We work closely with clients throughout the interview process, after which, they ask us to put out a formal job offer, which the candidate will accept. However, in a lot of cases we can spend the next week chasing the client and urging them to get a job offer out in writing because they can drop on the admin piece. They’re so happy that the hire is made, that they move on to the next urgent thing on their list and the administration that follows the job offer can lag behind.
Companies should be prepared with the administrative side before they make a formal job offer. For example, is your contract ready to go? Is your offer letter ready to go? It’s basic stuff, but it’s so important for a new employee’s experience.
Onboarding is the next big step because the culture of the company becomes obvious to a new hire throughout the recruitment process. So, if a candidate has had a really good interview process and enjoyed meeting everyone, they’re probably going into that new job very optimistically. But if a contract doesn’t arrive on time or the candidate doesn’t hear anything from the company between the job offer and the start date, this can dull their excitement slightly.
For companies, engaging with that new employee after the job has been accepted and before the start date is crucial. This can include sending on company updates, including them on emails or inviting them to social events that are happening. They don’t have to go, but at least they’ve been included. Start thinking about them as a current employee and not as a prospective employee.
Then on the start date, we’ve sometimes heard that candidates went in on their first day and the employer was caught off guard, so they didn’t have a desk ready, they didn’t have an email set up or there wasn’t a sponsor in place to welcome them on their first day. A lot of companies today are very good at this, but if you get it wrong, it really puts the candidate on the back foot and immediately they feel uncomfortable and they’re wondering if they made the right decision. If you get the basics right about timing and put thought into it, it makes such a difference.
Remember, even the most experienced people will be nervous on their first day, so I’d strongly urge any employer to really think about those first few hours and what the candidate’s experience is going to be. Additionally, I don’t think sending them into a generic induction programme with security talking about name tags and health and safety is possibly the best way to do it, because it can be a bit impersonal.
A good onboarding process takes a personal approach. It’s being met at reception either by the new employee’s direct line manager or one of their colleagues who will take the time to give them a tour of the workplace, show them the basics, introduce them to the different teams and take them to the local coffee shop.
Don’t expect to just put them at a desk and get them working. It has to be a personal touch, so a sponsor on day one is a really important thing to get right. And if you think about your own first day at work, that will actually give you the answers.
It’s also important to think beyond the first week when you’re onboarding new employees. Particularly when a company is hiring in volume, because in week three, a new employee can seem like an old employee because possibly four others have started or even more. So, I think a three-month induction programme is a really worthwhile exercise to do. It doesn’t have to be an intense three months, but there should be touch points with line managers.
After the first week is over, it’s good to sit down and review the week with the new hire and then book in weekly one-to-ones so you can give the new person an opportunity to give you feedback as well as giving them feedback so they really understand what’s expected of them and what good looks like in this company.
We often have new employees who we’ve placed come back to us and say, “Have you heard anything from my manager? I think I’m doing a good job; I’m hitting my KPIs, but I’m not sure if they’re happy.” Then, if we take that feedback to a client, they will more often than not say, “I’m delighted, it’s a great hire, we’re thrilled.” But they haven’t told the employee, so I highly recommend feedback and regular one-to-ones to give them that reassurance and understanding in the first three months.
If someone isn’t settling in, managers should look to the peer group. I think the best pressure, can come from peers in an organisation and it might come from bottom up instead of top down. If you have hired someone who you think is potentially a very high achiever, put them with your best people. Let your current employees set the pace so that the new person can quickly understand what the group norm is and what good looks like in that organisation.
Looking to hire top talent or improve your recruitment process? Check out our hiring solutions or talk to me by email at gerard.doyle@recruiters.ie or on the phone at +353 1 632 5024.
By Gerard Doyle
Gerard Doyle is the managing director of RECRUITERS
Mug photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash
