2009 engagement study that 71% of employees are partially or fully disengaged! By following the principles of onboarding, you are engaging employees immediately. Don’t forget the Free Strategies: say thank you or ask what the employee thinks about the company or task at hand. A good employee will tell you!

InclusionINC

Want to Know the ANSWERS? ASK!

As a leader, you will be faced with decisions each day. The best strategy for improving business and keeping employees engaged. Is the company suffering from a poor economy? How do you convey it to your employees without ruining morale? Should you “gloss” over the tough issues or be honest?

There is an old adage that holds true, “by the inch, it’s a cinch; by the yard, it’s hard.” Get to the heart of the matter, what is it that you need to get your company back on track? If you’re not sure about options, solutions, strategies; there is no better group to ask than the employees that connect with clients on a daily basis! The best part? You have experts with the answers and the cost for it is FREE.

Here are some ideas:

1. Ask people what they think about business problems or situations.
There is a tremendous amount of knowledge ready to be shared within your organization. This doesn’t cost you anything! “Being asked what I think” is the number 1 assessment response from InclusionINC research in working with clients.

2. Have some difficult news to convey? Provide rationale for why things are happening the way they are.
This is particularly important in today’s volatile financial situation. Organizations are having layoffs, people have to do more with less and they’re unsure about their future with the organization. Leaders tend to shy away from this because these conversations can be difficult. Yet, if your employees know the rationale for why things are being done, it will help them embrace the change.

3. Say thank you. Read this again: SAY THANK YOU.
Once again it’s free. A sincere thank you goes a long way.

4. Implement a Supplier Diversity Initiative.
This positively impacts the supply chain and provides a competitive edge in sustained or increased market share. These suggestions are not only free, they are essential for keeping employees ENGAGED. Remember, a May, 2009 engagement study reported 71% of employees are partially or fully disengaged!

Imagine the difference that could be made in an organization’s bottom line if more people were passionate about their jobs.

Stepping into a CEO’s Job means Stepping Up

Replacing Sr. Management at an established company is never easy. There is more at stake than replacing the position. Usually, there are one of two reasons that CEO’s leave; they either retire after a long and successful career, or they are terminated for inadequate job performance. In our current state of affairs, the latter is usually the reason for changing Sr. management.

Not only will you be stepping into someone else’s shoes until you establish your own leadership style for employees, it will be necessary to “step up” and challenge the organization. As any manager will attest, symptomatic problems are a direct result of disengagement of employees.

According to the October 19th issue of Forbes Magazine, one of the most important keys to turning a company around is engaging employees. Once engaged, employees are more productive and tenure is increased.

* Want to know the best way to lead your staff? Ask them.
* Has an employee or department gone above and beyond to complete a project? Say thank you.
* LISTEN to your employees

The strategy is simple; to quote Shirley Engelmeier in the Forbes article, “Engaging, retaining and getting the most out of your people are more important than ever. At one time, inclusion was a nice thing to do. Today, it’s mission critical.”

Don’t just step into the job, Step UP to the job. Your employees and customers will thank you.

Is it a Good Idea to Celebrate Halloween in the Workplace?

In most workplaces, employees are allowed to celebrate Halloween by “dressing up” in costumes. It’s a great way to engage employees and lift morale by allowing festivities in the workplace. While this seems to be a harmless practice, it only takes one employee to dress in an inappropriate manner that may offend a group of people or customers.

In an effort to allow employees to enjoy the holiday, without offending others in a diverse workforce, it makes sense to clearly state guidelines so that employees will think twice before wearing a possible offensive costume. For example, French maid costumes are most likely too revealing for an office setting.

Communicate openly and honestly with your staff about dressing appropriately for the holiday. Take the guesswork out of it, try having a theme for costumes, perhaps related to your business or industry. (Example: An airline company may have employees dress as pilots, stewards and stewardesses or even as airplanes!).

Other fun events can include: Pumpkin themed baking contests (pie, muffins, cakes, etc.), pumpkin events: bowling small pumpkins in the parking lot , competing against other teams etc. Having fun events such as these are good for everyone at the office.

Will Reducing Benefits DIS-engage Your Employees?

A difficult economy can force senior leaders to make unpleasant decisions. These decisions can range from eliminating headcount to costly benefits which can wreak havoc on employee productivity and morale. So, how can expenses be reduced without jeopardizing employee engagement?

By examining your employee surveys, you will know what benefits are important to your staff and which are not. Also, when determining which benefits to cut or decrease, resist the temptation to eliminate or limit benefits on health, retirement or compensation plans. There are other benefits in place that would make better sense to review for cost savings.

Remember, a worldwide study was conducted with 100,000 people in 34 countries and 51% of these workers said they would sacrifice status and pay to have more meaningful work. Work with supervisors and managers to find those interested in being cross-utilized in other departments for special projects. Practice the concept of inclusion; don’t forget to communicate regularly with your staff. Ask how they feel, be open and honest with any changes or concerns the company is facing. It does make a huge difference.
According to the October 19th Forbes article; InclusionINC’s CEO, Shirley Engelemeir states “Engaging, retaining and getting the most out of your people are more important than ever. At one time, inclusion was a nice thing to do. Today, it’s mission critical.”

InclusionINC Working Hard at the 2009 SHRM Conference