Hire Impact | Setting Employees Up for Success
This last piece in our Hire Impact series is a bit of a threat: onboard well and fully integrate new team members, because if you don’t, you do so at your peril. But that tough love is backed by data! A recent Microsoft trends report showed that employees hired between 2020 and 2022 are 18% more likely than their established colleagues to quit in the year ahead.
There is no silver bullet to ensure that you’re retaining the amazing candidates you screened and interviewed, but we think that after onboarding, there are ways to ensure that new staff feel welcome, included, and nurtured in their new workplace.
New employee review
Once a new staff member really gets to work, you’ll quickly begin to see the skills they’re bringing to your organization, where training was successful (and where more is needed), and any necessary realignment. At Idealist, we carry out a “new hire review” process around the eight-week mark after someone’s start date. They fill out a self-review and at least two colleagues are asked to complete a brief peer review via an online form. The manager reviews peer feedback and wraps it into their own review of the new hire.
Of course, new staff should be receiving feedback at weekly check-ins, but this thoughtful step-back allows everyone to be reflective and intentional on what’s going well and what needs some work, including the manager’s analysis of their own performance. In this early period, big successes can be properly celebrated while concerns and issues can be addressed before they become more serious.
This process (or something similar) speaks volumes to new staff about how seriously you take their feedback, how much you value their contributions, and the importance of transparency.
Try these templates at your organization:
Mentors and buddies for new staff members
For new hires, a workplace can feel like an unfamiliar universe. Having someone to serve as a guide can help with the atmospheric changes, and many workplaces appoint established team members––not the new hire’s manager––to serve as an informal buddy or a formal mentor. This point-of-contact can be the one to answer questions about Slack etiquette, normal working hours, professional development, and anything a new hire might not feel comfortable asking their manager.
Every organization will likely approach this differently. Here are a few questions to consider:
- Do veteran staff members volunteer to be a mentor/buddy, or are they appointed?
- What kind of training might be needed for mentors/buddies, including handling any tricky conversations that might arise?
- What expectations would you have for this kind of relationship?
- Do you want to provide a list of topics to mentors/buddies in advance, for them to share and speak to their experience?
- Might your organization better be served by a Frequently Asked Questions list shared with all new staff?
Professional development
Professional development can take many forms: in-person workshops, asynchronous digital courses, and many other options. After onboarding, you’ll want to make sure your new hire is equipped with the same tools as the rest of your staff. At Idealist, for example, all new staff members attend a training with The Management Center so that we’re on the same page about our approach to making the most of check-ins, giving and receiving feedback, managing with equity and inclusion in mind, and so much more.
Likewise, the new hire may need to learn a particular kind of software or skill, like using Salesforce or how to make a direct fundraising request. Scheduling this training soon after the staff member’s arrival means they’ll be better prepared for their role, but it also signals that your organization is invested in their success and long-term growth.
From here to the future
Promoting belonging in your organization isn’t simple, but it may be the difference between retaining a staff member or not. We think a 360-ish review, a buddy system, and professional development can make a huge difference in a new staff member’s adaptation to your organization, especially when we take into account making these policies remote-friendly.
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We hope these tips help you grow and maintain a happy, purposeful team! Check out the rest of the Hire Impact series, covering how to attract candidates to the first couple of weeks of orientation.