Methods of Creating a Supportive and Effective New Hire Framework
A recent review of new hire practices has sparked some interesting discussion about the best methods of integrating new employees within a company. Author Claire Petrie discusses two distinctly different examples of her own personal experience with being a new hire. She also provides key insights based on those examples that point employers in the right direction when it comes to establishing new hire best practices.
Have a Plan in Place for Helping New Hires Get Established
When it comes to helping new hires feel comfortable and confident in their new roles, the first step is to have a plan in place. This plan should include key details about your company that a new hire will need to know, including company history, important contacts, and information relevant to their role. You should also include some sort of orientation plan. This will help your new hire to feel more at ease, whether in the office or remote. A good orientation plan will also include time to socialize with the team, which will give the company an opportunity to get to know the new hire better.
Develop a Method for Communicating Important Organizational Information
Sometimes when a person has been employed at the same place for a long time, it’s easy for him or her to take certain information or knowledge for granted. When a new hire comes in, he or she might struggle to keep up with this kind of organizational information. Therefore, it is imperative that your company develops an outline of company-specific information such as department structures, hierarchy, and other crucial info. You should also have a plan in place for communicating this information to new hires. This step is vital to the process, because new hires who have an understanding of how the company works will be far more impactful earlier on in their positions.
Check-In Regularly With New Hires Throughout Their First Week
Managers and other senior leadership need to make it a habit to regularly reach out to new hires, especially in the early stages of their employment. Regular check-ins with new hires provide leadership with important opportunities to make new hires feel welcome, secure, and appreciated. Checking-in is also a good chance to answer any questions new hires may have and to clarify any areas of confusion.
Look for Ways to Get to Know New Hires on a More Personal Level
Establishing appropriate relationships with new hires is a great way to put them at ease in their positions. Inviting a new hire to lunch or for a coffee break is a great method of getting to know him or her. Getting to know a new hire on this level can also help him or her to feel more engaged and confident in the company. As a manager, it can feel awkward to do this on your own, so it can be helpful to coordinate regular team outings to foster natural co-worker relationships. Since team-building is especially difficult with remote work, it is crucial for management to be intentional with regularly scheduled social events. (Probably held over video conference.)
Conclusion
We’ve all been new before – it can be an awkward and uncomfortable experience, or it can be an exciting chance to fit in with new people and a new organization. The key difference between these two experiences tends to start with leadership practices. Companies should be intentional about establishing a healthy and supportive framework for new hires – in so doing, they will help new employees to quickly feel comfortable in their roles, which is good for both new hires and the company as a whole.
About the Author
Justin Goodman has spent the past 20 years in insurance. He is the co-founder and CEO of Total CSR and co-founder and Managing Director of Project 55. By the age of 29, he was recognized as one of the top five construction insurance experts nationwide by Risk and Insurance Magazine. He also was named to Insurance Business Magazine’s Hot 100 and most recently the 2024 Insurance Journal Agent of the Year. Justin has trained over 50,000 CSR’s, account managers and producers through his work at Total CSR. He has a passion for developing the next generation of insurance professionals. When not with his family, he devotes his free time to speaking engagements and advising agency owners across the country.
