Every new hire aims to please. Fresh-faced and energetic, they begin with grand visions of how they can help their new employer (and how their new employer can help them.) For about 90 days, that is. By then, most new hires have reflected on their onboarding experience. Many of them have taken on the dominant attitude of the rest of the office. Even if you’re only bringing on one new employee, it’s important to remember that the first few days often set the tone for an employee’s entire experience with your company. In fact, employee engagement can begin even before you make an offer of employment. With a little strategy and careful planning, you just might be able to preserve that new-hire enthusiasm.
Why worry about enthusiasm? you might ask. Isn’t it more effective to focus on an employee’s performance, rather than their emotions? Actually, employee’s emotions greatly impact performance. PeopleMetrics’ research indicates that engaged employees—those who are enthusiastic, loyal, and energetic about their work—are the ones who will best serve your company. Employee engagement has been linked to a number of key HR and business indicators, including lower turnover, increased customer engagement, better sales performance, and reduced sick leave.
In other words, an employee’s first few days are important. As in any relationship, the rules of engagement are determined fairly early on. Managers have a limited window of time to communicate to new hires that they are dedicated to keeping them engaged. HR expert Debbie Benami-Rahm suggests the following tips for employers who hope to encourage engaged employees, even before they’re actually employees:
- Focus on the strengths of the potential new hire in the interview process. Communicate your awareness of what your potential new employee will bring to your firm.
- Use these strengths as a negotiation tool in the offer process. Let the candidate know exactly how they will be able to use their talents in the organization. Everyone likes to feel useful.
- Within the first 90 days of employment, specifically tie the strengths and talents of the candidate to the overall mission of your organization. Show how they fit in and strengthen your team.
- Through your orientation or onboarding program, help new hires see how their strengths and talents will directly tie to the mission and vision of your organization.
As Ms. Benami-Rahm points out, the Corporate Leadership Council has found that employees are more likely to be fully engaged when they understand how their personal strengths, talents, and accomplishments contribute to the organization’s overall mission. Ms. Benami-Rahm also suggests that managers and stakeholders ask themselves the following questions to help increase new-hire engagement:
- How can I work with the HR/Staffing professionals to provide information and a plan to tap a potential hire’s talent during the interview and hiring process?
- How can I contribute to the successful onboarding of the new hire?
- How can I integrate a welcome from senior management addressing the mission of the organization from day one?
- How can I help a new hire tie their strengths and talents to the mission of the organization?
- How can I let a new hire know about opportunities to further strengthen their skills, knowledge and abilities?
- How can I help make a mentoring program or a "buddy system" successful for new hires?
- How do I measure the results of the engagement efforts?
Learn more about how we help manage and improve employee engagement by downloading this resource:
Topic: Employee Experience
