New_Employee_Orientation_Program

New Employee Orientation Program Student Ion Cucu Professor Sugi Pula LDR 625 - 9748 June 12, 2008 Outline * Content……………...……………………..………..……….. page 3 * References…………………………………………………….... page 14 Content In my opinion training and orientation is absolutely necessary for new employees in any organization. Without orientation and training many things can and do take place that are a risk and negative impact to the company and the new employee. There are two orientation failures – one is where the orientation takes more time and effort to accomplish what needs to be done and the second is an orientation that does not give the new employee the ability to adapt to a new environment. Failed orientations and training end up costing the company time, money, increased risk, and the employee may end up looking for another company to work for. There must be certain basic elements in the new employee orientation to not only make the new employee feel welcome, but also make the orientation productive. They are as follows: * Benefits; * The vision, mission, and goals of the company; * Rules, forms, and regulations; * Sexual harassment guidelines; * Employee manuals and procedures reviewed and signed; * Understanding of their new work environment; * Introduction to staff; * Human resource policies; * Sign important documents for compliance; and * Set a tone for open communication. In my opinion a typical new employee orientation should have the following areas: * An official welcome from an organizational officer; * An outlined mission, culture, vision, and goals of the organization; * Documents, forms, and regulations that the employee needs to read, understand, and sign; * Work place expectations presentation; * History, organizational structure, and culture Presentation Company outline; * Employee expectations; * Introduction to staff; * Integration into the work environment as soon as possible; * Presentation of employee evaluations, employee performance measurements, incentives, and advancement potential; * Human Resource guidelines, such as company policies, benefits, confidentially agreement, Standard Operating Procedures, and other pertinent company criteria; * Safety program and regulatory elements; * How to become productive and motivated; and * Become more aware of the job knowledge and skills needed as it relates to their responsibilities. Most organizations new employee orientation and training are terrible. They are either boring, non-existent, not organized, not supported by leadership and management, and/or do not outline what the company is about and how the new employee will fit in and the organization where I work isn’t an exception. Employee orientations need to be helpful, productive, organized, and an event that new employees appreciate. Liz Ryan in “Ideas on how to improve new employee orientations” outlines the purpose of a company’s new employee orientation best from her experience and what she learned from her graduate school professor. She states that the new employee orientation should have the following outcomes for the new employee: * Utilize ways to reduce their uncertainty – introduce them to others in the organization and show them the facility; * Start with the basics – tell them who the orientation leader is, tell them the story of how the company started and how it is where it is at, take them to where they will be working, and anything else that will help them feel more at ease; * Spend some one on one time with each person – allot thirty to sixty minutes during the orientation to be with the new employee so that they do not feel like it is a cattle call in the new orientation; * Clarify their needs – spend time through the orientation addressing questions, ensure that answers are provided, and most importantly, help them to see that your team and the organization is the place that they can enjoy, grow with, and excel in; * Ask questions – ask each person what was good and what was not good and then about the new employee orientation and make the necessary changes to improve the program; and * Focus on the new employee’s arrival the first day – the new employee orientation should be inviting, an experience to appreciate, and not disorient, but orient the new employee. A good program does not end with the new employee being oriented at the start of their hire, it continues on with a processed format. In fact, it starts before the employee is interviewed and hired. In my opinion the orientation and training at my work need to have at least following elements: * Benefit entitlements; * Coaching and disciplining; * Hiring; * New employee orientation; * Performance review; * Position Advertised; * Probation; * Promotion; * Recruitment; * Selection; * Separation; and * Training / development. Because many organizations skimp on new employee orientation and training, they are missing out on several benefits. A well planned and implemented orientation plan has several benefits: * Organizational productivity; * Compliance; * Communicated and understood company expectations; * Performance criteria outlined; * Work place performance summarized; * Regulations identified and understood; * Integration of newcomers into the organization quicker; * Newcomer feels more welcomed; * The newcomer has a sound impression of the organization; * Minimize employee turnover; * Reduce recruitment costs; * Efficiencies improve; * Communication is encouraged; and * The organization is able to continue to grow in the desired direction. The main reason for most organizations not providing any new employee orientation and training and/or a good program is the cost. Many organizations operate under the premise that it is the employee’s responsibility to learn how to do the job once they are hired. The unfortunate part is that with some spend, commitment, and a purposed program, the employee will be more productive thus resulting in the company’s bottom line. Another reason that organizations do not provide a good new employee orientation and training is that they do not believe that their employees are the most important asset. This comes from the top down – the leaders and managers to the line staff. In my opinion any organization that does not have a first class new employee orientation, continued orientation process, and long-term training program, it will hurt the entire organization. A well thought out, planned, and implemented program, supported by the organizational leaders and management, means the organization will be healthy, retain the right employees, reduce costs in employee retention, increase efficiencies, create an environment that communicates, help each employee to feel they are appreciated, productivity increase, compliance, recruitment costs decreased, and the organization will grow in the direction desired. I would like bring to your attention a few strong points in the National Guard system. The National Guard has a strong commitment to developing the talents, skills, and abilities of its technicians. The Government Employees Training Act, PL 85-507, emphasizes training is a responsibility of the government and training is necessary and desirable. Once you are employed, you will receive the training you need to perform your job. This may range from on-the-job developmental assignments to formal classroom instruction. Your supervisor is responsible for working with you to determine your training needs. All requests for formal training must be submitted by your supervisor to the HRO Employee Development Specialist on a “Training Application”. An essential part of your career development is the Individual Development Plan (IDP). An IDP is a developmental action plan that structures training and development based on your duties and responsibilities. It details training activities designed to meet established goals and objectives. The development of an IDP takes many factors into consideration including your present skill level, your potential, your goals and the needs of the National Guard. Your supervisor will work with you to prepare your IDP. It is the National Guard’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for all technicians and applicants for employment regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age or handicap. Discrimination and reprisal for participating in the complaint process will not be condoned. Management officials will take immediate and appropriate action to correct any occurrence of discrimination or sexual harassment. The Employee Assistance Program is a referral program that assists any technician who has behavioral problems that affect work performance. This assistance is provided through discrete and confidential referral of technicians to appropriate treatment specialists. Some problems commonly dealt with through the EAP include: alcohol and drug abuse, behavioral disorders, excessive stress from adverse family situations, financial difficulty, legal entanglement or other personal problems that interfere with job performance or health. While your supervisor or manager is never to be in the role of your diagnostician or counselor, he or she may suggest you consider the EAP when less than satisfactory job performance persists. Performance factors that may indicate the need for referral include: assignment failures, excessive absenteeism or tardiness, unexcused absences, deteriorating personal appearance, altercation with fellow technicians, prolonged lunch hours, frequent disappearances, poor judgment, moodiness or anxiety. Participation in the EAP will be in strict confidence and will not jeopardize your job. Records relating to treatment will not be placed in any work folder without your permission. Promotions in the National Guard Technician Program are based on a system of merit. Vacant positions are announced with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA’s) stated in the vacancy announcement. Applications are invited from all interested eligible applicants. Basic qualifications are determined and applicants are then ranked according to the degree to which they meet each of the KSA’s and other merit requirements. A list of qualified applicants is then presented to the Selecting Official for selection. The quality of an applicant's responses to KSA’s and information contained in the application will help determine whether he or she is among the best-qualified candidates for the job. Therefore, it is important applicants carefully prepare and submit complete and accurate information for job consideration. All technicians are required to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity and to conduct business in an ethical manner. You are required to perform your assigned duties conscientiously and always conduct yourself in a manner that reflects credit on you and the National Guard. If your conduct is in violation of any statute, regulation, or other proper authority, you will be held accountable. Violation of any standard of conduct may be the basis for disciplinary action. You will receive an annual Standards of Conduct briefing sponsored by your HRO. It is not the intent of this publication to list every restriction or requirement imposed by law, regulation or other proper authorities. Some of the prohibited acts that can result in disciplinary action are: * Using a government vehicle without authorization * Misusing official and/or classified information * Gambling and betting on duty * Misusing government property such as, supplies, personal computers, telephones, or fax equipment * Using a government-issued travel card for personal use * Refusing to cooperate in an administrative investigation * Accepting gifts and favors from subordinates or customers * Filing fraudulent claims * Using illegal drugs, alcohol or intoxicants while on duty * Misusing government postage/mail * Making false statements * Engaging in illegal political activity * Using obscene or vulgar language * Accepting outside employment that conflicts with your technician duties or discredits the National Guard A disciplinary action may be an action from an oral admonishment to a letter of reprimand. An oral admonishment lets you know you must stop doing certain things (example: tardiness). A letter of reprimand is more serious because it is a written notification of the problem with a warning of what might happen if the situation is not corrected. The letter is maintained temporarily in the Human Resources Office for a period that usually does not exceed one year. Disciplinary actions can be grieved through the negotiated grievance procedure for bargaining unit technicians and through the agency grievance procedure for non-bargaining unit technicians. There are three types of adverse actions: * Suspension from work * Change to lower grade / demotion * Removal from position / fire. In my opinion a lot of good points to follow by the other companies from United States. In conclusion whenever new employees come on board (whether they are new hires or they have transferred from another office within the same agency) it is vital that they get off to a good start in their new position. They need to understand their role in the organization as a whole, learn the expectations of their supervisor, and practice the basic elements of the job. Their experience in the first few weeks will have a significant bearing on their level of commitment and ability to become productive quickly. Every office should have a training manual and/or collection of written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to help new employees learn the office's procedures and policies. These documents serve as a vital reference tool and an excellent starting point for the employee's training. These written materials should be used only to supplement experiential training, however, as few people can really learn how to do a job by simply reading about it. A well-designed training checklist can serve as an excellent guide for new arrivals as they learn all the most important elements of their job (including both "big picture" and nuts and bolts issues).  They should be given at least a full week to work through the checklist before formally taking over their job responsibilities. Checklists provide a structured approach to each new employee's training that ensures that they are exposed to all the issues that the manager may intend to include in the training program but might otherwise forget in the absence of the written list. Checklists also allow new employees to work through the training agenda at their own pace, spending less time on issues with which they are already familiar, and more time on those issues that are totally new to them. In addition, checklists minimize the amount of time that any one person has to spend training the new arrival. Normally, the individual would spend a little time with a number of different people in order to get through the items on the checklist. This not only spreads out the training burden, but it also gives the new arrivals and old-timers a chance to start getting acquainted. Giving new employees the time to get grounded in these issues will ensure that when they start handling their portfolios they will have perspective on how their work furthers the objectives of the office. This will help them reach full productivity faster and will do wonders for their motivation and operational effectiveness. References: 1. Bert Spector, (2011)Implementing Organizational Change – Theory Into Practice, Second Edition, Course Book for LDR 625 – 9748, WIU . 2. White, A., Prior, D., Radcliffe, J., Wood, B. and Holincheck, J. (2004) Emergence of EIM Drives Semantic Reconciliation. Stamford. 3. Wigand, R. T., Picot, A. and Reichwald, R. (1997) Information, Organization and Management: Expanding Markets and Corporate Boundaries. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, England. 4. Zhang, D. (2004) Web Services Composition for Process Management in E-Business. Journal of Computer Information Systems XLV (2), 83-91. 5. Zur Muehlen, M. (2004) Workflow-based Process Controlling. Foundation, Design, and Application of workflow-driven Process Information Systems. Logos, Berlin. 6. Federal Hiring Process – Office of The Personnel Management, downloaded from http://www.opm.gov 7. Reh, F. John. “New Employee Training – Is it Worth the Investment”. About.com Guide. Getting off on the right foot. http://management.about.com/cs/people/a/NEO112597.htm 8. Ryan, Liz. “Orientation from the Ground Up; New employee orientations are both dull and overwhelming. It may be time to rethink how to welcome new workers and reduce their uncertainty – Analysis of employee orientations”. Business Week Online (August 27, 2007): (pg. N/A). 2007, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. http://galenet.galegroup.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/servlet/BCRC'vrsn=unknown&locID=umd_umuc&sgcmd=MAIN&srchtp=art&c=27&sub=%2522Employee+Orientation%2522&ste=21&sitem=6&tab=2&tbst=tsAS&citem=6_0&atp=SG&docNum=A168069903&art=New+Employee+Orientation&bConts=0 9. Welty, Gordon. “Developing a new employee orientation program for GXP compliance”. Journal of GXP Compliance, 1552-5791. (Summer, 2009) Volume 13, Issue 3: (pg. 81, 11). http://galenet.galegroup.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/servlet/BCRC'vrsn=unknown&locID=umd_umuc&sgcmd=MAIN&srchtp=art&c=8&sub=%2522Employee+Orientation%2522&ste=21&sitem=6&tab=2&tbst=tsAS&citem=6_0&atp=SG&docNum=A207121342&art=New+Employee+Orientation&bConts=0