A number of years ago, when my chicken coach moved to Texas, she found herself without a rooster and wanted to grow her flock. She had raised Icelandic chickens and was determined to maintain the integrity of her flock. But she was unable to find any of those chickens in Texas. Since I had inherited all of my chickens from her, she asked if I could ship her a rooster. We did the research, and I learned that you can ship live chickens, along with other types of animals.
Of course, it isn’t cheap to ship chickens. They need special boxes with ventilation and dividers. Additionally, the USPS is quite strict about the age of the chickens, the day of the week they are shipped, and the shipping method. In the end, you could sum up the expense with “I hope these chickens lay the golden egg.”
I try not to think about the stress those chickens endured during their travels. The box is dark, food is limited to carrots and cucumbers, and I’m sure they were tossed around some during their trip. And then all of a sudden, they find themselves in a new environment that is totally foreign to them: new chickens to establish a pecking order with, a different coop, a different run, new food, and new owners.
I wonder if that is how some employees feel when they start a new job. It is a new environment, new co-workers, a new culture, a new manager, and a lack of clarity about what success looks like.
When you are hiring, do you consider the situation from the new employee’s perspective as they enter your company? Are you prepared for them – including technology, team introductions, a schedule for the first 30 days, and enough of your time and attention so they feel valued? In my own experience, I’ve often found myself too busy to properly greet a new employee and would assign them to someone else so I could continue putting out immediate fires around me.
One of my clients has their new hires start on Tuesdays because Mondays are often unpredictable, and they want the new hire to have a great first day.
Onboarding employees should go beyond the first day or the first week. The process helps them understand what is expected of them during the first 30, 60, and 90 days. It provides clarity so they know what success looks like as they come up to speed. And it provides a roadmap for employees as they assimilate into your environment and your culture.
So, let me ask you – how is your onboarding process? Are you putting your best foot forward when a new employee walks into your company? Are you providing clarity on what is expected as they gain experience and knowledge of your organization? Or are you just letting them “wing it” as they navigate the complexities of your organization?
I’d encourage you to slow down and review your process from your new employee’s perspective. If you don’t like what you see, reach out to me. I’d be happy to share what I’ve done in the past (after I saw the errors of my ways) and other tips I’ve learned from working with entrepreneurial companies.