Raise the Chances that Your New Hire Will Be a Good, Long-Term Fit

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Mar 5, 2007 - OI Partners

Once the desired candidates have been selected and hired, the challenge of retaining these new employees for the long-term is just beginning. Clearly, the hiring process brings key talent to the doorstep, but the processes involved in introducing them to the organization and starting them on the right foot are just as critical.

The hiring process. Focusing on long-term fit during the hiring process is a key component to retention. Making sure the new employee has a good understanding of what is expected in the position is important to both you and the employee. The new employee should have a chance to meet and talk to co-workers and those who will fall under his or her supervision to gain a sense of the culture and challenges to be faced. In short, the new employee should find no surprises.

Make sure the new employee is well prepared to address the challenges that will be encountered. If the new manager will be inheriting performance issues with existing personnel or other problems, plans need to be established for addressing these challenges with organizational support. Likewise, if the old manager was the problem, the new manager will need to be coached appropriately to insure that he or she starts with a group that is otherwise performing effectively. This will go a long way toward gaining the new employee's trust and belief in the organization for the long-term.

Laying the foundation. Another important link to long-term fit and retention for many employees is the treatment and orientation received immediately upon beginning the new job. A manager who wants to buy a piece of capital equipment for $20,000 will likely be asked to justify the need with significant data on the expected return on investment, to outline any cost savings that may ensue and answer other questions about the effects on existing work, processes and so on. Arrival of the equipment is eagerly anticipated and, once it does arrive, the priority becomes getting it in service quickly.

Now, let's assume the same manager has gone through the approval process to hire a new employee for $70,000. Assuming all approvals are the same, that selection and hiring is completed, and the employee has just reported for her first day on the job. What happens now? Is the same level of importance attached to making the employee productive as was given the new equipment upon arrival? If the employee is left spending her first days with the new organization watching, wandering and wondering as she 'learns the ropes,' long-term fit and retention are in serious jeopardy. Consider this: many organizations place more scrutiny and control around approving a capital expenditure for $20,000 than they do in hiring, welcoming and orienting a new $70,000 employee.

So, how can we support the new employee? Long-term retention and fit can be supported with a well-organized mentoring program. Having a mentor partner with a new employee can benefit the new employee with:

* Targeted career development focused specifically on individual need. * Increased likelihood of success, since the mentor can help the new employee avoid failure. * Evidence of the "Pygmalion Effect." Mentors have a vested interest in the new employee which can reduce biases and help the mentor see future potential. This can create the expectation that the new employee will succeed. * Increased awareness of the organization: The mentor should be at least at the new employee's level or above and, ideally, in another functional role. This can facilitate the important transfer of organizational information.

Benefits of the mentoring program to the organization include: * Increased productivity. A teamwork approach with clear and measurable objectives will typically increase motivation and enhance performance. * Mentors and the new employee being mentored both tend to experience and report increased job satisfaction and commitment. * Improved recruiting efforts. This is appealing to candidates because it reinforces the organization's message that it wants to make them successful.

* Increased organizational communication and understanding. A mentoring program can facilitate in-depth communication with employees who will, in turn, transfer that knowledge to others. * Improved strategic and succession planning. Effective mentoring programs enhance strategic planning by providing a concrete way to move people to higher-level positions and support career growth.

Mark W. Leathers is the founding partner of OI Partners (Arizona). He has more than 25 years of experience as a coach and consultant to management across a wide range of industries. He can be reached at mleathers@oipartners.net or 602-274-0711.

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