The question of how you make sure an important new hire succeeds began an interesting discussion with some Vistage members last week. Even if the new hire is a seasoned professional and may bring new expertise to the company, there are certain things about your culture and expectations – “how we do things around here”- that need to be communicated.
Some of my Vistage members start talking in the hiring process about the values and behaviors that drive their success. Others introduce them in the new employee orientation. Others don’t have anything in writing, in fact, they haven’t ever sat down to document them. Stay with me here, they have them in their company, it is all just “understood.” This doesn’t mean the company isn’t hugely successful, it just makes it harder for everyone, especially new hires, to know what is expected.
I know for many the response would be that you are just too busy selling and delivering the product or service to worry about that “soft stuff.” And, further, that lots of corporate mission statements don’t accurately reflect what happens for real on the job.
It is true and I have seen it that many small companies actually do live their values, they just haven’t written them down.
But writing them down is important. If you write them down, live them and communicate them to your employees, your team will be more engaged at work and more likely to stay. Here is a great read on this subject from the Gallop blog of August 16, 2016.
This week, review what you preach, write it down and verify if you are living it. Ask a few team members what could be better around here….they will give you some clues.
Illustration courtesy of business news daily