Reducing reality shock for your new employee

It all begins with the job posting.

 The job posting is the first opportunity you have as an employer to attract a strong, qualified candidate. As a result, it can be tempting to fluff up a posting with colorful vocabulary and enticing lines. However, you need to effectively communicate the core values of the organization and duties of the job before you invite a candidate in to meet with you. This prevents confusion, reality shock and, essentially, cuts down on time wasted for both parties involved. In my experience, a lot of time could have been saved if more details and a clear definition of job duties were effectively conveyed at the outset.

Introduce them to key team members during the interview process.

Gaining valuable insight from multiple sources can be extremely beneficial to the candidate when seeking a new position. By allowing your candidate to meet with more than one important figurehead in your organization, they will be given the chance to gather a better understanding of organizational needs resulting in better job clarity.

Have more than one person sit in on the interview, work as a team to explore different areas, skills and interests of your candidate, and be sure to give them a chance to ask you questions. If the candidate is invited back for a second interview, change up at least one of the people conducting the interview. This will allow your candidate to hear a different perspective and ask someone new questions about your organization.

Provide them with a chance to connect.                                                                            

Provide opportunities for your staff to connect with each other. Networking and brainstorming are the natural by-products of a generation raised on group work at school. When your employees have opportunities to work together to solve problems or create new ideas, they are engaged in equipping your company for the future. Getting the chance to work closely with fellow co-workers allows them the opportunity to learn and understand each others’ personalities and working styles. Plus, just developing a genuine understanding and respect for one another allows for a more collegial and productive work environment.

Let them experience and experiment.

Experiences are crucial. While the boomer generation was focused on acquiring “things”, millennials crave experiences. Give your employees the chance to participate in something unique, like a special event that marries fun and work. This can result in a deeper sense of loyalty towards the organization.

Experimenting and exploring are also great ways for employees to learn. For example, if you have a database system your new employee will be required to learn to do their job effectively, give them a fun task or some simple data entry work to familiarize themselves with the system before having them dive in head first. This will give them a chance to get to know the database so, when it comes to completing their work, they will know their way around.

– Jordan Priest, Recruitment Associate