INTERNATIONAL PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (IPMA) GUIDELINES

Hiring a new employee? Business coach Peter Cairo says it’s in your best interest to help your investment survive the critical transition period.

So, after months of blood, sweat, and tears—and thousands of dollars in recruiting costs—you’ve filled that critical position in your department. Now that your "secret weapon" is setting up his office you can finally relax and pat yourself on the back for a job well done . . . right? Wrong! The real work has only begun. It’s up to you to help him navigate the often choppy waters of his next phase: the transition period.

This is the point at which too many organizations drop the ball, says Peter Cairo, executive coach and partner of CDR International. And that makes poor financial sense. After all, you’ve invested too much money in your new employee to just throw him in the deep end of the pool and let him "sink or swim."

"Most organizations recognize the fact that people need help managing the transition period, but they don’t give it a commensurate level of attention," he explains. "They may offer an orientation period that’s focused on trivialities like where to find the key to the men’s or ladies’ room! The issues that really matter are often ignored . . . but the employer who really wants his or her new hire to succeed will address them directly and immediately."

Furthermore, he adds, every type of new employee needs transition support—not just "outsiders" brought in from a different organization. This applies to transferred individuals, the person promoted from another department, even the individual contributor who is given a new management responsibilities.

"People tend to assume, "Oh, Steve’s done an outstanding job in his old position for the past five years so he’ll step up to the plate", says Cairo. "But that’s often a flawed assumption. There can be tremendous cultural differences from one division to another, the people one must network with can be very different and managing people after years of being responsible for only your own results poses tremendous challenges. The amount of support needed will vary depending on where the new hire came from, but the steps are basically the same."

Seven Ways to Help Your New Employee Make the Transition

1. Clarify your expectations up front.

Don’t assume your new employee knows exactly what he’s been hired to do. He doesn’t, and he may not feel comfortable asking. You should take the initiative in bringing up the subject. Many organizations provide a written job description, but even the most thorough document invariably leaves something out. Go over your expectations point-by-point and make sure your new hire understands and is comfortable with them.

2. Don’t assume qualifications equal success.

Just because an employee is well-qualified doesn’t mean she will take to the new job like a duck to water. She may be tremendously strong in one area (i.e., planning) but weaker in another area (i.e., communication) that’s just as critical to success in her new job. Watch for signs of weakness and begin coaching her right away on how to solve these problems.

3. Spell out important points about goals and organizational dynamics.

Have a thorough discussion with your new hire about goals and organization culture. Be sure to cover "big picture" topics like overall strategy and projections. Never assume he already knows the basics, even if he’s coming from another department. Knowledge and culture differ from department to department. It’s better to address these issues up front than to assume your new hire will ask about them or pick them up through trial and error (which can be dangerous!).

4. Help her nuture her network..

Nobody works in a vacuum! That’s why you should have a frank discussion with your new employee about the individuals who will affect her new job. Be sure to identify direct reports, subordinates, major customers, and others. Her success will likely hinge on her ability to form a strong business network. Be up front about relationships with these key people

5. Be honest about potential pitfalls and past mistakes.

Most organizations aren’t good at talking about their failures. But often these are the most valuable learning experiences of all! Talk to your new hire about former employees who quit or were fired and explain what went wrong and why. If necessary, review your notes from past exit interviews. What’s that? You don’t hold exit interviews? Start now. Organizations that don’t learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them.

6. Hold regular assimilation reviews.

Common wisdom says the "honeymoon period" lasts six months. During that time you should hold regular meetings with your new hire—say, once a month—to discuss his new job, review his early performance and ask for feedback. Knowing this meeting is on the horizon will help both of you to stay focused on the success of his transition. . . and ultimately, his success as a valuable, contributing employee.

7. Make coaching resources available before there’s a crisis.

"Finding good employees is too difficult—and too expensive—to let one go without a fight," Cairo declares. "Make it your personal goal to work side by side with your new hire until he learns the ropes and establishes credibility within the organization. Do whatever you have to do to help your new hire thrive during the critical transition period and I guarantee your efforts will pay off in the long run."

CDR International, Inc. is a leading global provider of in-house executive education, coaching, and consulting projects. The firm is coordinated by Richard Aldersea, CEA, and manager by its three founding partners. David Dotlich, Peter Cairo, and Stephen Rhinesmith.