New Hire Orientation to Your Secret World

By Judy Perkins

Here’s a fun game to rival the reality shows on TV. Let’s gather three people together, have them complete tons of forms (online and/or in paper form), and then throw each person a small bag of tools. Their mission, if they choose to accept it, is to hike through the forest, up the mountain, and over to the other side in less than 24 hours.

Don’t tell them where the check-in point is on the other side of the mountain or whether they should work as teams or should compete individually.  Don’t give them a “heads-up” about lacking some of the tools they will need, or about having to improvise and learn from one another. Don’t let them know why you chose each participant and what role you expect them to play. And be sure not to explain the rules of the game.

But do tell them that those who arrive within 24 hours will get a fantastically valuable prize, and be sure to add “Oh, by the way, if you don’t get to the other side within 24 hours, you will lose big.”

Although exaggerated, this is what many managers do to new employees. We promise a pot of gold and we threaten new employees with job loss, if they don’t “do it right”. Unfortunately, we don’t always teach them what “it” or “right” is.

Often new employees who show up on the first day have someone either shove employment forms in their face to quickly complete or sit them down at a computer kiosk and have them enter data into the HR information system. They are then given a quick tour of the work area, are quickly introduced to co-workers whose names fade fast, are given a quick explanation of the job they will be expected to perform and are then placed “on the line” to either watch a co-worker quickly do the job tasks, or worse yet, are asked to perform the job tasks on day one. The operative word here is “quick”. 

In our move-so-fast-that-everything-is-a blur world, the last activity some managers want to do is orient and train ANOTHER new hire. So, what do some of us do? We cover just the bare basics, and sometimes, not even that.

To a new hire, starting a job is like entering a secret world with unknown rules. And they know that if they can’t figure out the rules within a short period of time (which is usually shorter than they expected), they may be harshly criticized because they couldn’t figure out the rules of the game on their own, or worse yet, they are thrown out of the world entirely.

One of the most common questions I get from clients is whether it is appropriate for them to fire a poor performing employee. Sometimes, they have oriented, trained, coached and mentored, oftentimes with patience and perseverance. And still the employee doesn’t “get it right”. In these cases, it may be fair and reasonable to terminate the employee’s employment.

However, in some situations when we take a candid look at exactly what the organization did to assist the employee in performing job tasks, we find that the managers were lax from the initial point of entry – – – the orientation – – – through coaching and performance management – – – and eventually through disciplinary action. Sometimes employers just set employees up for failure because the managers don’t treat orientation as an ongoing process that needs frequent facilitation.

What happens when you don’t comprehensively and appropriately orient new employees? You run the risk of creating confused and discouraged employees who will bleed their frustrations on co-workers and customers. Or, you may see high turnover rates because new employees don’t want to work where they aren’t wanted. Notice how the lack of an orientation process may be translated into feeling undervalued.

Ultimately, you wind up with unmotivated employees who ooze miserable morale and whose productivity never reaches acceptable baselines. So, your choices are to either rehabilitate, which can be expensive and time-consuming, or grin-and-bare it, which is aggravating and costly to you and everyone in the organization, or fire the employees, which can result in unemployment compensation claim losses, high reputational risks, and potentially time consuming and costly employment lawsuits.

So, what should you do to re-design your organization’s new employee orientation process? The first step is to acknowledge what is possibly wrong with your current system. The second step is to create an orientation program which includes key categories, as described below.

What Not To Do

Here is a short list of the most common orientation mistakes that employers make. Does your organization fall into any of these pitfalls?

The orientation is a “one-time and done” session (because we don’t have time for more.)  Orienting a new employee is a process that takes many phases (which are often separated into “day one”; “week one”; weeks two and three”; “weeks four through six or eight;” and “follow-up”).

We overload them with information on their first day (because we are too busy). Instead, spread out the most important information throughout the first five days and weeks in an organized manner. Ensure that the information has enough meaning and depth to make a difference in the new hires’ performance. Use lists, charts and diagrams to share information. 

We lecture them and push information at them (because it is quicker than coaching them.)  Instead encourage two-way communication by asking open questions of the new hire to confirm understanding and by giving them explicit permission to probe you with questions and concerns.

We ignore the organization’s culture (because it is either too complex or we think the new hire already “gets” us). Oftentimes, managers will focus new employees’ attention on the operational how-to’s. The technical side is important, and so is the softer side of the values and beliefs that are the foundation of how the organization functions. Be sure to share with new hires the organization’s values, beliefs, norms and fundamental purpose for existence.

What to Focus On

There are ten major categories in which you can organize your orientation program.

• Vision – Values, Beliefs, Purpose, Mission
• Organizational Chart
• Job Responsibilities
• Operational Policies and Procedures
• Human Resources Policies and Procedures
• Pay, Benefits, and Paperwork
• Decision Making and Authority
• Team Spirit and Collaboration
• What to do if you have Questions or Problems
• Facility Tour

Your world is a secret world to the new hire. It is your job to ensure that they understand the new world they have entered and the role they are expected to successfully play. 

Copyright © 2023  Perkins Human Resources, LLC.