If realistic expectations are not established between you and your new employee a state of mutual mystification will result whereby neither of you will have a clear understanding of what to expect from the other.
To begin the employment relationship in a state of mutual mystification is analogous to Forrest Gump’s comments about the box of chocolates, “You never know what you’re gonna get.” This can lead to fear, confusion, anxiety, and frustration on the part of your new employee, which can produce a lack of commitment and effort. Without the proper commitment and effort, failure is assured and turnover will result.
Recruitment onboarding elements
Therefore, to eliminate this potential problem, you must ensure that your new employee has realistic expectations about the following five key elements of their employment:
1. Income potential
This is an area of great exaggeration by many owners and managers. You must paint a realistic picture, based on your firm’s billings history. Not only should you provide the candidate with a realistic picture of the income potential but more importantly, you must provide them with a sense for the earnings timetable, based on activity generated.
2. Training
You should provide specifics on the philosophy, structure, content, and timetable of your firm’s training program. Also, detail the options available for ongoing training and skill development. This is an area where there tends to be a major gap between the new employee’s expectation and that of the owner/manager. Many times, what the owner/manager considers training, the new employee views as nothing more than an orientation. In an upcoming article, we will discuss the specifics of how to develop and implement a performance based training program.
3. Performance standards
These are the objective measurements used to evaluate the performance of your new employee. Therefore, in order for your new employee to know “how” they are doing, they must know “how” they are measured. In our next article, we will discuss how to establish, monitor and manage your organization through the use of performance standards.
4. Operating style
Your new employee must understand your operating style and how you will interface with them on a daily basis, what they can and cannot expect from you in terms of direction, problem solving and on-going support.
5. Pertinent developments
Surprises are great at birthday parties, but your employees should not have to function in an atmosphere of surprise management. People need to know “what’s going on,” particularly if it has a direct impact on them. Therefore, ensure that your new employee is up-to-date on everything in your firm, including people that may influence his or her view of you, your company and their opportunity.
Psychologists have shown that most people have an innate fear of the unknown. In circumstances of mutual mystification and a lack of realistic expectations, this fear can grow to the point of frustration or panic where a fight of flight response can result. Do not let this happen with your new employee.
Remember: The greatest disappointments in life are generally the result of expectations not being in line with reality.
The first 90 to 120 days are critical in establishing the foundation for a productive long-term employment relationship. During the hiring process, provide your candidates with a realistic view of what to expect from you and your company, if they join your firm. By doing this, you will not only facilitate their decision making process but you will build the foundation for reality-based expectations.
Although, in and by itself, this will not guarantee success, it still remains an important component of a contract staffing strategy designed to decrease turnover and increase profits.
Recruitment onboarding: train your hires!
Top Echelon offers a free monthly webinar as part of its Recruiter Coaching Series. After the webinars are over, we post the recorded version of the webinars in our Recruiter Training Library. These webinars touch upon a variety of recruiter-related topics. These topics deal with both candidates and clients. As always, our goal with these webinars (and corresponding videos) is to help recruiters make more placements.
In addition to training and webinars, Top Echelon offers other recruitment solutions. These solutions include the following:
- Big Biller applicant tracking software
- Top Echelon split fee recruiting network
For more information about Top Echelon and the products and services that it offers, visit the Top Echelon website by clicking here.
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Terry Petra is one of the recruiting industry’s leading trainers and business consultants. A Certified Personnel Consultant since 1975 and a Certified International Personnel Consultant since 1989, Petra has extensive experience as a producer, manager, and trainer in all areas of professional search, including retainer, contingency, and contract, as well as clerical/office support and temporary. For more information about his services, visit his website or call 651.738.8561.