4th in the Turning Good People Into Top Talent series
How you onboard your newly discovered talent matters—a lot. Do you remember your first day on a new job? Was the hiring manager ready for you or did you show up and no one was ready for you?
Consider what it is like for a candidate who was sold by the recruiter to come to work for your company. They may have explained what the job would be like and promised a great job experience—an opportunity to work for a really great company.
Then, the new hire shows up for their first day at work and it appears that no one is expecting them. They spend that first day sitting around, filling out forms and at best being shuffled from one person to another just to keep occupied. There was no plan or orientation to what is coming next; a major disconnect. Imagine the feeling they have about that great job they thought they were getting? Is it any wonder that when the new hire gets home and finds a voice mail, email or even snail mail from another company that they rethink their decision to work for your company. Their first day just become their last day.
It is important to realize that superior performers expect to be treated that way. Otherwise, they may seriously question the decision to work for your company. If you are serious about attracting and retaining fully engaged top talent you must demonstrate it from day one.
Right now, review your onboarding plan beginning with how you communicate the job offer right on through the first week on the job.
Enthusiastically,
Bob
Bob Moore, CMC®