New Hire Training Program Development
Do you remember the comedy routine “Who’s on first?” No? Then take a look at “Who's on first?”
If you remember it, or if you took a side trip to experience it, the dialogue to often mirrors a new employees experience – What do I do first? Who can help with this? Who do I call since this doesn’t work? Does anyone really care!
Perhaps you’ve experienced a poorly structured onboarding program– an alternative name for new employee orientation; we hope that you have not!
At TrainSmart we define onboarding as the first step in talent retention! We see onboarding as a systematic, comprehensive, structured set of employee welcoming activities that:
- Reduce the apprehension of new surroundings and work group
- Minimize anxiety related to understanding the organization
- Ease the employee into initial processes and procedures
Onboarding outcomes must focus on helping the employee to build rapport with colleagues; to quickly experience a sense of purpose within the organization; to maximize acceptance into the organization; and to share performance expectations immediately.
Achieving these outcomes with each new employee dramatically reduces the misunderstandings that lead to frustration, reduced productivity, and premature departure – issues that negatively impact your bottom-line!
What Does Our New Hire Program Cover?
TrainSmart designs new hire training programs that focus on the generational issues. For instance, post baby boom generations such as Generation X want to make friends at work. So, our onboarding designs include introducing new employees to their new coworkers so that relationships may begin to take shape.
Our other objectives include:
- Helping the employee to identify with their new employer
- Exposing the employee to the company's values and priorities
- Building an optimistic attitude towards the company
- Avoiding misunderstandings
- Helping the employee feel valued
- Encouraging socialization and create a sense of belonging
- Reducing employee anxiety
- Setting performance expectations
- Decreasing the learning curve
What Must Be in Place?
Critical to successful onboarding are:
- Company / Departmental Overviews
- Job Expectations and Descriptions
- Policies and Procedures
- Succession Planning
- Simple administration
- Contact listings and Support Structures
On-Boarding Redesign Case Study
Client
One of the top four U.S. credit card companies in the world.
Situation
The client had implemented a new three-week, on-boarding program for MBAs the preceding year. While the program was successful overall, there was significant feedback regarding the lack of interactivity and the need for more participant involvement throughout the program. TrainSmart was retained to enhance the course design and develop meaningful participant activities.
Engagement
TrainSmart began by reviewing a comprehensive evaluation document prepared by former participants and client staff as well as reviewing the training materials themselves. Based on this comprehensive review, TrainSmart did the following:
- Reduced PowerPoint slides by 150% by identifying core information and concepts to be retained and covered in presentations/discussions. (The balance of the information was either omitted or prepared as reference materials.)
- Created a variety of activities to engage participants in essential learnings. Activities included financial problems, case studies, panel discussions and scavenger hunts getting to know key management personnel as well as participant peers and the like.
- Resequenced the order in which topics were presented to provide a more logical flow to course modules.
- Worked with an ex-participant group in developing and conducting a business case simulation.
TrainsSmart can help you to develop these items, please fill out the form below or call us at 800.807.8030.
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