Here are four tips to help bring out your new hires’ best qualities from day one, using the right on boarding and social learning experiences:
Provide a training path
To be successful, every learning and development initiative needs to begin with a plan. New hires need to know with whom they are training, when they’re training and what they’ll learn, so they don’t feel lost coming into work each day. The absence of such a plan — by itself — will kill confidence.
So, define a clear training plan for each new hire to follow. But make sure it’s based on the employee’s new position, current level of knowledge and experience on the subject matter. If you don’t, new hires already familiar with the material may feel bored or taken aback that their time is being wasted. Customize the training plan to their needs.
Show how and where to ask questions
Questions will pop up, and for a smooth learning experience, new hires need to know where they can get answers. Instead of referring new hires to one person, use the collective knowledge of the entire team to help them out. Create a space, such as a Q&A forum, where they can seek advice from everyone. Crowdsourcing answers will ensure that they get a variety of opinions, for a more complete picture of a process with plenty of tips.
Schedule one-on-one meetups with more experienced team members
When set up properly, mentoring can be a frontrunner idea for more confident, competent employees. The most successful mentorships occur when both people have knowledge to share. This can lead to “reversed mentoring,” a scenario where the less experienced employee mentors the more experienced employee for a session or two on a skill he or she possesses that is beneficial to the business.
source:entrepreneur
