Culture in the workplace: What you need to do to promote a positive culture internally including expectations

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There’s no question that over time employees’ desires and demands when it comes to work have evolved and will continue to evolve as the future of work changes. This has become more apparent over the last two years.

Every individual has a different reason for working and people work because the workplace provides something they need. The challenge for organisations is whether we can keep up and give every employee what they need from work.

Employers are presented with a wide range of approaches to what employees want but are we missing the fundamental core of what retains and engages people.

  • As an employer, when it comes to attracting and retaining staff do we truly understand what each employee wants from our organisation?
  • Do we know what truly motivates each individual when it comes to work?
  • Have we adapted to everyone to ensure they feel our loyalty?

Organisations might have generous perks, social events etc. but rather than focusing on the artificial elements we need to remember that a healthy culture is the differentiator that attracts and retains great employees as well as clients and customers.

Organisational culture is important for retention

Your organisational culture is the foundation of everything your business does and also for recruiting as indicated by a recent study by Glassdoor and reported in Business News Daily:

“when searching for a new job, 77% of respondents said they would consider a company’s culture before applying.” Additionally, culture has a significant role in retaining top talent, according to Glassdoor and Business News Daily, “65% of respondents said their company’s culture was a main reason for staying.”

As indicated by these results, for many employees it’s not all about the financial incentives and perks a business may offer. People want to work with organisations that have a defined set of values, mission, vision, beliefs and goals and are renowned for being an awesome place to work.

“If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.” Simon Sinek

Culture and onboarding new staff

Expanding your workforce can be a challenge for most business owners but at the same time, rewarding if it works out.

For effective onboarding and management of your new employee, it’s important for businesses to include aspects of culture in their onboarding program so new starters can engage and feel like part of the team even before their first day. Creating experiences which welcome them personally to participate in delivering on your organisation’s promises will have a positive effect on their productivity and wellbeing.

A survey conducted by SHRM Foundation found, after both operational and cultural onboarding, 92% of new starters felt like productive contributors to their organisation.

Ensure your new starter understands the core values of your organisation and create experiences for them to deliver on your organisation’s promises. Highlight your culture from the space they work in, to the resources they use, through to the interactions they have with others.

From the decisions you make about your new starter’s remuneration, training, cultural leadership, career development and performance management, the choices you make reflect the attitude you bring to the table. Creating an employee-centric culture will determine the quality of talent you can attract and retain for the long term.

Build your culture with effective communication

Employee engagement will only continue to increase if your people are provided clarity, certainty and a clear direction on where the organisation is headed. Effective communication underpins a positive workplace culture. Poorly executed communication can cause employees to endure an unsatisfactory work experience, leading to a whole host of problems with morale, productivity and, in some cases, customer satisfaction.

If you want to keep your people engaged and build a positive workplace culture, consider the following questions:

  • Do your employees know and understand the business goals and vision?
  • Is their work meaningful and contributes to the business goals?
  • Are there opportunities to include them more in the future planning of the business?
  • Are leaders equipped to have regular conversations with their employees and answer questions they may have on sensitive subjects such as job security, work arrangements and are we requesting feedback from them?
  • Are we providing regular communication to employees on how the business is doing and business goals?
  • Are we giving them the space and time to do their job at their full potential despite the current situations with the pandemic and other external social or environmental factors?
  • Are we recognising employees’ efforts and providing enough development opportunities?

The resources below can also help you further with effective team communication:

  • Read our article on ‘Strategies for Effective Team Communication: Why is it important?” here.
  • Grab our Team Communication Checklist, to help you build the communication channels that work best for you and your team here.

Culture in Hybrid work models

Many workplaces have seen culture shifts due to new flexible working arrangements, in particular, hybrid work models. Some of these shifts have been positive and others, with the sudden shift to remote work in 2020, have impacted even the strongest workplace cultures.

If you are planning on making flexible working arrangements permanent, leaders will need to work on strategies to build or maintain a positive workplace culture. With the right approach, a positive culture can still thrive in a hybrid work model.

It’s important to:

  • Collect and be open to receiving feedback from your employees so you can look to improve the employee experience and why someone has chosen to still work remotely.
  • Be sure to have channels for open communication and ensuring all team members are up to date with latest business decisions.
  • Change/update policy and procedures to support a hybrid work model. This will help with consistency and fairness. Some of these changes may include establishing key hours for when everyone is in the office together, to allow for some face-to-face interaction.
  • Be proactive in making sure leaders are accessible and visible and your employees feel connected and engaged with their team as well as the company purpose.
  • Continue to provide individual learning and development for each of your employees and adjust these to suit the individual’s flexible working arrangements.
  • Provide training to Managers on how to engage and facilitate in a hybrid work model.
  • Allow for opportunities for your employees to connect socially with their team and people in other areas of the business.

Maintaining culture isn’t easy. However, putting frameworks and measures in place will keep you on track to building a positive culture now and for the future.

Promote your culture internally

Being proactive and making sure you have strategies in place to effectively promote your culture internally will support you on your path to developing a positive culture.

Here are some tips to maintain and/or build your culture:

  • Effectively communicate and be clear on your mission, vision and values especially in this changing environment and make sure your people understand how they contribute to these as individuals.
  • Provide channels for open communication, feedback and opportunities for social interactions. This also means regularly communicating any relevant news about the overall business and industry and reminders of the mission, vision and values your people are working too.
  • Make sure your people have clear goals to work towards and establish policies to effectively recognise and reward them. Creating an environment where your people feel valued and rewarding positive behaviour will go a long way to maintaining a positive workplace culture.
  • Leaders/business owners need to ‘lead by example’ by showing appreciation for others and behaviour that is consistent with the values. Leaders also need to set expectations on behaviour and how people need to respectfully treat each other.
  • Prioritise employee mental health and wellbeing and promote your programs through communication channels.
  • Valuing and promoting the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce establishes a work environment that respects and includes differences, while recognising the unique contributions all individuals can make. Create opportunities where your people can connect socially through events that are chosen by employees or other ways out of the normal work routines. Establish a culture that encourages innovation and supporting your diverse teams through understanding and acceptance.

Prioritise developing your culture

A business with a focus on culture will go a long way to attracting and retaining the best and right fit talent. It has also been said many business leaders see a link between a positive culture and profitability.

Over the last two years, an organisation’s culture has truly been tested and will probably never be the same as it was before. Over time, culture has proven to help businesses through a crisis. It’s during these times where we need to look at different ways to engage our people, strengthen organisational culture and manage the uncertainty where possible.

If you would like guidance on how you can promote a positive culture internally in your business, book a free 30-minute consultation with Catie here. 

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How to Increase Employee Engagement in your Workplace

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A consistent, motivating, and rewarding remuneration and incentives program is key to improving employee engagement and retention. For many people, money is not always the key motivator. Other incentives that go hand in hand with remuneration can validate your employees’ choice to work for your company. A business that recognises this will attract and retain great talent who value their role and contribution.

Why is employee engagement important?

Since 2020, businesses in every industry have experienced enormous changes. Now, two years later, we need to look at different ways to engage our people, strengthen company culture and manage any uncertainty felt by our employees.

In her Quantum Workplace article, Natalie Wickham defines employee engagement as:

‘The strength of the mental and emotional connection employees feel toward the work they do, their teams, and their organization.’

Retention and engagement are more important than ever before – for your people and your business. Wickham goes on to define and explore 14 benefits of an engaged workforce as:

  1. Increased employee safety
  2. Better employee health
  3. Happier employees
  4. Greater employee satisfaction
  5. Better home life
  6. Lower absenteeism
  7. Higher retention
  8. Greater employee loyalty
  9. Better customer service
  10. Higher quality products and services
  11. Greater productivity
  12. Higher sales
  13. Higher profitability
  14. Higher stock price

Ways to strengthen employee engagement

Employee engagement is dependent on providing your staff with:

  • clarity
  • certainty
  • a clear direction for the company and themselves.

Consider the following questions:

  • Do your employees know and understand your business goals and vision?
  • Is their work meaningful and contributes to the business goals?
  • Are there opportunities to include your staff in future planning?
  • Are your leaders equipped to have regular conversations with their employees about job security, work arrangements and other sensitive topics?
  • Do you provide regular communication to your employees about your business performance and development?
  • Do your staff have the space and time to do their job at their full potential?
  • Do you recognise your employees’ efforts and provide suitable opportunities for development?

Once you have worked through these questions, you are well on your way to establishing the types of benefits that will improve your employee engagement and support your overall business culture.

Employee wellbeing is a primary focus of Future of Work

It is vital that the benefits you offer your employees reflect your company culture, and provide the opportunity to become more engaged and motivated.

A recent Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) report cites that:

‘85% of workers report that their wellbeing had declined throughout the various lockdowns’

and that,

‘More than one-third of workers (37%) consider their employer the main source of mental health support.’ 

Engagement benefits must work to create:

  • Social connection
  • Safe spaces for personal needs
  • Greater workplace flexibility
  • A focus on work/life balance and overall wellbeing
  • The opportunity to develop interpersonal skills for leaders and staff

Examples of perks / benefits you can offer your employees

Praise and Celebrate

Consistently acknowledge and celebrate the effort and successes of your employees. Show them how their work contributes to the overall success of their area, and the business as a whole. A ‘thank you’ goes a long way to increasing an employee’s sense of fulfillment.

Tools / Resources

Invest in the right technology, tools, and resources to enable your team to do their job safely and successfully.

Connect and Communicate 

Now more than ever, leaders must be as transparent as possible to provide support to their people. Creating connections by opening the lines of communication for a two-way conversation, shifts the employee/employer relationship into a positive space.

Focus on Wellbeing

Develop a wellbeing culture that promotes health and wellness across all aspects of your employee’s lives – not just at work.

Include inclusive programs that help reduce stress, promote good nutrition and exercise, and support your employees’ physical, mental and spiritual health.

Simple changes to your work environment can also help to improve the engagement and health of your staff. Tess Taylor states in ‘The Balance Careers’:

‘Today’s employees are looking for the entire package when it comes to their work experience. Companies that take the time to improve the work environment with soft seating arrangements, collaborative workstations, pleasant artwork, lighting and live plants are going to find that this translates to happier employees.’

Flexibility

A workplace that creates mobile-friendly, off-site or hybrid work options, can be a great way to improve employee engagement and retention.

Parental leave may be a priority for some employees, while a competitive bonus structure may appeal to others.

The option of additional unpaid leave may assist staff members with family overseas, particularly as travel becomes possible once again.

If it is possible, providing complimentary childcare can reduce parental stress and improve happiness.

Training and Development

Learning and Professional Development is a major boost to employee engagement and productivity.

Clear career development paths and on-the-job training programs are a great way to provide your employees with growth opportunities at no cost to them.

Financial Rewards

These can be in the form of profit sharing, stock ownership, bonus or incentive programs.

A well-structured and focused Leadership and Development team will help you explore your options to determine the most suitable perks / benefits for your workplace. By using the framework of staff retention and engagement as the core principles, you can develop your internal structure and workplace environment to provide the appropriate support, remuneration and incentives to increase employee happiness, satisfaction and wellbeing in these uncertain times.

If you are looking for ways to further increase your employee engagement, book in a free 30-minute consultation here.

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Strategies for Effective Team Communication: Why is it important?

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Staff retention is one of greatest challenges we face in business today. Ineffective communication is a primary cause of employee turnover. Developing clear lines of communication throughout a business will improve employee engagement, leading to an increase in overall productivity, retention, creativity, and more effective client and supplier interactions.  

So, how do we, as leaders, successfully connect with our teams and keep them informed about our business activities through clear and purposeful communication? 

In our post-pandemic world, with so many people still working from home, it is crucial that all businesses understand how to effectively manage employee communication. Although every workplace has its unique challenges, there are important factors to consider that will help you improve communication with your team members. 

 An Informed Employee is an Engaged Employee 

When a team member understands what is going on, what is expected of them, and why, they become more:  

  • Closely involved with business updates 
  • Dedicated 
  • Loyal 
  • Productive 
  • Closely aligned with the overall strategy.  

Informed employees better understand their role within the business and are more able to execute their assigned tasks because they have access to the information they need, no matter where they are. 

Challenges to Workplace Communication 

There are many challenges to the creation and maintenance of effective written and verbal communication.  

These include:  

  • Inconsistency in communication  
  • Reliance on technology (no face-to-face communication) 
  • Assuming the audience understands the jargon 
  • Not listening to your team 
  • Not making communication a leadership function 

Consider your business – how do these five factors play out in your work environment? 

Don’t Assume that Everyone is Skillful in Communication 

Assuming that everyone in your workplace can communicate effectively is a damaging notion.  

Some leaders lack the capability to communicate well and are unable to help others express themselves. On the flipside, employees may feel awkward when they are asked to express opinions, especially in front of more senior staff. Also, some leaders simply may not have the skills to sensitively facilitate staff involvement. 

Communication Channels 

While all communication channels have their merits, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.  

You will need to consider the challenges of your particular business environment and explore what works best. It may take some trial and error – so be open to feedback and review what is, and isn’t, working, then make any necessary adjustments.   

Success in communication comes from knowing how to pass on different types of information to the members of your team. 

  • Reduce the number of communication channels: Making information available in one place (if possible) makes the process more manageable for everyone. The more places your team must look, the more frustrating it can be, and the more likely they are to miss something.  
  • Consider who you are talking to and the outcome you need to achieve: If you are communicating a quick update that is relevant to everyone, a mass email or intranet post may be fine. If you are announcing a major change, you may need to use a more targeted, hands-on approach.

Again, determining what best suits the needs of your business, staff, and relevant timeframes will help you work out the most effective way to share all necessary information with your team. 

Building Connection – Team Meetings 

Every business has its own team rhythm and ways of working. A well-organised plan of daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings helps to keep everyone aligned and accountable. 

  • Annual Planning Meeting (Owner and Senior Leaders): The purpose of the annual planning meeting is to align the team’s priorities for the year ahead to move the business closer to achieving their 3-5-year plan. 
  • Quarterly Meeting (Leaders): This is to determine how you will accomplish the annual plan and move the business forward. Generally held as a one-day meeting, the goal is to set up a road map for the next quarter that supports, focuses and motivates the team.  
  • Monthly Meeting (Leaders): A well-managed monthly management meeting should focus on learning, sharing and problem-solving. This provides a great opportunity to share the load and develop your upcoming business leaders in line with your succession plan. 
  • Weekly Meeting (Team): The weekly meeting keeps your team focused and accountable in execution of the priorities set out in your quarterly plan. 
  • Daily Huddle (Everyone): The daily huddle is a 5–15 minute catch up! This enables your entire team to be informed and aligned on the work that needs to be done. 

Communication through Difficult Conversations 

Difficult conversations are a normal part of life and need to be addressed in an open and constructive way. 

Many people put off uncomfortable conversations in the hope that the problem either fixes itself or disappears. This approach can have a damaging effect, particularly regarding how employees feel within their workplace. People want to feel heard, especially when they face uncertain circumstances such as created by the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Many employees have felt unsure about the direction of their workplace and worried about whether their roles will continue to exist. 

Preparation is the Key for Leaders and Managers 

Go into the meeting with a very clear understanding of the problem you are trying to solve. Before starting a difficult conversation, ask yourself these questions: 

  • Am I prepared? 
  • What information do I need from the employee? 
  • How do I think the employee will react?  
  • Do I have a clear understanding of the problem and outcome I want to achieve from this conversation?  
  • What solutions can I propose to resolve the matter?  
  • What would I like the employee to feel and do? 

Taking the time to prepare fully for your meeting will help you define any underlying issues and ensure your communication is clear and concise. 

It’s important to have the right communication mechanisms in place to build relationships and impart knowledge of common goals, listen and engage with team members, and to manage any issues and emerging risks. Poorly executed communication can cause employees to endure an unsatisfactory work experience, leading to a whole host of problems with morale, productivity and, in some cases, customer satisfaction. By focusing on providing the best possible communication to employees, you will ensure your team stays well informed with everything they need to perform their jobs at the highest level.  

Do you have the necessary communication strategies in place to drive and maintain team accountability and performance? Grab a copy of the checklist on ‘Team Communication’ in my HR Resources library here.

 

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Building Resilience: How HR Psychology can support Wellbeing in the Workplace

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Resilience helps us cope when times are tough. The world events of the last two years have been incredibly difficult; they have taken a significant toll on our safety, security, and overall wellbeing. As such, it’s crucial that workplaces help their teams build a ‘toolkit’ of resilience-related skills that they can draw on for support. Just like any other skill or behaviour, becoming resilient involves training, development of positive daily routines, and on-going maintenance. HR consultants and business leaders are perfectly placed to assist their employees in the practice of resilience.   

Why Build Resilience? 

Humans have a natural capacity for resilience.  

However, we sometimes need direction to help us understand the factors that impede it, particularly when work environments go through periods of change. ‘Doing the work’ to develop positive daily routines does not have to be hard – we are all capable of setting realistic and achievable goals that help us achieve success in our work and personal lives. 

Where to start? 

There are many factors that affect our ability to be resilient.  

From a psychological perspective, we are influenced by our individual thoughts and beliefs and inter-personal relationships, not to mention a plethora of community, societal, cultural, and environmental elements. However, positive change most often begins when we become aware of our individual thought patterns and inner beliefs.  

Negativity, fear, stress, and anxiety are all normal feelings, but they do not have to dictate your behaviour. It is possible to change your outlook. 

Create Good Habits 

Creating good, beneficial habits takes persistence.  

Leaders, Human Resources teams, and employees may already have many tools to help them navigate change, stress, and anxiety. But bringing these into your workplace consciousness allows support to become ingrained at a grass roots level. Helping your staff to develop resilience-building habits, and creating a culture of support and understanding, takes time and effort which are well worth the rewards. 

Build your Resilience Bank Account 

Adding to your resilience account is making an investment in yourself.  

Like your financial bank account, you have the opportunity to make resilience ‘debits and credits’ – but remember that both are cumulative. Being aware of ‘debits’ – the thoughts and behaviours that chip away at your strength and ability to move forward – helps you to combat them. Intentionally building your resilience ‘credits’ give you a strong basis and the courage to make change, keep going, and tackle the tough moments when they arise. 

Encourage your Staff to make Resilience Deposits: 

  • Identify and use their strengths 
  • Do something nice for someone 
  • Volunteer in the community 
  • Include time for ‘fun’ in their day 

Make Friends with your Imposter 

Your inner imposter can damage your resilience.  

Your beliefs drive your behaviours 

Unhelpful thoughts of not being good enough, capable enough, or worthy enough affect your performance, and your health. Self-doubt is a pattern that repeats, time and again, until it becomes automatic. 

Making friends with your imposter combats the negative beliefs that tend to become more vocal when you are under stress. Consciously tell your imposter to quiet down and remind them that you are deserving of your achievements and any recognition you receive. Take the credit for your hard work and efforts. 

Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset 

Becoming aware of any limiting thoughts and beliefs, then challenging them, switches your psychology from a ‘fixed mindset’ to one of growth. This is where you can make change and create good habits that will serve you well in the workplace.  

A Growth Mindset increases productivity, creates motivation, and improves relationships 

  • Think about the positive words you can use to change your mindset 
  • Think about your beliefs, and work out how to make them constructive  
  • ‘Yet’ is a powerful word to create the space for change; ‘I haven’t done that’ is different to ‘I’m yet to achieve that.’ 

The Secret to ‘Taking Action’ 

People can talk themselves out of anything. The longer you wait to do something, the greater the odds are that you will never actually achieve it.  

The secret to ‘taking action’ is moving before the convincing voice in your head sabotages your motivation.

Overthinking, overplanning and procrastination are excuses to not take action. To move forwards, go with what you know is the ‘right thing’ to do without overthinking, or giving yourself time to talk yourself out of it.

Build Resilience with Mel Robbins’ 5 Second Rule 

This is a quick and easy tool for staff to implement in their daily routines. 

‘The 5 Second Rule is simple.  If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds, or your brain will kill it. The moment you feel an instinct or a desire to act on a goal or a commitment, use the Rule.’  

  • Think about your life in five-second windows.  
  • The moment you began to hesitate about something, count down from ‘5,4,3,2,1’ . This stops the flow of negative thoughts.   
  • Then move! Step into action!  

They key to create the change you desire is to use the five-second window in conjunction with the clarity to tune into your skills and experiences.  

Worry, procrastination, and self-doubt are all habits that damage resilience. But you can use science to break them – it all comes back to those five-second decisions. The next time you criticise yourself, be aware of your imposter-voice, and refuse to repeat the same fixed ideas. 

When you begin to take action every single day, you start to build resilience and see yourself becoming the person you want to be. This gives you the confidence to continue to take action and increase that skill. Even the most successful struggle with self-doubt. But you can learn to change fixed ideas, trust yourself, and make decisions based on a positive mental health psychology that will improve both your workplace performance and personal wellbeing. 

Catie is available for speaking engagements including facilitation of training on HR and leadership related topics. To book, contact Catie on +61 (0) 409 545 634 or catie@catiepaterson.com.au 

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Structured Onboarding and Induction: A Catalyst for Employee Satisfaction, Engagement, and Retention

Recruitment can be an arduous, time-consuming, and costly process. And, when you finally find the ‘right’ person for your organisation, you want them to enjoy their workplace so they choose to stay with you for the long-term, not look elsewhere for job satisfaction and fulfilment. An organised, professional, and positive onboarding experience is a fabulous introduction to your business! Critical in managing and retaining great team members, structured onboarding acts as a catalyst for employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. 

 “Through onboarding, companies enjoy 54% greater productivity from their new hires.” (source: Human Resources Director)

What is a Successful Onboarding Program? 

From an HR perspective, the recruitment and selection process often takes centre stage. But the key to successful integration of your new employee is preparation – before they even begin their first day.  

A comprehensive onboarding program will benefit your entire organisation. It helps your new starter to feel comfortable and invested, and to quickly reach their full potential. A planned, well-managed and smooth transition supports your new staff member, your team, and you! 

Onboarding starts long before your new starter’s first day and continues to their first-year anniversary.

With the new starter experience at the forefront, a good onboarding strategy is overlaid with the foundational role that company culture plays in anchoring the process.  

Develop a Clear and Concise Onboarding Program 

To create a successful workplace environment, ensure your employees are at the centre of everything you do. This starts with onboarding.  

To prepare a structured program: 

-Be aware of the key steps/milestones, and key actions included in these 

-Develop checklists, tools and resources for each step of the onboarding process. This will ensure tasks are not forgotten and reduces stress for both you and your new starter.

-Include other team members required to make the onboarding process successful during each step/milestone 

-Include the four important areas of Culture, Outcomes, Administration and Team in every step of the onboarding process 

-Ensure professional and personal development goals are set and reviewed throughout the timeline

-Plan regular engagement with your new starter to provide support and answer any queries  

-Gather feedback from your new starter’s peers and ‘buddy’ to determine how they are settling into their role and the business 

-Include social experiences so your new starter builds connection with their peers and managers.  

Induction: HR and Beyond 

Traditionally, induction has been driven by compliance; paperwork, forms and ‘ticking the boxes’ are the centre of the program. While this is a key component of onboarding, the experience of your new starter should be at the forefront of this, and any, program you develop for your business.  

Here are some valuable tips to develop a successful onboarding program: 

 –Take the time to explain and answer questions about your company culture and show patience to help your new starter build confidence in their role 

-Create a collective responsibility for the success of your new starter by sharing onboarding duties with their peers 

-Ask current team members about their onboarding experiences to gain insight into the process 

-Don’t overload your new starter with too much paperwork on their first day 

-Prepare simple logistics – set up their workstations/desk and technology needs, and organise their business cards – so everything is ready for their first day 

-Don’t expect your new employee to ‘hit the ground running’. Understand that the time you invest in getting them up to speed is a reflection of the importance of their role. 

Structured Onboarding Supports your Staff from the Start 

People worry about many situations and outcomes when they begin a new role. Whether they join your team onsite, or their work includes more flexible remote structures, they deserve to enjoy a well-crafted welcome. It is important to provide training and orientation experiences which boost their confidence, integration, and productivity – right from the start. 

From a practical onboarding perspective, ensure they are set up in payroll, their equipment is ready, and their emails work. But you also need to consider any social and emotional fears that come hand-in-hand with new beginnings. Onboarding is the perfect opportunity to remove many of their worries and make their transition as smooth as possible.  

Five Phases to Successful Onboarding   

 The onboarding process will be different for every business, depending on the size, workplace structure and culture, and HR policies and procedures already in place. We have developed a five-phase process that assists you to deliver a training and orientation experience that will immediately boost the confidence, productivity, and resilience of your new staff members.  

Create and use your customised system time and again to multiply workplace engagement and productivity across your entire team. 

Phase One: Engage and Prepare  

-Preparation is the key! 

-Ensure you put together all the tools and resources your new starter will require. 

Phase Two: First Day  

-First impressions are vital! The truth is, most new employees decide whether they feel at home in a new job during the first three weeks. 

-Create a positive impression that supports your new staff member through an integrated approach. 

 Phase Three: First Month  

-Your new starter’s success in these first few weeks is central to their investment into the responsibilities of their role and the contribution they can make to fulfilling your company mission. 

-Develop the processes and resources to ensure that your new starter is comfortable, confident, and absolutely clear on how valuable they are to the company. 

 Phase Four: Probation Period  

-The cost of poor onboarding doesn’t just affect your employees, it has huge impacts on your bottom line. 

-Set highly focussed goals for your new starter to achieve during this time. This will create momentum that fuels achievement and engagement. 

 Phase Five: First Anniversary 

-Typically, it takes eight months for a newly hired employee to reach full productivity, yet the average onboarding program lasts only three. 

-Arriving at the one-year mark with your new team member is an achievement worth celebrating! Ensure you celebrate your new starter reaching such a huge milestone, and plan ahead to keep the momentum going. 

-The end of the first year is also a good time to discuss how they feel about their job. This feedback will give you the opportunity to make any necessary adjustments to their position requirements or workplace environment. 

‘I truly believe that onboarding is an art. Each new employee brings with them a potential to achieve and succeed. To lose the energy of a new hire through poor onboarding is an opportunity lost.’ 

Sarah Wetzel, Director of Human Resources at engage: BDR

 Create an effective onboarding experience for your new starters with this FREE Induction and Onboarding Checklist . 

Launching soon – Induction and Onboarding online program to take you through the five-phase process to develop your own customised onboarding system. Contact us to  to find out more.

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8 common mistakes businesses make with recruitment

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We hope that most of the time we get our recruitment right but at times we don’t, and we can’t get it right all the time. Sometimes people leave as a result of something that could have been identified at the recruitment stage. Remember, we generally employ people for their skills and competencies and 90% of the time we manage people out of the business because of their behaviours and attitudes.

We invest considerable resources in the hope of finding great team members and I’m sure you’ve had enough of attracting the wrong candidates or candidates not even showing up for their interviews. The recruitment process for any business can be daunting, especially if you don’t get it right the first time. There are some common mistakes that businesses could avoid, giving them every chance of finding the right candidate. Here are 8 common mistakes businesses make with recruitment:

1.Ignoring promoting from within the business

It’s common for businesses to forget to look at the people they already have on board to see if anyone can do the role or who could grow into the role with development. Promoting from within can also motivate the team and increase morale. Take the time to write down the advantages and disadvantages of hiring an external person to a role versus a current team member.

2.Lengthy hiring process

Some businesses take too long in the recruitment process and run the risk of missing out on great candidates. 33% of candidates will lose interest and pursue other roles if the hiring process is lengthy. Majority of candidates will be applying for more than one role at a time and in this current job market, talent is being ‘snapped up’ very quickly.

3.Making assumptions

There are so many assumptions that can be made in a recruitment process! Making too many assumptions based on what the current job market is like without backing it up with some data and research, assuming one channel for attracting and searching for candidates will give you a representative sample of resumes or only focusing on ‘good looking’ resumes. Also, assuming the candidate that lives closest to the office is the right choice.

4.Lack of preparation

A recruitment process can feel overwhelming, but preparation is key in making sure you provide a positive candidate experience. Some common areas where businesses make mistakes are not preparing for interviews such as scheduling and confirming interview times and locations, developing interview questions and re-familiarise themselves with the position description.

5.Interviewers do all the talking and not a lot of listening

When interviewing candidates, some interviewers do all the talking and not a lot of listening, they use closed questions rather than open ended questions and they don’t make a candidate feel comfortable and relaxed from the start. Many interviewers we have found have actually failed to let the candidate know about the actual duties of the role.

6.Not doing your due diligence

Businesses don’t always have the hiring process following a level playing field in which each candidate is judged against identical selection criteria or not asking themselves clarifying questions to make sure the final decision on the chosen candidate is as objective as possible. It is important when selecting your candidates, you do your due diligence by finding out if the candidates information provided is accurate, for example, qualifications are true and correct. Reference checks are a good way to clarify the information, thoughts and opinions you came up with during the interview, for example, ‘this is what I found, would you agree’? It is also good to have another opinion of the candidate’s work habits and performance as well as behaviours.

7.To many ‘cooks in the kitchen’

It’s important to have the right people involved in the recruitment process such as the potential candidate’s manager. However, having too many people involved can slow down the recruitment process.

8.Lack of communication

Ongoing communication with candidates throughout the recruitment process is important. 44% of candidates find poor communication as the most frustrating aspect of a hiring process and I’m sure we have all had this experience where you heard nothing back from your application. Candidates need to receive communication from you even if they are unsuccessful for an interview or were interviewed and are unsuccessful. The unsuccessful candidate may not be right for this role but potentially others in the future.

Adapting a more structured recruitment approach may help you avoid some of these common traps. When you are involved in the selection process you should always keep in mind the importance of bringing people in who are not just good at the job, but who will also play a part in helping to create a more positive culture.

 

Ready to improve your recruitment process?

My Recruit Right! Program will show you the 9-Essential Steps you need for a more effective recruitment process. The program has been designed to support you and your team to implement an effective, efficient and consistent process in line with current legislation and laws. We’ve done the heavy lifting for you! The best part is, you can complete the program when and where it suits you!

Enrol for my Recruit Right program here.

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