How to Train New Employees

Acclimating a New Employee

Make sure they know where to park. It’s easy to overlook basic logistics, like parking. Provide them with directions to the parking lot, specify which lot to use, and let them know if they have a designated space. If necessary, provide parking stickers or other access passes.

Show them their workstation. Prior to their first day, make sure they have a desk, phone line, laptop, business cards, and other office essentials. For non-office jobs, show them whatever location they’ll do most of their work. There’s nothing worse for a new employee than to worry about showing up early and making a great first impression, only to find their employer hasn’t prepared for their first day.

Give them a thorough tour. Restrooms, supply closets, printer and copy stations, and the cafeteria are typical spots on orientation tours. Don’t forget the break room, coffee pot, and microwave. It might also be necessary to show them a first aid station, fire extinguishers, and other safety equipment. Work with your department or company to come up with key places to include on the tour.

Make sure they don’t eat lunch alone. Lunchtime is another detail that’s often overlooked. First days are tough, and nothing underscores being new more than eating lunch alone. Coordinate with your colleagues to make sure new hires can share a meal with friendly faces.

Assign a highly qualified trainer. Training duties are often assigned to employees with time on their hands or those whose desks are closest to that of the new hire. However, if you’re a training manager, you should take the lead. In addition, it’s wise to designate an experienced employee with excellent communication skills and a good bedside manner to assist with training. That employee should do work similar to what the new hire does. They can also offer “unofficial” advice, such as how certain managers prefer to communicate or who throws the best holiday party.

Creating Training Materials

Provide a clearly outlined training manual. A well-organized manual starts with an outline that previews its contents. It should then break down each topic into digestible chunks with a clear, logical order. A good structure introduces broad concepts first, presents more detailed information step by step, then briefly summarizes key points. You should provide a printed manual so the trainee can take notes as they go. In addition, email them a digital copy of the training manual, employee handbook, and other materials. That way, they can always refer to the email if they don’t have the hard copies handy.

Include the job description and performance expectations. The training manual should also include a comprehensive job description that lists their essential duties, skills, and performance goals. It’s also helpful to include a performance review rubric so they clearly understand what the company expects of them.

Provide a staff overview and contact information. A company hierarchy flow chart will let trainees know how departments are structured, who their heads are, and who reports to whom. It’s also helpful to give trainees a list of people in their department. Make sure they have all necessary contact info for anyone within or outside of the company (such as vendors or clients).

Include any necessary information about safety standards. Depending on the industry, make sure the manual covers emergency procedures and safety standards. If necessary, check with the appropriate government agency, such the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to find out what your safety training needs to cover.

Don’t skip company culture and values. The manual shouldn’t just include information about day to day tasks. It should communicate the company’s history, values, vision, and goals. Remember, you don’t just want a body in a cubicle. You want someone who actively engages and represents the company culture.

Put together a list of company resources. Additional resources vary by industry, but might include annual reports, marketing materials, and old presentations. It’s wise to compile these on the company intranet or password-protected section on the website. In order to prevent overwhelming them, let them know that these helpful resources are at their disposal, but not required reading.

Structuring a Training Schedule

Take time to get to know a new hire as a person. Take the time to engage in conversation with the newcomer. Ask about their family, hobbies and interests, and don't forget to share your own. Working in time in the schedule to get know the trainee will help ease their nerves and encourage them to become part of the team.

Find the middle path between overwhelming and babying them. Start with a bird’s eye view of their job, then fill in details a little at a time. Dropping a thick manual on their desk and throwing them to the wolves is not the way to go. However, you shouldn’t go at a snail’s pace and read training protocols word by word either. Schedule 5 to 10 minute breaks between topics to help them digest information without getting overwhelmed.

Assign non-critical tasks and be ready to answer questions. First, make sure the trainee knows that they can ask you (or others in the department) for help if they need it. Then, have them complete tasks on their own based on what they’ve been trained to do. Let them know that they shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help if they run into problems. Most people learn better by doing instead of listening. While you shouldn’t assign a task that will make or break the company, don’t ask them to do something menial. Show them that you have confidence in their abilities.

Set the pace training according to a trainee’s abilities. Not everyone learns at the same pace, so try not to move on to a new training topic before the trainee is ready. Once they’ve gotten the hang of something, begin challenging them by giving them assignments with achievable goals. Ask the trainee periodically if you’re going too fast or too slow. They might try to hide the fact that they’re lost, so do your best to read their body language. A longer training period might take extra resources in the short term, but a thoroughly trained employee is worth a momentary dip in productivity.

Creating a Positive Training Experience

Be generous with praise. Offering praise is essential if you want your new hire to gain confidence. Instead of giving empty compliments, praise specific efforts and achievements. For example, you might say, “You finished that assignment way ahead of schedule. I have to admit, I thought I’d find some errors when it came in so fast, but there were none to be found. Great job!”

Offer constructive criticism when necessary. Never hesitate to point out when a trainee does something incorrectly. You’ll only do them a disservice and encourage a quick mistake to become a long-term bad habit. If necessary, soften criticism by saying things like, “It would be easier if you did this,” or “Don’t worry - it’s an easy mistake to make.” More often than not, new hires want to hear constructive feedback sooner rather than later. Months down the line, you don’t want to leave an employee wondering why you didn’t correct their mistake earlier.

Give trainees time to get up to speed. Add responsibilities gradually, don’t come down too hard on mistakes, and continue to work on training even after they’ve completed the official training period. Every job and every person is unique, and the time it takes for someone to get into the swing of things will vary. Depending on person and the industry, it could take up to a year to settle into a new job.

Gather feedback about the training process. A good training program is always in development. Once they’ve finished training, ask the new hire if they suggest any ways to improve. Ask if they’ve run into something training didn’t cover, whether it was too fast or slow, and if they would change anything about its structure.