Recruiting a new member of staff for your growing business can be a really exciting time, but it’s something that you should definitely consider carefully before you rush into taking action.
One of the key challenges that you’re going to face is ensuring that your new recruit is welcomed into your existing team without any significant teething problems.
Now of course, some of the basics can be covered by exercising a little common sense and forward planning. You probably don’t need us to tell you that your new member of staff will need to be able to log in to the computers, access your policies, understand their terms of employment, and know where they need to go if they want to grab a sandwich or use the bathroom.
There are wider considerations that need to be made though, and whilst they’re often pretty simple, they’re easy to overlook. Here, we’ll explain more.
Be sure to brief your staff on the changes
Before your new member of staff starts work, hold a briefing with the existing team so they know what’s happening. Explain a little about the role that your new recruit will be carrying out and how that fits into the bigger picture. Too many problems occur simply because there has been a lack of communication, so make sure that you keep everyone updated and involved.
It might be the case that you’re asked questions about how the changes could impact on existing roles. Staff may be concerned that they’ll no longer be able to work overtime, for example. Be prepared for questions of this nature, and try to provide detailed and honest answers wherever possible.
Know who has responsibility for the induction
If it’s one of your line managers who will have overall responsibility for your new employee, you need to make sure that they’re capable and willing to step into that role and really own it. Having someone who will oversee the induction process, ensure that any necessary boxes are ticked, and solve any problems that might occur is the only way to stay organised.
In practical terms, the induction is of course likely to involve a varied cross-section of the team. There may be some job shadowing carried out, for example, or you might decide that it’s a good idea to ‘buddy up’ new employees with more experienced members of staff.
Carry out regular check-ins with your new employee
Getting to grips with a new role can be a big challenge. It’s likely that your new employee will have a lot to learn over the coming weeks and months. You might traditionally carry out formal performance discussions once every 6 or 12 months, but you really shouldn’t wait this long. Make sure that conversations are taking place regularly,
Bear in mind that appraisals, formal or otherwise, aren’t just about telling someone where they need to make improvements. They’re about supporting the individual so they can reach their full potential, listening to their thoughts and concerns, and developing an action plan to get them to where they need to be.
Recruiting staff, and everything that goes with it, can be extremely daunting. As with all things though, you become much more confident with a little experience and a good plan to stick to.
If you’re looking to build your workforce and you feel like you’d benefit from working with a professional to ensure that you get things right, then give us a call today.