by Beth | Apr 20, 2022 | Uncategorized
Good morning, New Employee!
We are so glad that you are here and are excited to get you going on your training. First, I would like to tell you about the hiring process that we went through to find you. Here are the numbers:
We had 297 applicants. We interviewed 49 people for the first interview; we had 11 second interviews and we had 3 third interviews.
We chose you.
So, when you get frustrated, and you will, I want you to remember that we fought hard for you, and we want this to be a great experience for all of us. Make sure that you come to me with questions all along the way, and we promise to do our best to provide a great work environment for you.
Ready to get started?
Can you imagine how you would feel if your new boss began your tenure this way? Your employee will be overwhelmed by how much work you did to find them, and they will start off working for you feeling valued, needed and committed.
Are you inspired? Think of how they feel!
POWER THOUGHT: According to Google, a new employee is 25% more successful and they stay longer when they have a meeting with their manager on their first day.
by Beth | Apr 6, 2022 | Company Culture, Employee Hiring, Employee Retention
As most of you know, my daughter, Katy, is a nursing major at the University of Miami. Now that she is finishing her junior year, she started applying for internships, and in the second week of January, she got hired at a rehab center, which is a coveted place to work.
Katy is fluent in Spanish, she has a 3.93 grade point average and her Clinical Instructor told her that she would be a great nurse one day. As her mother, I think that she is a very qualified candidate. đ
Katyâs training for her new role took 7 weeks to get scheduled. When she showed up on her first day at 8 AM as instructed, she waited in the lobby for an hour and a half for the hiring manager to show up. She finally decided to find the floor where she would be working and spent the rest of her shift taking vitals for patients on the floor. She spent almost the whole shift speaking Spanish to patients.
From a recruiting standpoint, I am completely appalled. She is the best of the brightest, and to be treated this way before she even started?
And companies wonder why they canât keep peopleâŠ
POWER THOUGHT: If you want to keep your employees, start valuing them on day one.
by Beth | Mar 23, 2022 | Company Culture, Employee Hiring, Employee Retention
Imagine that you are starting your new job today. You have your new outfit, your new backpack, and your lunchbox. You are so excited but also a bit nervous. You canât wait to get started! This is the dream job that you have wanted for a long time! You arrive 5 minutes early, open the door and walk up to the reception desk.
Scenario 1: There is no one to greet you. You sit for 30 minutes before someone comes out and says, âNo one knew you were coming today!â You are placed in your office to fill out paperwork, and see no one else for hours. Then you are told that you will meet your hiring manager next week, because they are on vacation and oh by the way, your computer wonât arrive for 2 weeks.
Or
Scenario 2: You arrive 5 minutes early and the receptionist says, âWe are so excited that you are here!â Your new boss greets you enthusiastically and shows you your office with a balloon tied to your chair and a welcome sign on your door. Your computer sits on your desk gleaming, and you are handed your itinerary for the week. You put your things down, and your boss invites you into a conference room where they have a breakfast to introduce you to your team. The whole team rallies around you, and you feel touched, moved and inspired.
Who will stay in their job longer?
Here is the secret to retention: it starts from minute 1. If you want your employees to stay and be productive, you must set the stage for them to be successful from the very beginning. Most people naively believe that retention starts in the end with stay interviews, exit interviews and going away parties. But retaining your employees is an ongoing effort from hiring the right person for the role, training them fully and completely, and incorporating them into the department as fast as possible.
POWER THOUGHT: Want your people to stay? Value them before they even start.
A big shout out to Cassy Nicholl for the topic!
by Beth | Mar 9, 2022 | Company Culture, Employee Hiring
Over the course of 3 years, our family rescued 37 animals, fostered them and got them adopted into great homes. One of my all-time favorites was a lab mix named Angel. And she was an angel! She was so sweet and loving, and she stayed right with you, no matter where you went.
We lived near a park, but in order to get there, we had to cross a very busy street. I always put a leash on Angel before walking over there, just to be safe. And frankly, it pissed her off. She would look up at me like âDude. I got this. Why the hell are you putting a leash on me?â
Last week, a friend of mine quit her long-time job as a fundraiser for a high-powered non-profit. She ran the department that raised 8 million dollars in 2021. She quit, because the Executive Director insisted that my friend show up at 8 am and stay until 5. After working there for 9 1/2 years, my friend was justifiably insulted. She gave a 6 month notice to see if things would change. They didnât, so she left.
I have heard story after story of details, just like this one. When you as the leader put leashes on employees who have consistently proven themselves, they will start looking for another job. Then, you lose a great employee, and you have to start over with someone new. What good does this do for anyone? My advice? Hire a lab that walks themselves, step back, and let them shine!
Power thought: Leashes work during training. They do not work for long-term, high-performing and trustworthy employees.
by Beth | Feb 23, 2022 | Company Culture
One year ago today, a mangled, scruffy little kitten wandered into my daughterâs apartment. She was hungry, tired, skinny and scared. My daughter, Katy, decided right then and there that she had to help this tiny being that she ultimately named, Dani Lou. Fast forward to today. Dani Lou is a fluffy, happy adventurous cat who fetches and sits for treats on command.
Over Christmas, Katy and Dani Lou came to visit me, and every morning Katy and I would compare notes on Dani Louâs night-time activities. Our conversations went like this:
Me: Did Dani sleep with you last night?
Katy: Yes, for a while. Then she left.
Me: What do you think she does all night?
Katy: Cat work.
Here is the bottom line: you as the manager donât know what your staff does all day every day. You especially donât know all the daily activities of your remote workers. And yet, they get their work done. They meet deadlines. Your clients are thrilled with the work that your company does, and they tell you that. Do you really need to know every minute of every day what your staff is doing? Once your employee earns your trust, give them some free reign to learn something new.
You might be surprised at what they create.
Power thought: Let them do their cat work. Then, you can purr in satisfaction.
