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Talent acquisition is a never-ending process of trying to identify the best possible hire while simultaneously training them as quickly and effectively as possible. It’s a balance between patience and speed that most organizations struggle with but it can be solved by following these 5 steps.
New recruit training ensures that they fit into your culture and reach your performance goals. Although each new employee may bring some talents to your organization, and some may have even done identical work before, this does not imply you can let them free on their first day. Select a training approach, then develop a clear training timetable, assign a buddy, set quantifiable training objectives, and perform a training review once you have a new recruit.
Although many firms choose to avoid implementing a formal training program, we strongly advise that you do so. Consider Rippling if you need assistance developing a training program for your company. It includes robust HR software as well as a comprehensive training and onboarding program that you can utilize with each new recruit. It also comes with pre-loaded courses for certain state-mandated training, such as sexual harassment, so you don’t have to make your own.
1. Select a Training Method & Build Your Process Before Hiring
Review our new hire checklist if you’re recruiting your first employee. Before you can recruit someone in any state, there are a few things you’ll need to do.
Consider your company and what new recruits will need to know when you plan your training. Consider your organization’s rules, reporting structure, purpose, and objectives. These may not seem to be essential training, but your new employees know very little about your organization, therefore include them in a comprehensive review.
Before you recruit, you must invest time and effort in training your new staff. If you wing it, you’ll establish the incorrect tone with your new recruits, and their training will be unsuccessful. You may utilize a variety of training techniques, and you will most likely employ many. Finally, the strategies you use are determined by the demands of your business and may differ from task to job.
Training that has been recorded
Training that has been recorded is great for jobs that have the same duties, like customer service. Your Training that has been recorded could include videos showing a day in the life of your new employee and showing them how to use your software.
Consider the exact duties you need staff to do. Is it necessary to follow a script when a consumer calls with an issue if you hire a customer care representative? Do they need to be familiar with a variety of products? Do you need them to utilize a certain greeting while taking a call? All of these questions should help you develop a customized training procedure that you can record and reuse for this sort of work.
If your company doesn’t have repeatable jobs, Training that has been recorded can be useful for systems everyone uses, like time-off requests or messaging platforms. As long as you record these once and keep them updated, you won’t waste company resources on One-on-One Instruction every time you hire someone new.
One-on-One Instruction
One-on-One Instruction is necessary, even if you have Training that has been recorded for new hires. With this method, new employees receive more personalized attention and their questions are answered immediately. In today’s work environment, this can just as easily be done remotely as it can in person.
While unnecessary to use for the entire training process, One-on-One Instruction is best for complicated topics and confidential matters. If you’re hiring a customer service representative, you may need to discuss with them the process for handling sensitive customer information and delivering great customer service. That’s not something you want them to passively watch on a video—you need to see that they pay attention and understand.
One-on-One Instruction is crucial for communicating job expectations. You need to make sure your new hire knows what’s expected of them, what their metrics are, and how their performance will be evaluated. In-person or virtually, communicating allows them to ask clarifying questions and ensure they completely understand what is expected of them.
Training in the Shadows
Training in the Shadows is a great way to give a new hire exposure to other colleagues and their jobs. Especially if your new hire will be doing the same or similar job, Training in the Shadows can give them insight into how to do their job well. Because of this, it’s vital to choose the right training partner, someone you can trust, to show your new employee how things work.
Training in the Shadows is also good for new employees to see how different jobs are done in your company. For jobs that require close collaboration with other employees, it’s good for the new hire to see how their job affects others and vice versa. This type of Training in the Shadows doesn’t have to be long—an hour is often enough to give the new employee perspective.
On-the-Job Education
This is the most common type of training used and can be the most effective. But we recommend using this training method only after using at least one of the above. Although new hires may have done the same or similar jobs before, your company may do things slightly differently and you need to train them in your ways. On-the-Job Education is the best way to do that and ensure they meet your expectations.
This training might take a few hours or many weeks, depending on the sort of work the new recruit is undertaking. You may have a customer care person handle calls later on their first day, sitting near them and providing real-time feedback. A swift and immediate change will set them on the road to long-term success.
Training in Systems
Regardless of whether a new hire used the same software at a previous job, your use may differ. To ensure they use your business’ technology correctly, they need to be trained. It is possible to record Training in Systems, just make sure you update it whenever you change systems.
You may need a customer care agent to keep notes in customer relationship management (CRM) software. The CRM may store thorough data for each client so that if they call with a new problem, the person who assists them may see what problems and remedies they’ve previously got. This aids in providing a positive customer experience and is only achievable if everyone on your team uses the CRM in the same manner.
Culture & Policy Training
Your new employees must grasp your company’s vision, objectives, and culture in order to completely integrate. People prefer to work for a firm that has a clear objective and a good mission, especially in today’s workforce. Putting these at the forefront can help you engage your new hires.
Within the culture training, you may incorporate talks of particular business rules. While many firms have comparable regulations, it’s a good idea to have workers go through the handbook and ask questions regarding policies and procedures. Make sure to go over any corporate regulations, such as how to seek time off, how to phone in sick, and how the performance management process works.
Compliance Education
Companies are not required by law to train their employees on regulations and laws. Although you may need to complete certain Compliance Education requirements, depending on the industry in which you operate.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires certain safety training for high-risk jobs and industries. Workers in healthcare may be required to have training on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Some states also require certain Compliance Education, most notably anti-harassment. Be sure to check your state laws to make sure you’re compliant.
2. Have a well-defined training plan (But Be Flexible)
A clear onboarding procedure is one of the keys to successful hiring. This procedure begins even before the new employee’s first day on the job. The same may be said of the training regimen.
Whether your new hire is working remotely or on-site, they’ll want to know what to anticipate on their first day.
- A few days before their start date, send them a welcome email.
- If you’re not going to pay them, don’t ask them to perform any training ahead of time.
- Give them a clear itinerary at the very least for the first day. You may be able to plan out their first week for them, giving them a decent indication of what to anticipate.
This plan should include pauses and specify the sort of instruction they will get. They’ll need to get up and stretch their legs, especially if they’re working remotely. Giving their brain a rest might also help them remember what they’ve learned. Breaks will also guarantee that you aren’t bombarding them with too much information too quickly.
Make sure you check in with their boss on a frequent basis, particularly during the first week. You don’t want the manager to look micromanaging, but you do want to make sure the new employee feels comfortable asking questions and has scheduled time with their direct supervisor throughout the week. During the first week, we suggest arranging at least two 15-minute time blocks each day.
Your training regimen must also be adaptable. You may want to set aside some time throughout the week in case you have an emergency and need to transfer anything. If all goes well, the extra time may be utilized for more one-on-one time with the new hire’s boss as well as a break for the employee to absorb what they’ve learned.
You may want HR to teach all of your staff, but make sure your managers are aware of what is covered in the training so that new recruits are not given inconsistent information.
3. Hire in Pairs & Assign a Buddy
Hiring people, like training them, requires a methodical approach. Hire new personnel in pairs if possible. This provides them with a companion, someone who is going through the same things they are. It also reduces the amount of administrative time you must devote to each new hire.
Whether your organization employs one or multiple employees, make sure they each have a friend or mentor who isn’t their boss. Your new recruit will definitely come to know their coworkers over time, but appointing them a buddy may help speed up the process by introducing them to someone who is already a trusted part of your team. This is someone the new employee can talk to about the company and their work without feeling like they’re disturbing their boss.
A buddy or mentor not only acts as a guide for the new employee but also as a cheerleader for the company. The buddy may nurture the new employee by offering guidance on how to cope with problems and assisting them in progressing and rising within the firm.
4. Establish Training Objectives
You should set training objectives for the employee to achieve during the training process. This helps them get used to fulfilling business objectives and guarantees that they finish the program on schedule.
The following are some examples of training objectives:
- Relevant Compliance Education completed by the end of Day One
- By the conclusion of the first week, you should have gone through the guidebook and signed the acknowledgment.
- Completing any Training that has been recorded sessions by the end of the first week
The training goals should be set by your organization and monitored by the employee’s supervisor or HR. Especially for required Compliance Education, it’s crucial you ensure the new employee has completed training on time.
5. Examine Your Preparation
Conduct a debriefing once new employees have completed their training. Three to six months following the new employee’s first day, review the training with them and seek their input on what went well and what didn’t. Inquire about what might have been done better and how they could have been better prepared for this position. This will improve the training experience for new recruits in the future.
Make sure your company’s training is up to date as well. You don’t want to waste time training new personnel in the old techniques. An annual reminder to your HR staff to check the training program to ensure it is up to date will guarantee that your new recruits get the most up-to-date knowledge.
Training Ideas for New Employees
Creating a new employee training program may be a daunting task. You don’t have to create this training from scratch; instead, look at some of the top staff training software options. The most significant advantage of these software training packages is that they enable you to simply adapt the training as your organization and procedures evolve.
Conclusion
It’s easy to overlook the process of developing a new employee training program and simply wing it each time if you don’t recruit regularly. You won’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you recruit someone new if you create a systematic training program once.
Your new workers are an investment in the success of your firm. Set up a training program for them that will help them be successful and productive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps for training a new employee?
The first step is to make sure they meet the minimum qualifications set by your company. If you do not have a minimum qualification requirement, this can be something simple as an interview with HR. Once you’ve done that, it’s time for training! In most cases, all new employees are required to take some type of online course before being permitted on-site or in-office work. This could range from one-day long classes around office safety and etiquette to two-month-long courses like Microsoft Dynamics NAV certification programs require.
