Importance of orientation period for gaining employee loyalty:
Have you ever gone to your new job at your first day early in the morning and had to wait for a long time for the person who's going to take care of you? Have you ever had your table or lockers days after your start and/or had to share with others for a long time? Have you ever gone to lunch alone during your first days and been warned by cafeteria attendant since you didn't have any idea about the rules and lost your appetite totally after "who's that" glances. Eventually have you ever decided to think a little before turning right or left to avoid being warned again? And have all these caused a big ache in your stomach everyday just before going to work?
Probably most of us had one of these experiences. If you say "Thanks God I had none" then try to build empathy. With these experiences how could it be easy for you to shake down into your new job and show the performance that was expected during your probation period? How could you serve to the guest successfully?
The most important need of a new employee is to be cared for. We can not expect successful performance from the employees for whom we don't provide enough knowledge and confidence. We can't tell them smile before answering all the questions in their head. Many managers still can not understand why employees who are hired after a very successful interview, with very strong references and credentials can't show the desired performance at the work. The answer sometimes is very simple. Failing in making the newcomer to feel as a part of our family.
A successful orientation period makes the adaptation of the newcomer easy and retention of knowledge will be guaranteed.
Here are some basic but very efficient steps to be taken to facilitate adaptation of the new employee:
1. Ready equipments and workplace:
All needed equipments (desk, locker, uniforms etc) must be ready at the first day of the employee. This is very important detail to gain loyalty and respect of the employee for the new workplace. A newcomer who finds everything ready for him or her feels him/herself important. A step further, some companies are sending or presenting a fresh bouquet of flowers with a welcome note from general manager.
2. Department trainers and work supporter system:
With or without the presence of a training department and standard orientation training, department orientation period is a must. Every department must have at least one department trainer. These employees must be selected carefully among experienced good communicators and have related trainings. Presence of a department trainer is a key element for successful implementation of an orientation program.
3. Assign a Buddy:
Everybody needs some buddy!-especially in a totally new environment. Make it easy for the newcomer and assign somebody who can escort him/her during orientation period and make it easy for the newcomer to get acquainted with other Hotel employees. Buddies (also called as work support godfather, etc.) can be the same person with departmental trainer or any other experienced person assigned by department trainer.
4. Checklists:
Every department (and for some, sub-departments) must have an orientation training checklist. Enough time must be given to cover each topic on the list and after the trainer gets ensured about the comprehension of each one, the trainee must sign each topic to feel the responsibility of accurate practice. The critical point here is that even though checklists keep the orientation program on the right track, the program should not be solely an information giving. Some sharing and trust need to be established between trainer and trainee while covering the checklists.
5. Practice makes perfect:
Without enough practice employee can fail in service and it will take longer for him or her to gain self confidence again. All practices must be done after a complete training with complete explanations of how and whys.
6. Energize first:
Nobody can suggest promising a rose garden for the newcomer. But sharing every negative aspects of the work environment, problems in the company can only de-motivate the employee and will be a self-sabotage for your orientation program. The ultimate aim of the trainer is creating an environment that can motivate the employee to learn and do the best in the new job. This will provide the required energy for him/her to cope with problems later.
7. Meeting with General Manager:
New employees must meet with hotel general manager either before or just after the start. Some general managers prefer to have "a minute interview" with candidates (including rank and file staff and trainees) who are approved by department manager. This creates a great feeling for the new comer ("I had an interview with general manager and won his/her approval too"/"My position is important for the Hotel"). The other option is the participation of GM to the orientation training. Before or after the start, the important point is that meeting with GM is a very strong means of creating "I am being cared for and important" feeling.
The first feelings about new job have a greater impact on the loyalty of the employee than it is usually thought. Gaining guest loyalty is very difficult without gaining employee loyalty and the rule is not different than the one that is for our guests: "The first impression counts"
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