MightyRecruiterIf your business is taking on new employees, then it is crucial that you establish certain rules. Having workplace rules for your new hires will save you a lot of hassle in the long run because right from the beginning, your employees will know exactly what is expected of them and what they need to do. A larger portion of your new hires might consist of recent college graduates who have never really had a true profession before. If you take the time to explain what the protocol is going to be like, then you will avoid a good deal of conflict down the road.
First, Remember the Little Things
Every business is going to be a little different, so even if a new hire has had a similar job in the past, you still need to explain how things operate with you. This may include having an informational session where you explain the responsibilities of the position in detail or touring the facility to show the employee what he or she will be doing. This is the time to explain all the workplace rules for your new hires so that there is no confusion about what will be happening. It is useful if you make the new hire write down notes about every last detail so that you can be certain he or she will remember it. You should not have to explain the basic details more than once, so make it clear that this is the time to learn and then you will hit the ground running.
Second, Be Honest About Everything
This point refers to the fact that there are going to be times when things are not going to run so smoothly. It is important for new hires to understand that there are going to be difficult times. There may be instances when your new employees will need to work a few extra hours or take on extra work to ensure everything gets done. There is also the possibility that your organization is not doing so well financially at this time. Be honest about the workplace rules for your new hires so that they are not blindsided by the unexpected.
Third, Learn to Be Professional
In the event that this is someone’s very first professional job, you may need to explain certain things about company culture they are unfamiliar with. That can include information about how to dress professionally and what the appropriate way to speak to colleagues is. This also includes information about when they should expect to move up in the company and receive additional responsibilities. Some new employees will be overly eager to advance within the corporate world, and it is your duty early on to manage expectations. Part of the workplace rules for your new hires should be about when they can expect to hear talk about promotions and how they can achieve that goal. You need to make it clear that advancements take time, so they are not disenfranchised when they do not get a promotion within the first month.
Fourth, Keep an Eye on the Prize
Many new hires focus on advancing their own careers in the shortest amount of time possible. It is important that you establish how their actions impact their fellow co-workers as well as the company as a whole. Your new workers need to understand how their work affects the entire business so that they are not living within their own little bubble. Your company is a group environment, and everyone has a key role to play. Make sure to discuss their position in relation to everyone else.
Fifth, Stress the Importance of the Time They Have Now
The first few years someone works after graduating from college are crucial in determining where they will go in the rest of their career. This is the time when new additions to the workforce have the greatest opportunities to prove themselves, and they should not let it go to waste. Sometimes that means giving up attributes of a social life in order to put in some extra hours at work. Workplace rules for your new hires should include material related to what extra responsibilities will be expected of them. While new workers may only want to work a certain number of hours every week, you need to make it clear that if they want to succeed, they will need to go above and beyond what is asked of them. Mighty Recruiter has plenty more resources on how to hire and train your employees effectively.