APR 2024, Vol 21, Issue 4

Five Ways to Improve Your Onboarding Program

You only have one opportunity to make a great first impression with new employees. Here are five strategies to enhance your company’s onboarding process.

Start Early - Don’t wait until an employee’s first day to start onboarding. Instead, give new hires as much information as possible in advance (for example the employee handbook and benefits paperwork) so you don’t have to waste time with it in person. Just make sure you give employees the chance to ask questions about these documents on day one. Some companies send welcome gifts to the new employee (company logo items such as shirts, coffee mugs, water bottles) in advance or on their first day. Others send something to the family welcoming them to their family (planter, flowers, gift card for dinner, first aid kit).

Preview the Program - Provide employees with an “onboarding road map” a brief overview of the weeks and months ahead so they will know what to expect. Many new employees show up and don’t know if they needed to bring lunch or what they should be wearing.

Make it Fun - Rather than lecturing employees, use games to jazz up standard company walkthroughs and less interesting compliance related topics. For example, turn a tour of the office into a scavenger hunt, where new employees have to take selfies with certain people or in particular rooms or find company items.

Create Information Videos - Give new hires a taste of your company’s culture through videos, such as footage of employees volunteering or bonding at a company event or retreat. This can also include testimonials from different employees at a variety of levels throughout the organization. You don’t need a big production budget, just a creative spirit.

Solicit Feedback - Continuously improve your company’s onboarding process by collecting feedback from new hires. Share their insights with the executive team so leadership is invested in the process.

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Recognizing What Makes a Top Performer

You've probably noticed that the people who speak loudest or most often in meetings aren't always those with the best ideas. They're unlikely to be among your top performers, either. Some of your top performers might express their ideas in a quieter way and be in danger of being overlooked. As a manager, it's critical that you recognize these individuals and the valuable contribution they make to your company.

To me, what makes a top performer is their ability and their willingness to do the work. The environment that they are in is also important and that's where the leader can influence a lot. It’s important that we create conditions for that talent to flourish.

It's very easy for managers to take top performers for granted. To recognize those top performers and acknowledge them and continue to invest them is crucial and leaders need to be intentional about that.

To pick high achievers out from the crowd, you can identify some key traits common to top-performing individuals. The first trait of top performers is that they appreciate clarity over ambiguity. Clarity helps them determine their goals accurately - and what needs to be done to achieve them. It also helps to eliminate distractions. When their objectives are clear, they're able to focus on what matters most, reach their goals quicker, and execute their tasks to the highest standard.

Top performers aren't content to guess why, how, or when something should be done. If they don't have clarity, they actively seek out additional detail. If they're not given a reason to do their best, they may self-motivate by creating a goal or deciding why it's essential to perform well.

The second trait is that top performers seek to be challenged - for different reasons. Some like to drive their own initiatives and get ideas off the ground. Others are motivated by doing excellent work and delivering above expectations. And some top performers are simply bored and looking for ways to re-engage. Keep your top performers motivated by assigning them high-impact tasks rather than busywork. Get them problem-solving by asking for their opinion on a situation that could use their expertise. Another trait of top performers is that they're focused on achieving mastery, not just outcomes. Achieving mastery means working to reach your full potential.

In contrast, achieving an outcome is doing what's asked of you, and no more. Top performers have a greater need to excel than the average employee. This means they're constantly improving, so they can achieve their personal best. But they're not done when they've learned something new. Top performers keep working to enhance their skills and maximize their potential. They compete against themselves just as much as they compete against others.

The fourth trait common to top performers is that they're unafraid of failure. Top performers can overcome their fear of failing because their goal is to be exceptional. They don't let fear get in the way of success. In fact, your top performers may appear to fail more frequently than others. That's because they're willing to try out new theories and take calculated risks that others are afraid to attempt.

It's important to remind your top performers that a failed initiative won't decrease your opinion of them. That way, they'll know they can continue to come to you with new ideas for company improvements.

The final trait that top performers share is that they are self-directed. They've identified ways that their work advances a greater cause. This higher purpose motivates them to continue working to achieve their goals, even when it gets hard. You might see your top performers engaged in self-directed activities, such as performing their own research, spending more time on projects than average employees, setting new challenges for themselves, or seeking out those who can help them progress to the next level or reach their next goal.

Think about your own team. Which of your employees display the traits of high performers? Recognizing these individuals is the first step to acknowledging their outstanding contributions and keeping them satisfied.

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Deadline for Submitting AAPs

Many Affirmative Action Plans (AAPs) expired on December 31, 2023. Under federal law, government contractors and subcontractors with 50 or more employees who have entered into at least one contract of $50,000 or more with the federal government must prepare and maintain a written affirmative action program. AAPs must be developed within 120 days from the commencement of the contract, updated annually, and submitted to DOL by March 31, 2024.

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DE Harassment Prevention Training

The Delaware law that specifically addresses prohibition against sexual harassment under the Delaware Discrimination in Employment Act (DDEA), requires anti-sexual harassment training requirements for employers, with 50 or more employees in the state, every two years. Training must be provided within one year for new employees and supervisors. Contact HR Strategies to schedule your organization’s required training or schedule individual employees for a live upcoming online interactive class.

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