How to convert new hires into successful employees?
Onboard and engaged!
There’s no doubt that the first days of a new job are important – but do we understand just how critical these initial days are?
Research indicates that staff turnover can often occur within the first 45 days of employment. And this is an expensive loss, estimated to cost the organisation at least three times the individual’s salary.
Over the past two decades research has repeatedly shown that when new employee ‘onboarding’ is done correctly, it leads to higher job satisfaction, increased engagement, lower turnover, improved performance, career effectiveness and lowered stress.
Many of our clients use Everything DiSC assessments to support their onboarding programmes, seeking the benefits of consistency and accuracy that our profiles deliver.
Some organisations find it helps establish confidence to offer the kind of self-assessment that’s designed to encourage the new colleague to think about their uniqueness and strengths and how these map on to their role. Research published in MIT’s Sloan Management Review indicates that whilst most onboarding programmes are designed to get new colleagues to conform, the better approach is to encourage them to retain their authenticity and ‘signature strengths’.
Everyone works in teams, groups, and departments, and getting along with co-workers is paramount for the long-term success of new hires.
Everything DiSC assessments don’t just tell you the respondent’s behavioural style. You get information on their behavioural strengths, how they communicate and make decisions, and what motivates and demotivates them. In short, everything you need to communicate effectively and create clear performance expectations.
Everything DiSC is a powerful tool in onboarding.
It delivers a unique experience to new hires. When the manager is willing to share their own information, it shows a genuine interest in the employee and in the employee’s success, creating a sense of openness and trust from the very beginning.
When DiSC is part of your common language and culture, it creates a safe and well-defined framework which helps new hires integrate quicker and feel part of the organisation. Complimentary team maps clearly show the DiSC styles of all the members of a team, so they can all understand each other better.
As new hires begin to understand DiSC, they become more self-aware, and are more likely to value the similarities and differences of their teammates. In addition, they understand the need to modify their own style, when the situation calls for it.
The reports show how the new employee will probably behave in many situations, so you have the tools to easily recognise when the employee is under stress, for example. You may be able to head off the stress situation proactively because you don’t have to guess when they are feeling uncomfortable – you have the information, right there.
When a manager can talk about their own behavioural style to a new hire, it expresses a deep self-confidence. They are not afraid to share the fact that they are constantly trying to improve. Also, it sets the expectation that the new hire needs to improve as well.
