Setting Expectations for New Team Members

We are entering a time in Ireland where it is getting trickier to find the right people. The entry-level jobs are harder to fill. Correction – they are easy to fill, but not so easy to fill with a candidate that is right for the role.

Employers are fearful that if they take on new team members, they will leave as soon as the going gets tough or the first minute they have a challenge in their role.

Employers are reluctant to invest time and money into new starters for this very reason.

From an SME business standpoint, this is easy to understand. Taking on an extra team member when you have less than 10 or 15 staff is a big job. There is massive disruption to the team, the dynamic in the business changes, time is invested in ensuring that the new team member settles in well gets on in the business.

What many SME business owners fail to do is to clearly articulate their expectations to their new team members.

Even when they do, they do not check the level of understanding of those expectations.

We have experienced, time and again that the best way to induct a new employee into an SME business is as follows:

1. Slow down the recruitment process and meet more than 5 potential candidates for the role. Meet the prospective ones more than 2 or 3 times and get other members of the team to meet them as well. Remember you will be paying them from the minute they accept the job. At this point it is only costing you time.

If you feel that a candidate is not suitable for a position that you have, do them a favour and do not hire them.

2. Use profiling tools like DISC to help assess character dynamics and skills.

3. When the successful candidate starts, take the time to position the role correctly in the following ways:

• What your expectations of them will be in one month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.
• What level of training they can expect to receive.
• How they will be managed throughout the year and how the feedback will be given to them.
• What they need to do if they have a problem of if they need help.
• Establish what their career aspirations are and agree how, if at all, the role can help them on their journey.
• Agree with them that you will give them constructive feedback.
• Clarify the culture of the business, what we always do, what we never do.

4. Meet with them on a regular basis and review progress.

5. Over-communicate with them.

The investment in a new team member is an investment of time and money. Investing using only one element is a recipe for disaster.

If you would like help in selecting excellent team members for your business, contact me today.