Business

Career Coach: New Hire Success

A shared approach to employee onboarding.

The first few months on a new job present opportunities and challenges for both the employee and the employer. In fact, studies show that new hires, at all levels, are most vulnerable during this period, but also more receptive to establishing new patterns of behavior for long-term job success.

New employees are encouraged during this introductory period to learn all they can about their new employer by noting what is being said—and not said—during the onboarding process. They also need to figure out who they need to know inside and outside the organization, learn how people communicate, and understand what success looks like and how it will be measured.

From the employers’ perspective, it’s key to clarify and share expectations about both the hard and soft skills needed for success. New hires need different types of support from employers depending on what they’ve been hired to do, where they come from, and how success is defined. Ideally, employers should take a proactive approach by determining what their new hires need and then provide them with the appropriate tools to build their skill set.

Successful onboarding includes ongoing conversations with new staff members. It’s important to agree on a concrete plan of action for the first 100 days. After the first 30 days, revisit these goals to determine how things are going.

The smartest organizations know that they share equally in the responsibility for making new hires a success. They have clarity about how they want their new hires to be perceived, and they take action to ensure the employees will be seen this way. If additional support or skill-building is needed, these organizations are committed to ensuring that new hires get the help they need.

Bottom line: This approach smooths the path for both new employee and new employer to achieve shared goals.

(relif/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Carol Vernon

By Carol Vernon

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