Ask Andi: We need to improve company culture. New employees have the potential to make a difference. For many, this is their first real job out of college. How do I ensure they add to the ethical workplace established?
Thoughts of the Day: Improve company culture. Recruiting talent is very competitive. Use it to your benefit. Teach new employees more than their job duties. Recent college grads bring their own set of challenges and opportunities. Convey what the company stands for. Test for fit in the recruiting process. Carry through when onboarding new employees. Ensure fit to culture pays dividends in time.
Improve company culture
Think through the training program for new employees. Start with basic orientation issues. Work hours. The layout of the different departments. Filing information. An overview of the organization structure. have new employees tour each department to become more aware of how things fit together. Save people time. Give information upfront on how things work throughout the company.
For example, follow up with a department overview and specifics. And the job duties for which they’ll be accountable. Assess skill level. Follow up with skill training to fill in knowledge gaps. Have new employees meet with peers and department heads. They will be more likely in the future to approach people they know.
After that, don’t assume that part-time jobs have turned recent grads into savvy employees. Expect them to make mistakes. They learn to find their way in the workplace. Likewise, for many entry-level employees, it’s like a tightrope. A balance between too much initiative and not enough, taking too many risks vs. too few.
Build, retain, and evolve
For example, assign someone to oversee a new employee until they can properly perform assigned tasks. Ask employees t playback assignments. Clarify timeframes, rather than leaving tasks open-ended. Most new employees will appreciate the structure. Have a next steps list to follow. Check in periodically with a manager. Report regularly on progress.
Certaionly, address the basics of onboarding and training. Engage employees in discussions about what the company stands for. Keep in mind that every employee is an ambassador for the company. Make sure they are comfortable talking about the vision and mission of the company, in as few words as possible.
An engaging and rewarding environment
In conclusion, show new employees that there is a common purpose to what everyone throughout the company is engaged in doing. Bring together people of different backgrounds, religions, personal expectations, etc. by pointing them towards a common set of goals. Give purpose to the work employees are doing. How does that fit into the overall plans?
Most important, address fit to culture in the interview process. Talk with potential employees. Do they know where the company is going? Share the values that the company stands for? Can they see how employees fit into those goals and purposes? Look for employees who are on a mission. One that is similar to the one that the company is embarked upon.
Meanwhile, keep in mind that it’s easy to hire employees. Similarly, it’s challenging to hold back with recruiting to find the “right fit” employee. Likewise, recruiting individuals who are likely to bond together despite personal differences. They work harder. Will persist through difficult situations. And put the quality of work ahead of the quantity of pay.
Looking for a good book? Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, by Geert Hofstede and Gert Jan Hofstede.
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Andi Gray is president of Strategy Leaders Inc., strategyleaders.com, a business-consulting firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurial firms grow. She can be reached by phone at (877) 238-3535. Do you have a question for Andi? Please send it to her, via email at AskAndi@StrategyLeaders.com or by mail to Andi Gray, Strategy Leaders Inc., 5 Crossways, Chappaqua, NY 10514. Visit AskAndi.com for an entire library of her articles.
