Getting up to speed is one of the most important parts of the onboarding process. Boaz Amidor tell us how to make it as easy as possible for new hires.   

The spinning wheels of turnover never stop – there are almost always employees coming in and going out at any given moment. Once an employee comes on board, it’s up to you to train them quickly and effectively so that they can become productive as soon as possible.

To accomplish this, effective training procedures must already be in place such that new hires can be led through each of the training stages quickly and smoothly. How do you know how to structure your employee training programme? Here are a few strategies every company must employ to ensure that they provide new hires with the tools to meet the challenges of their already stressful first few weeks.

Preparation: Collect insights from existing employees

First off, as you begin brainstorming how to structure your employee training program, tap into your greatest resource – your existing workforce. Gartner Analysts says: “Collect the best practices from employees and use the knowledge of your 20% to instil quality. They likely have a lot of insights so set up mechanisms to share. Start this practice and you will not only broaden the base of talented employees, but also not burn out your precious 20%. You need them and the other 80% for the long march to digital business.”

Define success and set performance metrics 

Build a high-performance culture at your company by defining what success means to you for new employees so that they know what is expected of them going forward. These goals must be attainable and measurable. Ways to measure success are many and depend on the position. For example, the metrics used for a marketing position include customer acquisition cost, lead-to-opportunity conversions etc. The range of metrics that companies can employ all track increases in efficiency, greater profits and higher savings. The metrics used indicate the strategic direction of the company and indicate levels of performance, dedication and motivation. 

Customised training programs 

Once success is defined and measuring tools are in place, provide new employees with the resources needed to succeed. Resources covered should be informed by the company's short-term and long-term corporate strategy. Training should also teach the company’s background and culture because, as an executive knows, “a company’s key to success is in its heart and soul.” While a portion of every corporate training program is common across departments and positions, remember to tailor training programs to meet the individual needs of each position.

Automated training for the long haul

Since approximately 80% of information learned during initial training is forgotten, it is imperative to continue to hammer down workflow processes. Some of the best training programs use online tools to help new hires through online guidance systems. These guidance technologies have contextual capabilities that enable you to provide employees with the tailored instructional manual that they need. These tools reduce ramp time, lower training costs, encourage knowledge retention and enhance employee productivity. 

Assign new employees a mentor 

A proven way to reduce ramp-up time is to create a mentoring program. Seasoned employees are paired with new hires in order to provide advice and guidance during this transitional phase. Having already gone through this introductory process, a mentor will help new employees truly understand the company’s goals and objectives. This strategy will help communication between employees and enhance team productivity. Janice Tingum from Demand Media discusses many of the long term benefits of mentoring and contends a solid mentoring program will allow a company to focus its attention primarily on growth instead of training. 

Encourage mentoring programs by telling your employees to: “Be a hero by sharing your insights and expertise and helping someone gain the needed skills, rather than doing it yourself. Don’t wait for a formal mentoring program, find an eager partner and pull them in.”

Regardless of which strategies are used, it is important that every training manager implements training programs in a way that motivates employees and maximises their productivity. Additionally, this approach will help enhance retention rates as it will help new hires understand the true meaning behind their everyday tasks. Employing a few of the simple strategies outlined above will reduce ramp-up time and help to ensure the individual success of each new hire.