A positive onboarding experience delivers a positive employee experience. A recent study by Kallidus says, "Employees who say they had exceptional onboarding experiences are 2.6 times more likely to be extremely satisfied with their workplace." This tells us that supervisors need to be highly engaged in the coaching process of new hires. Here are a some important topics that could help a supervisor better understand how to coach new employees:
1. Consistent Feedback
Generation Z is emerging in the workforce. We know that a Gen Z employee craves routine and consistent supervisor feedback. Therefore, supervisors should start giving feedback from the onset of hiring. New employees want to know how their performance is viewed, what they are doing well, and what they need to improve. Supervisors should make it a point to schedule weekly meetings with employees to discuss these issues.
2. Positive Work Culture
While it's important for a supervisor to provide feedback to new hires, it's also important to encourage feedback across the entire organization. Around-the-clock feedback and engagement lead to a positive work culture where people feel comfortable speaking up and having their voices heard.
3. High Standards
When a supervisor consistently engages with a new hire, they know and understand the employee's strengths and weaknesses, which helps supervisors set standards for the employee. Supervisors understand what the employee can achieve and areas where the employee needs to improve. By identifying these things, supervisors can help guide employees to success and encourage improvement. Creating realistic challenges for employees helps them grow, improve, and become more confident in their skills.
4. Positive Recognition
Supervisors in frequent communication with new hires have more opportunities to praise and recognize them for their efforts. This can be a huge confidence boost for a new employee. However, it's also easy to get caught up in pointing out mistakes rather than highlighting successes in the workplace. Recognizing employees for a job well done doesn't have to be grand or expensive. Also, if you're only making grand gestures of appreciation, you're probably not showing appreciation often enough. While it is important to go big sometimes, a routine show of appreciation could include a thank-you note, a pat on the back, or a nice drink from a coffee shop. These regular acknowledgments can go a long way with employees.
5. Two-Way Communication
The stereotype of a supervisor is a person who solely delegates tasks and directions to employees. However, when supervisors engage in consistent and regular feedback, they can listen to what their employees say. Since new hires haven't been around your organization long, they bring fresh perspectives. They might see processes in a different light and be able to suggest more efficient ways to do something. Even though a process has existed for decades, there could be better ways. In fact, the longer a process has been in place, the greater chance that it might need to be updated. Fresh perspectives from new employees should be seen as opportunities for improving your company's processes. It also shows new hires that your organization values their input. A good rule of thumb for any supervisor is to ask, "What can I do to help you?"
As this blog illustrates, a variety of benefits come from coaching your employees. Spending that one-on-one time will allow both of you opportunities to speak freely. Great supervisors foster and encourage open and honest relationships with their employees. Doing this individually, starting with onboarding, will create a productive team of engaged employees.
