The People Bulletin

Hiring the best people can be challenging. Organisations are becoming increasingly aware of the tremendous investment required to get their new hires up to full job proficiency. Between the costs incurred during the recruiting and selection processes, the costs associated with orientation and training, and the costs tied to new hires’ relatively low level of contribution and performance (when compared to more experienced team members or leaders), bringing a new hire on board represents an expensive proposition – and a significant risk. One in three executives are likely to fail in a new role, according to DDI research. That’s even in the best of times, not the more stressful times of now.

But this risk can be reduced through appropriate training. Line or hiring managers have to learn how to maximise the organisation’s human capital investment and mitigate the risk when hiring new team members or leaders, whether from inside or outside the organisation. It’s about providing leaders with valuable insights and a process to help new hires begin contributing quickly, get and keep them engaged in the job, and position them for success in both their current and future roles within the organisation.

So what do real managers need to learn? First things first, they must recognise the benefits of helping a new person get a strong start in a new job. They then have to learn how to provide the new hire with clear expectations, effective business networks, and a development plan.

Clear expectations
Managers must ensure new hires receive a clear understanding of their role’s or team’s goals and their supervisor’s expectations. Effective leaders are there to reinforce the organisation’s strategies and values, and show how both the team and individual contribute. They should share job expectations for the first days with the new hire; at least until formal performance management goals are set. It’s wrong to assume a new starter will have an automatic understanding of what’s expected of them.

Leaders should perform a coaching role and be available to share their secrets of success or give useful advice from their personal experience or previous observations of new people. Being crystal clear is crucial, but managers often forget to share their personal preferences regarding how people should perform at work – why not be open at the start?

Effective business networks
As organisations get larger and more complex, frequently working across international borders, pressures put on individual managers increase. Stresses on middle and senior managers are the most severe – and to cope they need to know what’s going on both internally and externally, and in the organisations that affect their business. They face a growing knowledge gap, which traditionally organisations have tried to close with comms tools or mixed structures, but these are not working. Mid- and senior managers need to grab this issue themselves, setting up their own channels to get ahead of breaking industry information, anticipate emerging issues and get sound advice that will inform their actions and opinions.

Purposeful and courageous networking is one of the most critical activities a new hire can engage in to accelerate their speed to productivity. It’s crucial that leaders encourage the new person to ask for help in early assignments, and to develop a network of people who can support them in getting started in the new position, and help them be successful in the long run.

This business networking is not to be confused with social networking – it is a collection of responsive people with an array of experience and knowledge, which one is connected to and in periodic contact with. To build a network, new employees and their managers need to identify likely individuals to fill it, dare to introduce themselves and refuse to fear asking for help. But it must also be reciprocal – for the network to be effective, support must be offered in return.

Strong start development plan
To help a new hire become proficient in the job more quickly, a plan is needed to fill in skill and knowledge gaps and assure the new person of support. Leaders need to learn how to use data from the selection and assessment process to its full potential. Correct use of this information will facilitate the success of the person in their new role,

Managers should tell new employees the reasons why they were chosen. Hardly any managers do this, which is surprising considering the impact it might have on the new employee’s commitment and motivation. Many might think they were hired because no one else applied or everyone else was simply too deficient. It’s important to tell them why they actually are the best for this particular job. Managers should explain what their strong points were, as this will help them focus in their new job. They might have a completely different picture of their role and the strengths required for the position, and hence might be focusing on less useful qualities, wasting the time and being unproductive.

It’s also important to tell them how their assets and values fit in with the culture of the organisation. They’d feel valued from the start for what they are and what they know.

Data from the selection process and the job requirements should be a platform for development planning from day one. Leaders should work with the new hires to create a plan to build on their job-relevant strengths, and provide the skills and knowledge basic to the job. It’s important to address competencies that might need to be developed or enhanced within the first 100 days on the job.

The benefits of investing into your managers’ training are undeniable. They will know how to help new people become productive more quickly. This will minimise the risk that new people will be dissatisfied with the new job and increase the likelihood they will stay with the organisation. But also the managers will be able to influence the new person’s sense of engagement and commitment to the new job.