John Bensalhia looks at how to successfully introduce new members of staff into your business and provide the best support possible
Congratulations. You now have your latest employee. Having successfully interviewed the top candidates, they will now hopefully be a valuable asset to your business.
However, having found the right candidate, you should not rest on your laurels. The first few weeks for a new employee are crucial, both for you and the employee.
CONTRACT
One of the first things to do is draw up a contract and also a general guide on rules, health and safety, and working practices within the business. On the first day, or at the initial training, give these guidelines to the new employee.
Depending on the extent of the work they will be carrying out, training can sometimes take place prior to the employee starting work. A franchise, for example, normally boasts preliminary training before the new franchisee can begin work. This is to make sure that the franchisee is aware of everything they will need to do when running a franchise, including specific duties, customer service, administration, background knowledge and health and safety.
The normal practice for an everyday business is to give the new employee training for the first week, or even the first few days. A mixture of practical and theoretical training will normally do the trick. ‘Classroom’ training is normally the first port of call, to allow the employee to get used to the tasks they will be carrying doing. The tutor should either be a hired professional, or one of the staff at your business or company.
Make sure the classroom training manages to educate without getting stale or boring. The new recruit will need to take in many new work procedures, so ensure the learning is as interesting as possible.
You should also have a training manual or handbook for new employees to refer to. This should be a clear-cut, easily explained set of lessons that allow the employee to get a good grasp of what is required in their new job.
The more direct approach is taken in on-the-job training, where the new employee takes a more hands-on approach to learning. Although this method of training can be daunting, it is a good way to see if the new employee will sink or swim. It also gives the employee a real taste for life in the business, and will stand as a good indicator of whether they still like the job they have accepted.
Training should take advantage of the best possible resources available to companies. Of course, this will depend on the budget at your disposal.
SUPPORT
As an employer, you must provide adequate support for your employees. A staff handbook, newsletters and meetings are good ways of keeping employees up to speed.
Support should be available to help staff deal with all aspects of the business, including technology, customer support and personnel. With regard to meetings, it’s a good idea to hold these on a regular basis: just make sure they are not held too often or they may disrupt the workflow.
Employees will always need to be kept up to date on all aspects of work, because work is a constantly evolving game. There are always new procedures, new products, new laws, new methods of service, new technological advances, etc, to learn.
Again, the amount of support that you offer will depend on budget. If your business is relatively small, there may not be enough to invest in specialist support teams or equipment.
PROGRESS
An employer will need to monitor the progress of the new employee. The standard trial-run period for any new employee is three months. During that time you can adequately assess if the new kid on the block is up to the job or not.
Find out how they are getting on by arranging brief one-to-one meetings. Here you can assess their progress and also provide an opportunity for them to air any concerns or issues they may have. If they do have any problems, deal with them as soon as possible.
As I mentioned in the previous article, the place of work is a two-way street. The employee must be as happy with progress as the employer in order to achieve and maintain a happy working relationship.
This is the most important aspect of finding the right staff member for your business. Although you must be happy with the new member of staff, that new member of staff must be happy with your company too.
Aim to achieve a good working relationship and you will find that the results pay dividends. And with the right amount of support and training, that employee will stick around for a long time yet.
