1. Communicate, communicate, communicate.
Days go by and your new recruit seems to be acclimatising well to their new work environment.
Continue to train them and ask them for their feedback. Taking the time to sit down together will enable you to give them the training they need, and direct them to the right people (if necessary), and thus be aware of what they are going through.
“The only major problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” George Bernard SHAW.”
Be very attentive to the reactions, and non-verbal communication, of your employee and make sure they understand what it is you’re asking of them.
Note: there is nothing worse for a new employee than to be given an assignment that they have not understood. Always ask your employee to rephrase the message and verbalise their agreement.
2. Accompany and supervise with kindness
We’ve talked about this in previous articles, but it can be helpful for your newcomer to be able to rely on someone. The role of the mentor’ will simply be to accompany and guide them in a caring manner.
Although this responsibility can be entrusted to a direct manager, it is better to choose a team member who has no reporting relationship with the newcomer. This will avoid conflicts of interest and make it easier to “free up” the conversation in case of difficulties.
It’s during the probationary period that habits set in, so make sure you don’t let anything slip through the net, and that you have everything in place to guide your employee on the road to success.
3. Congratulate and empower
Little by little, the new recruit will experience their first successes. Whilst we are all inclined to reprimand when it doesn’t work, too few managers know how to say “well done”! Yet, this is the best way to develop enthusiasm and commitment within your teams.
Note, many studies show that for the majority of employees, recognition and appreciation for a job well done is worth more than any financial reward.
New generations increasingly need autonomy, so assign tasks to your employees and let them organise themselves as they wish. By empowering them, you strengthen their involvement in the company.
If you want to keep their talents, trust them.
Keep in mind: onboarding is a long-term process. According to a study carried out by id-carrières, the risk of terminating an employee during their first year is 36.1%.
4. Confirm, extend, or end?
As its name suggests, the probationary period allows the employer and the recruit to “test” the job, the tasks, and also the working environment.
It’s a period of getting to grips with the new role and understanding how the company works. Whatever the outcome of this probationary phase, show empathy.
Do you have doubts about your hire’s skills or behaviour? Do they express reluctance or do they need more time?
The extension of a probationary period is made for that. Be encouraging, show your employee the confidence you have in them and put in place a real process to help them surpass themselves.
After a few months you realise that this new employee does not meet your expectations.
Recruitment errors, internal problems, lack of consultation, anything is possible, but this shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a failure. However, the person in front of you is human and has emotions and feelings; explain what the issues and concerns are whilst being mindful of the situation.
Take the time to listen to how they’re feeling, and how their experiences have been. Ensure you give them as much detailed feedback as you can so they can take it into consideration for their next role.
Finally, inform the rest of the team of your decision as diplomatically as possible.
