How to Ruin a Great Recruitment

You've spent  a lot of time and money on your recruitment and finding that perfect new team member - you believe they will be a great addition to your team - your job is done - they'll just slot in and start delivering great results for you. But will they? Sadly all too often it doesn't work out, somehow employers just manage to ruin a great recruitment. Your expectations are not fulfilled and neither are the employees.

Here are 9 tips to help get the best out of your new recruit in the first three months.

1. The recruit will have a job description and a title but you will have to tell them what they have to achieve. Remember the focus is achieved not do.
2. Set clear SMART objectives. What are they, how will they be achieved and what measures are you putting place?
3. Make sure they know ‘what it’s like to work here’; the traditions, rules, attitudes, habits etc. All of your team should have this business statement and live by the values.
4. Make sure they have the right tools to do the job ready when they start; a laptop, phone, stationary, PPE, etc.
5. Plan out an induction programme for them. Who do they need to meet with, learn from, ask questions of etc. Don’t forget the staff handbook and to collect together all the recruitment forms in the staff file.
6. Lunch with the team on the first day is a good ice-breaker for all involved. Don’t forget the impact on existing staff when a new member joins.
7. Remember to tell them about fire drills, toilet location, lunch arrangements, stationary cupboard etc. And those all important health & safety and security briefings
8. Regularly, review their progress and performance, give them your time. They're fresh eyes and their feedback will be valuable for you.
9. Set out a 3 month review timetable. Try end of the day for the first few days, then end of the week for say 6 weeks and then fortnightly and into your usual review pattern.

Keep in mind that every time you talk to your new recruit that it is a learning opportunity for both of you. With a little more effort you will have a happy recruit, a happy team and one that delivers great results much quicker.

Above all, the one thing to remember is to value the person before they leave not afterwards!