Training a new employee is oftentimes not given the importance that it deserves. New recruits are usually given a generic packet of information about the company and it usually fails to provide them with the specifics of what is expected of them. They are then left to hit the ground running as they try to cope with the group or department that they are thrust into.
This leaves new employees confused and unable to function efficiently from day one. It usually takes them a couple of days or weeks to get into the same grind as everyone else around them. As this adjustment is made, precious time and opportunities are wasted in the company.
You can avoid this by creating an online training program that will give new recruits with what they really need to function immediately in the company. Here are some tips that you can follow to help your new employees.
- Describe the culture and values within the company. Start with the culture that the employee should expect from the company and the values that are expected of them. Do not just give the employee a history of the company and photos of the office. This will give them a background of the business, but it will not equip them of what is necessary. They need to understand how the existing pool of talents act within the office so they can decide how they can be just as productive – or even more. They need something that will help them function with the right mindset.
- Be clear about expectations. For instance, are they expected to keep communication open even during weekends? There are people who frown upon this practice, but there are jobs that will require them to be very committed to their careers. You need to be upfront about this by simply describing the work culture in the company. This knowledge will allow the employee to get a glimpse of what their work life will be like while they are staying with the company. This is just as necessary as the company rules and policies.
- Stress the importance of their behavior and in effect, performance. Concentrating on productivity during a training program is the wrong approach. Instead of stressing how important it is to be productive, you should train the behavior and performance of employees. If you shape their work behavior – productivity will follow. Work on the important skills that will help them perform well in the company When you shape their behavior, employees are not only productive, they will also learn how to deal with mistakes efficiently. Trust that mistakes will happen every now and then. That is expected and the reality of life. You need to give them the resources that will not only keep this from happening but also allow them to get up in case it does.
- Try to make the training personal. This may be tough especially for big companies but keep in mind the new employees that you will train. An effective course should be able to connect to the employees on a personal level. To make it personal, the course should site real life examples, tell relevant stories and create simulations that employees can relate to. This will not only make the course more valuable, it will also allow employees to use their learnings in the future.
These tips should be able to help you create an online training program that new recruits will really benefit from. If you do this correctly, you will not only help the new employees get the information that they need. The course should also be able to help them feel welcome as they start their work in the company.
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