How to avoid the quick quit

This blog has previously discussed the high cost of employee turnover. There is a huge list of hidden costs associated with recruiting, training and onboarding a new hire. Small businesses can feel the loss of an employee especially hard, as the smaller the business, the more roles and functions a single employee seems to have.

So how exactly does your company make sure new hires are around for the long haul? Much of the answer involves the companies culture and hiring practice.

The first days on the job can be nerve-wracking for a new employee. They are trying to figure out the office hierarchy, the social norms at lunch hour, and of course, make sense of the company’s 401(k) plan, all while learning a new role at a new company. The way a company treats fresh hires in the first few months can make a significant contribution to that person’s decisions to stick around or abandon ship.

One major mistake many organizations make has to do with preparing for the new hire before their first day. It is important to plan in advance for the new employee’s comfort. Don’t wait until the morning of the new employees arrival to ask IT for a new laptop and access passwords, or tell the new hire to share a desk while you “find a spot for them.”  Greet new employees at the door and remind them how excited you are to have them on board.

Of course, some employees were never a good match to begin with. Perhaps they fudged some qualifications on their resume, or that nurse manager reference they supplied was really a cousin that lives out of state. Pre-employment testing can be crucial in separating the stars from the duds, while saving the company valuable time and resources in onboarding the wrong person.