As these individuals gradually step into the professional world, the role of an HR professional is essential to ensure a smooth transition in terms of both on-boarding and shaping an employee’s career

Graduates who join the workforce right out of college have an infectious level of energy and motivation which they bring to the table. New to the professional world, this bunch of young talent is filled with enthusiasm to excel at their job. As these individuals gradually step into the professional world, the role of an HR professional is essential to ensure a smooth transition in terms of both on-boarding and shaping an employee’s career from day 1.   

Moreover, leaders and mentors across the organization also play an integral role in ensuring that this energy is channeled in the right direction. According to a recent study that followed 409 college graduates through their first two years on the job, the degree of supervisor support from day 1 had implications on role clarity, job satisfaction, and even their salary over time. Given below are six strategies that HR professionals can use to ease freshers into the professional workspace:

Getting the basics right

Onboarding as a process is drastically underestimated by many organizations, as evident by the fact that unsuccessful onboarding results in new employees being less productive, stressed and disconnected from the rest of the team. In such scenarios, companies end up having to deal with the financial repercussions of employee turnover and loss of productivity.

Industry experts say that 90% of employees make their decision to stay with a company within the first six months of the job. Hence, it is imperative to have a structured onboarding program in place which facilitates engagement right from the start. Onboarding increases employee engagement and helps get them up to speed with seasoned hires much more quickly. The process benefits new hires, old hires, and company leaders alike.

Easing out with a Buddy Program

Two of the most important elements that aid in building a sense of comfort at an organization are the orientation programs and retention policies followed. These help new employees understand the organizational structure and culture. A buddy program is a great tool to assist in both these objectives.

By matching your new employees with a ‘buddy’ - A much more experienced employee – these recruits can integrate into the organization’s culture while also having conversations with their supervisors on topics that are essential to the streamlined performance of the firm.

Forward-looking & Future-ready

Growth at an organization depends not only on acquiring the required skill set for the present but also gaining new competencies that will help employees in the future. Organizations must hence look to create training modules that include soft skills such as professional etiquette, email writing, and overall personality development that will help new recruits better understand the professional work environment. By using a mix of the traditional classroom and digital approaches with regular assessment, companies can ensure that they always have the best workforce possible.

Clarity is key

Be it a fresher or lateral hire, role clarity must be established at an early stage, usually in the form of performance goals. New hires must first be made aware of the way performance evaluations are conducted prior to goal setting meetings with their managers which should ideally happen within the first 3 months of their induction. Following this system ensures that the employee is able to structure their career in an efficient manner and makes the entire work process much more streamlined.

Cross-functional exposure for the win!

Many freshers tend to enter the industry with only a vague idea of the path they wish to follow, often choosing an organization based on the job description rather than their own interests and capabilities. Conducting regular workshops for interested employees gives them insight into the different functions in the organizations that can eventually help them identify their career path. Once done, the organization can also provide the required skill-building exercises to prepare employees for their desired roles, which can be done using an HRMS platform. Ultimately, the individual can evaluate themselves in real time while also providing their managers a view into the same data.

Feed the feedback

All established process must always be tuned to deliver the best possible employee experience; it is here that an employee’s feedback becomes important. By collecting feedback at regular junctures such as at 30, 90 and 180 days from the date of joining, valuable insights can be collected that can be used to improve the system as a whole.

The evolution of the workplace today revolves around creating an establishment which can anticipate and transform the demands of the future workforce. Therefore, organizations need to be conscious of the changing models of work structure and adapt to these changes within short time frames. By working to enhance the creative confidence of both new and established employees, companies will ultimately create a unique workplace that is conducive to everyone. 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house