The First 90 Days
A Critical Time to Assess and Make the Right Impression
By Heather L. Fallon
You’ve recruited the best talent possible for a position, and now the challenge really begins. Employees are now, just like employers, using their first 90 days as a “trial period.” In this short time frame, if they are engaged and feel a connection to the company mission, they’ll stay. If it’s been a rocky road with their manager and they don’t feel they were properly trained, they will leave. With more opportunities than people to fill them, high performers are in a position to choose a job that they really want.
After spending the time and resources to onboard an employee for 90 days, there is a lot to lose by not retaining them. Here are a few ideas for companies and managers that when implemented, should help them pass the “trial period” with flying colors.
• Create a strong manager/employee relationship.
Employees need to feel that they are important to their manager and that their manager is approachable. A meeting should occur within the first few hours of an employee arriving with their manager. This meeting should include introductions to each other as well as the company. A small talk about roles and expectations should be addressed as well as questions and concerns. You want to develop a professional relationship. There needs to be a strong balance between being both the firm manager as well as your employees having a sense that you care about their well being on several different levels.
In order to feel that they are important and the company values their contribution, the younger generation needs constant feedback. This communication can come in e-mails, notes, face to face interactions or public praise. Managers should meet with employees to make a determination as to what method will work best with each individual employee. A good manager will find different, creative ways to make sure that an employee is meeting and exceeding their goals.
They will make sure that the new team member feels comfortable in their new workplace. This may mean having a quick cup of coffee every couple weeks when they first start or just popping in to make sure they are adjusting well. Developing a relationship and connection to your employees will create a sense of engagement and loyalty to both you and the organization.
• Training and Mentoring
When an employee first joins a company, it is vital that they connect with the company mission as well as how their position fits within the larger picture of the organization. An employee will feel overwhelmed at first. They are entering into a new arena, with new rules and guidelines. Companies with strong training programs that are mapped out with a sense of purpose and order are the best for fast and easy on boarding. Spending the time to develop a training manual will save hours in the long run when training future employees, and will make new employees feel as though the company has taken the time to ensure their success. However, simply distributing a comprehensive training manual is not enough. Make sure to have a face-to-face follow-up with the new employee about the training manual and allow for questions.
In addition, many companies have outdated employee handbooks/manuals. New employees use this tool as a survival guide in many aspects of their new job. In fact, many follow it to a tee as they are often asked to sign a document that their received said handbook and understand the rules and regulations of their employer. These handbooks need to be accurate and fair. Employees who find discrepancies as this is their handbook and the overarching policies of the company will begin to question how things are managed and in turn, disengaged.
Many strong development programs include some type of mentoring program, whether formal or informal. That should be at the discretion at the company or department, but if a mentoring program is agreed upon, it should be implemented to all new employees. It is important to remember that a mentoring program should allow new employees the opportunity to ask questions and have conversations with peers with significant experience that will be held in privacy. A new employee must feel as though they can trust a mentor and be able to ask them questions that they might not feel comfortable discussing with their boss but that will be held in strict confidence.
Evaluation/Performance Review
At the end of the 90 day period, managers should make sure to have a sit down to really evaluate the first 90 days and where we are going from there. It’s as important to give feedback in this meeting as to listen to your employee. You should be honest and candid about how they are doing. Are they living up to or not meeting your expectations and why? Give positive feedback if they are doing well and help to correct what they are doing poorly.
This is also a time to listen to them. What are they happy with? Is there anything they would change? Is this job what they signed on for and how can you continue to drive them? If it’s not, can you correct it and keep them on as an engaged employee. Sometimes, relationships will be severed after this meeting, however, for the most part, with candid and honest communication, many mistakes or miscommunication can be fixed.
Heather L. Fallon currently serves as the Director of the Center for Human Capital Management at The American Strategic Management Institute. For questions and or comments, she can be reached directly at Fallon@ManagementWeb.org.
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