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A QUICK GUIDE TO EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION
A Helpful Resource for Hiring Managers
Orienting employees to their new organization and position is
one of the most neglected functions in the workplace. A new employee
needs guidance and instruction to get settled into his or her
new role. Without a proper orientation, it can be very stressful
on the new and existing employees.
Purposes of Orientation
As managers, anything we can do to retain employees is a must. Orientation
is a good way to provide a new employee with a smooth transition into the
organization and eliminate frustration early on that could lead to an unhappy
new hire. Orientation is a benefit for the following reasons:
- It Reduces Startup Costs. Proper orientation
helps the employee get up to speed more quickly, reducing
the time and cost associated with the transition.
- It Reduces Anxiety. When put into a new
situation, any employee will experience anxiety that can
impact his or her ability to learn. Proper orientation helps
reduce anxiety and helps provide guidelines for behavior
and conduct, so the employee doesn't have to experience the
stress of guessing.
- It Reduces Employee Turnover. Employee
turnover increases as employees feel they are not valued,
or are put in positions where they can't possibly do their
jobs. Orientation shows that the organization values the
employee, and helps provide tools necessary for the employee
to be successful in his or her new role.
- It Allows More Productivity. The better
the orientation, the less likely supervisors and co-workers
will have to spend time teaching the employee.
- It Develops Realistic Job Expectations, Positive
Attitudes and Job Satisfaction. It is important
that employees learn early on what the expectations are,
in addition to learning about the values and attitudes
of the organization. This will help eliminate potentially
damaging problems down the road.
Two Phases of Orientation
The first phase of the orientation deals with the basic information an employee
will need to understand the system in which he or she will be working. This phase
can typically be conducted by the human resource department. It includes the
following:
- policies and general procedures of the organization, not specific to the
job
- compensation and benefits information
- preventative safety and accident issues
- employee and union issues (if applicable)
- physical facilities
The second phase of the orientation deals with job specific information to help
employees understand their new role. This phase should be conducted by the immediate
supervisor or manager. It includes the following:
- how the employee fits in to the function of the organization
- job responsibilities, expectations, and duties
- policies, procedures, rules and regulations
- layout of workplace
- introduction to co-workers and others in the organization
Some Tips
- Orientation should begin with the most important information (basic
job survival).
- Orientation should emphasize people as well as procedures and expectations. Employees
should have a chance to get to know people and their approaches and styles
in both social and work settings.
- Buddy an employee to a more experienced person. Make sure
however that the more experienced person wants to buddy up, and has the inter-personal
skills. This provides ongoing support.
- Introduce employees to both information and people in a controlled
way. A new employee can't absorb everything at once, so don't
waste your time. Space out introductions.
Conclusion
Orientation makes a significant difference in how quickly an employee can become
more productive, and also has long term effects for the organization.
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