Effective Ways to Train New Employees

Although you may be pleased because you’ve found the perfect new hire to fill a pivotal role on your team, the selection process is only half the battle. In order for your new employee to acclimate to the workplace and successfully contribute to the group, it’s vital that he receives the proper training. With sufficient education, resources and leadership, your newest staff member will become a seasoned veteran in no time.

Hold an Orientation

Just like a first-year student on campus, a new employee needs to get a feel for the office before settling in and feeling comfortable. Assign a team leader to provide a tour of the workspace, showing the latest staff member the nearest bathroom, the breakroom, where meetings will be held and where the supplies are located, for instance. Go over company policies on vacations, attendance, security, conduct and dress codes. Orientation is also the perfect time to fill out any last-minute benefit, health, tax or confidentiality forms.

Enroll in Programs

If your staff members require a specific set of skills to complete their jobs proficiently, enroll them in pertinent courses before they start. Employees who work with clients, for example, may benefit from a negotiations training program, while those working with heavy equipment could use additional safety lessons. If you notice a worker is lacking skill with some software or piece of technology that the staff relies on, sign him up for a class to enhance his skills. Although this may take time away from someone’s work days initially, you’ll benefit in the long run with workers who have fine-tuned their abilities.

Assign Mentors

Ease the staff member’s transition period by assigning a mentor to new employees for the first few months. Choose senior staff members who not only have a great work ethic, but who are also team players that represent the company’s values. Instruct the advisor to set a good example of workplace behavior, be available to answer questions about work-related tasks or be open to discussing any problems the newest team member is having getting used to the other staff members or the office environment in general.

Create Connections

Help the new employee feel like they belong by encouraging them to make friends with coworkers in their department. Be sure to introduce everyone during orientation and consider hosting a lunch or meeting for your existing staff to get to know the latest team member. Pushing everyone to get along ensures that the new worker won’t feel too intimidated to ask for help or to share ideas and suggestions during company meetings.

Provide Reading

If your place of business has a complicated workflow, office protocols or performance regulations, provide the new hire with essential reading materials to get him up to speed quickly. Allow him to spend the first few days studying the texts before he jumps in and consider quizzing him on the pertinent policies and points afterward. This will enable you to be sure he understands the proper procedures before starting on a new task or working on a key piece of a team project.

Be Available

A valuable part of a new employee’s training is being able to ask questions. In the first crucial week, ensure the staff member knows that you and your team leaders are available to discuss anything of issue. Stop by his office, send emails or even take him to lunch in the first few days to give him the opportunity to double check anything or talk about any difficulties he’s having adjusting to the other workers or work environment.

Even if your new team member seems completely comfortable and competent, ensure he receives sufficient training. The most skilled person can still use lessons on the ins and outs of your workplace and training on your systems and protocol. Teaching an employee what’s expected of him at the outset will go a long way toward ensuring that he’ll mesh with your current staff and company values.