4 Fresh Perspectives on Training New People Challenges

To make sure that new employees thrive in their roles, it’s critical to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of the company’s mission, values, and expectations. Equipping them with the necessary tools and resources, such as training manuals, job aids, and online training programs, is also crucial. Additionally, setting clear performance expectations and providing continuous feedback and coaching can help employees meet these expectations. By investing in the training and development of new employees, organizations can guarantee that they possess the knowledge and skills required to make meaningful contributions to the company’s success.

However, if a newly hired staff member is experiencing difficulties, it’s possible seasoned employees may become frustrated. This could impact the working relationship between the new hire and their coworkers. Let’s take a closer look at some potential scenarios that may contribute to a challenging training experience.

It can be frustrating and common when a new employee thinks they know everything about a company they just started working for. While job duties may be similar across different companies, operational procedures and protocols may differ. It’s important for new employees to be open to learning how tasks should be completed in their new roles. Interrupting trainers with comments like “I know” or “I’ve done this before” can cause frustration and may prevent the trainer from sharing important work-related information.

It is not uncommon for individuals to take on a secondary job in order to supplement their income, while expecting minimal effort. Such individuals may already have a primary job and may feel that their secondary job should not demand too much from them. During their training, they may not appear fully focused or engaged and may attempt to steer conversations away from the job. They may be most interested in working independently without supervision. Such individuals may become more challenging to manage after their probation period ends.

When it comes to learning new skills, people have different preferences. Some prefer hands-on training while others may prefer a written training manual. However, in most situations, people can benefit from both forms of training methods. Trainers need to consider that some individuals learn at a slower pace than others, which could be a real problem for new employees depending on the job. For instance, most companies require employees to use computers to complete their tasks. A new hire who lacks computer literacy skills will likely need to take an introduction to computer course. The problem arises when the new hire is nearing the end of their probation period, but they are not making the necessary progress in their training. Now, the company must decide whether to start parting ways with the new hire and start a new recruitment process or hope that the individual will eventually learn the job.

Switching jobs to pursue a new career path can be beneficial, but it can also create uncomfortable situations. For instance, new hires who constantly compare their current job to their previous one and criticize the organization’s structure may cause discord among colleagues. It is important to note that a federal job may have stricter guidelines and a more defined structure compared to a private or public sector business. When transitioning to a smaller organization, it is important to recognize that it may not have the same financial resources or technology as larger corporations. Current employees may have developed creative strategies to achieve success within the company guidelines. New hires may struggle with this and may eventually decide to leave the company.

In general, training new hires can be a difficult task. However, it can also be a valuable opportunity to observe how the employee will interact with the team in the long run. To ensure that new hires complete all necessary training and meet deadlines, organizations need to be transparent about their expectations. Furthermore, trainers should be equipped with a progress sheet to track trainees’ development and provide feedback. Rather than having redundant objectives, the progress sheet should outline new skills that must be learned over a specific time frame. Additionally, trainers must be trained to recognize and document both positive and negative interpersonal skills during the training process. Can you share your experience with training new hires?