The first 100 days

Managing New Employees

Smart managers know that the first 100 days in a new job are critical.  They virtually set the tone for a new employee's entire working life with your organisation!

Handled well, their early experiences during this time - when they are feeling most insecure and vulnerable - will generate the confidence and enthusiasm that will quickly enable them to become effective members of your team. 

Handled poorly, doubt sets in, enthusiasm wanes and they either become just another worker with their own agenda, or they start looking for somewhere else that they'd rather be.

You spend a lot of time finding the right employees, and it's not all that hard to make sure the first 100 days go well for them.  It just takes a little thought and preparation to make them feel welcome and appreciated right from Day One:

Provide a clean, well-equipped workspace

There's nothing more dispiriting than arriving in a new workplace and having to clear out the debris left by the previous occupant.

Check that they are familiar with your software programs

The new person may be embarrassed to admit that they are not immediately able to find their way around your software because it is different from what they are used to.  Training may also be necessary in the way you handle computer files and internet/intranet communications.

Introduce them to their new work colleagues on the very first day

And make sure that your existing team members already know when the new person is starting, what their name is and what their job will be.

Be available and approachable, especially in the first few days

If you don’t have time yourself, appoint a mentor - preferably a well-established staff member with the attitudes and values that you want to foster in the new person.

Provide informal encouragement from time to time

Simple statements in passing, like 'You seem to be settling in well' or 'Well done, you're really getting the hang of things now' will help the new person to feel that you are pleased with their progress and that you are aware of them without watching their every move.

Welcome as many questions as they want to ask

New employees can feel very awkward about asking simple questions, and will be especially reluctant to ask the same question twice!  Let them know that you expect lots of questions and that you view questions as a healthy sign of their willingness to learn.

Watch for any change in attitude

Arriving later, overstaying the lunch hour, even just going quiet and not asking questions any more, can be signals that something has changed.  Check it out.  It's much better to get straight on to any problems that may arise than let them fester and turn an enthusiastic newcomer into a disappointed person already wondering if they have made a mistake and should move on.

And finally …

It can be quite an eye-opener to ask your new employee for feedback after their first couple of months.  New people will see your organisation quite differently and may have some very valuable ideas for improving systems and achieving greater efficiencies in the way things are done!