Employee Onboarding - Setting Expectations
A clear onboarding process is proven to increase confidence and satisfaction, improve productivity and performance, and reduce stress and confusion for the new employees.
Onboarding is the system or process of “getting started” and completing all project kick-off tasks, of getting new employees up to speed so that you can work together effectively, get all of the information you need and have a great relationship with the new hires.
It is now established that setting and clarifying employee expectations is an important part of the onboarding process. Requirements and expectations need to be established from the beginning. New employees should not be surprised once they begin work. Set expectations and use them to evaluate progress.
Setting clear expectations and boundaries, and being up front about what the new hire will need to do will make them feel more comfortable and capable. It reinforces the fact they are working with a professional, not their buddy. It also shows them that you take their project and the relationship seriously.
Setting Expectations during Employee Onboarding
Hiring a new person to join your team is very exciting especially if you’ve been trying to fill the position for a while now. While you may have piles of work stacked up waiting for their arrival, be sure not to overwhelm them right away. It will minimize the chances for getting them fit for the job.
Making a good first impression sets the tone for their duration of their employment. It’s important to provide thorough training, make yourself readily available, and allow them to ease into their new role. If you expect too much too soon, there’s a good chance you’ll scare the new hire off and have the position falling vacant again.
If the new hires find themselves confused and trouble to adapt to the team and act up to expectations, it is the onboarding program to be blamed.
Follow these tips to get your new workers up to speed −
Providing Immediate Training − It’s important to start training your new hires right away, but don’t expect them to catch on immediately. Learning new systems, processes, and procedures takes time; so, be patient and get ready to answer lots of questions.
Regular Offering of Feedback − You can’t expect new hires to know if they’ve made a mistake. Learning how to do a new job is a process of trial and error. Provide feedback each day on things the person is doing well and gentle tips on ways to improve.
Making Clear Expectations − It’s not fair to place heavy expectations on a new hire before they’ve had a chance to become acquainted with the job. Create a 30-60-90-day plan detailing what is expected of them at each milestone. Meet with them regularly to discuss their progress and answer any questions they have.
Including them in a Right Away − Be sure to make new hires feel like part of the team from day one. Invite them to team meetings, give them a small part of a project to work on, and listen to their ideas. As they become more comfortable in their new role, gradually increase their level of responsibility.
If realistic expectations are not established between you and your new employee, then it can lead to a state whereby neither of you will have a clear understanding of what to expect from the other.
This can lead to fear, confusion, anxiety, and frustration on the part of your new employee, which can produce a lack of commitment and effort. Therefore, to eliminate this potential problem, you must ensure that your new employee has realistic expectations.
