Recruiting plays a major role in the development of an organization. A lot of time, resources, and money go into finding and identifying the perfect candidate for each position. Once the recruiting process is completed, you want to ensure that all your hard work pays off. It is essential that your new employee is successful and stays with your organization. Too many times I have seen companies go through the hiring process and walk away with a great new employee, only sadly to hear within 6 months they are no longer with the organization. What happens to this all-star employee that makes them leave after such a short period of time, and causes the company to go back on the search again for top talent? This article will help prevent you from having a revolving door within your organization, and keep your best employees working for you.
Anytime that you are starting something new it is very important that you start with a great foundation, one that you can build upon in the future. We are going to pick up from the point that your new, top of the line employee has already accepted an offer with your company and is excited to start their new career. Now before we go down the rabbit hole, I want you to reflect back on what you and your new employee just went through. In most cases there were 2-4 interviews, applications, assessments, personality surveys, background checks, and drug testing. A process that probably took anywhere from 3-8 weeks, and several phone calls and emails exchanged between the two parties. Now my question to you is; are you devoting the same amount of time on the employee after they start with your company?
If you are experiencing high employee turnover I would guess that you answered no to this question. Once a person accepts and starts with your company, the real work begins. I would recommend that you devote double the amount of time and effort you used to bring the new employee on board and focus on their success. To assume that once someone starts, watches some webinars, gets a tour of the office, goes on some field rides, and maybe goes to a corporate training that their path to success with your company is set in stone is a little naive. It is widely accepted by all educators that people have different learning styles and it is important to connect with people on a level that works best for them. I recommend reviewing periods with the new employee after the first week, month and other times that work best for the employee and your company. It is important to ask the new employee how they are adjusting to the new position and what challenges they are having and how you can assist them; not just telling them what they can do better.
There are several factors that can cause a new employee not to be successful in a new position. I believe the two major factors are the success of the employee and them not being challenged enough. Everyone wants to be successful; it is human nature. To assume that your new employee is a bad apple just because they haven’t hit their monthly quota the first 3 months in the new position is a costly mistake to your company. Remember, you need to treat your employees like an investment, not just a number. If you decide to let this employee go, or they decided to quit because they are not making enough money, you will have to start the process over again and your three months below quota just turned into 7 months. Taking the time to simply help the new employee with any extra struggle and waiting one more month can save the company time and money.
Another major reason that an employee might leave a company is the fact that they are simply not challenged enough. Many employers have lost great employees after putting too much pressure on them too soon and are reluctant to do so again, when in fact some employees are begging for more responsibility.
Try to implement a continual education program into your company to ensure these problems are not leading you to having a revolving door business. By constantly discussing the progress of your new employee you will be able to determine if they need more training, are struggling with certain areas, or simply want more responsibility. Show your new employee that you care about their success within the company and that you will do whatever it takes to make it happen. This will ensure that all your time and effort you put into your new employee is not wasted and will help you retain the top talent in the industry. Most importantly it will keep the revolving door of your business closed.
