By Alli Hill
It's disappointing (not to mention downright expensive) when the new employee you've invested so much time and money in doesn't work out.
After countless hours of going through resumes and interviewing candidates, you finally extend a job offer, hash out all the details, process all the new hire paperwork - and at long last your newest team member shows up for their first day of work.
And then a few months later, you're back where you started, digging through a pile of resumes looking for the right person to fill the job your brand new employee just vacated.
If you notice most of your new employees voluntarily quit before their 90-day review, it's time to look closely at how you handle new hires and take it upon yourself to ensure they're set up for success:
- Prepare your staff. You don't want to upset your current ecosystem by catching your employees unaware of a new member joining the pack. Once you've made the hire and decided on a starting date, let your current staff know about it and recruit their help in starting your new hire off on the right foot.
- Set the job expectations up front. Give a detailed description of what the job will entail, and also what it might entail. This way the candidate will understand exactly what you expect from the start, instead of feeling like they're being asked to do things outside of their job description.
- Engage them. The sooner you can make your new hire feel like a part of the team, the sooner he or she will take a proactive approach to their work. Make a point to speak to them every day, get them involved in team discussions, or delegate tasks to them - the point is to help your new employee break the ice and start warming up to their new environment.
- Ask for specific feedback. Asking specific questions can elicit a more honest response from the employee, rather than simply asking "How's everything going?" Instead, ask them how they like a specific aspect of the job, if they need help finding their way around, what could make their training period better, etc. Most importantly, consider the feedback they've given you and see how you can use their input to create a better experience.
Maybe you occasionally have a new employee who just can't make the cut, leaves for a better opportunity, or moves on for other reasons beyond your control. You can't do much about those things, so keep your focus on what you can control, like the the actions listed above. It might make all the difference.
