Did you know 33% of most new hires quit after 90 days? The reason, according to a study published by Psychology Today, was that the employee found the job wasn’t what they were led to believe during the interview process.
When you hire a new employee, you are responsible for starting them off on the right foot. Coaching can help you set a new hire up for success. A good new hire experience should start with a transparent hiring process. But once the employee gets on the ground, the rest is up to their managers and coworkers to ease their way into the job. What coaching strategies can help during this critical early phase of a new employee’s tenure?
Best Coaching Strategies for New Employees
Start by creating a welcoming climate where other employees naturally reach out to the new worker. Set up lunches or ice breakers that naturally get tenured staff talking to the new hire. Pair the new hire with a mentor during this time. That way they have a go-to resource in addition to their manager.
One of the first things that should occur with a new employee is a reward for good work. Joining a new company is stressful. Almost every new employee wonders if they’re doing a good job. Set new employees up for success by working with them to establish 90-day goals. Then reward them when they hit the mark.
Your goal in the first 90 days is to create connections that last. This includes building a bridge to the company and the ecosystem that supports it. Ask yourself:
- Does the employee have the tools they need to succeed?
- Do they have resources that will support them and be patient with their questions?
- Is the employee getting the right training at the right time?
- Are you doing all you can to connect the new worker to your mission and values?
- Are coworkers and leaders modeling the right behavior and attitudes?
Managers play a critical role with new hires. They must model positivity over negativity even when situations are difficult. They should also support solutions-oriented problem solving and be open to new ideas the new employee may bring. Encourage the new hire to ask questions during this time; don’t shut them down because you are too busy or stressed.
Also, set the expectation with the new hire that they will have an early performance review at 90 days. This isn’t like an annual review. The goal is for the new employee to get their feet wet on the job, and then sit down with their manager to work on a career map. It’s a good time to check in and find out where they might need more training and how you can help.
Career maps are great tools that help with long-term employee retention. At the 90-day mark, you should begin helping the employee envision how they’ll grow within your company. Then your goal should become helping the worker achieve their career goals in your company—not at a competitor’s business.
Ready to hire in the New Year? Talk to PrideStaff about our ready-made networks of high-performing candidates. We can help.
