How do you help a new team member engage quickly when they join your team or the company?
A thorough onboarding process is a critical first step to engage new team members. It helps them figure out how the company is organized and where they fit in. The engagement process for the new person starts right away and is essential throughout the first few months. They continue to ask themselves whether they have made the right decision to join this group or the company. Strong engagement with them ensures that answer is a yes.
What will make the engagement of a new team member a success?
Building a strong foundation for them during the onboarding is a great start. Now you could check in to see how well they understand their role and responsibilities. Have you shared what their goals are and agreed how you will work together? Does the person feel supported so they can start making contributions quickly? They need to assimilate as soon as they can to understand processes, content, build relationships with key people and add value.
Leaders need to check in and ensure that the transition into the role is going well and support where needed. You don’t want to be blindsided by a person leaving shortly after they join the company because they feel disconnected or left out. The goal is to help them be motivated and give them opportunities to lead faster. Although it may require additional time spent upfront, it will ensure that they can lead faster and remain in the organization for a long time.