💡Start Strong Hub

Starting a new position is both exciting and daunting.

Most organisations have structured onboarding processes in place, but team leaders still have a significant impact on how successfully someone settles in. 

The administrative and mechanical elements of onboarding may be taken care of, but what really counts, making someone feel welcome, valued and part of the team, is down to you and your colleagues. Done well and your new team member will feel comfortable, engaged, and able to use all the skills and attributes you hired them for, making them more productive more quickly.  

Here are three ways to set new team members up for success: 

1. Make contact before they start 

Once an offer is accepted and the start date is confirmed, that’s your cue to begin engaging with your new team member.  Between your offer and their first day on the job a range of things could happen which you will have no influence over, if you are not in touch with them. 

For example:

• A counteroffer may be made by their current employer.
• They will be curious about what their new team and boss are like.
• They may experience imposter syndrome – can they cut it in the new role?
• Emotional conversations around leaving their current team may be taking place.

Contact in the weeks leading up to their start date gives you a chance to address these concerns and other fears or second thoughts they may be having. It sets the right tone and shows you are an empathetic and caring leader. 

People want to know they matter and that they’ve made the right decision to take on a new role. Checking in with them regularly, makes it less likely they’ll be swayed by other offers, or cold feet, and more likely they’ll turn up on day one in the right frame of mind. 

2. Be clear about the role and expectations 

It takes time to get to grips with the way an organisation works and how to contributeto its success. 

Establishing role and goal clarity early will accelerate this process for a new starter. 

• Role clarity builds their understanding of the expectations that come with their job, what tasks they’re supposed to accomplish and how their work contributes to the success of the team and organisation. 
• Goal clarity defines their specific goals, what success looks like and how their performance will be measured against this. Establishing these may seem obvious and simple, but it is an ongoing process and takes more than a single conversation during onboarding to get right.  

3. Spark connections 

Research by Gallup shows that work friendships and networks are key to job success.  Employees that feel connected in the workplace are likely to be more productive, more innovative, share ideas and engage customers.  

But developing connections isn’t easy for new team members who are busy deciphering their new role, particularly if they are working remotely. 

So how can you help? Here are a few ideas:

• Arrange introductions with relevant people across the business.  
• Assign an informal buddy who is happy to spend time with the new person and introduce them to other communities and colleagues.
• Identify who might be a valuable connection in your own network.
• Actively include them during virtual work meetings or get togethers. 
• Arrange a regular time to connect face to face when possible.  

Making someone feel part of the team is often the key to unlocking their potential. As a leader you can make that happen! 👏🏼

There are plenty of tools and platforms designed to help people own and grow their careers. But it’s people, specifically leaders like you, who give colleagues the space and courage to really do it. 

By having more frequent career conversations with your team you’ll find out what is motivating and challenging them and be better placed to get the best out of them.  

In simple terms, this means creating an atmosphere in which your new team members feel safe to take speak their minds openly about their work and life. An organisation’s values may be set by those at the top but it’s up to managers to create a culture of trust within their teams. 

Here are some ways you can do that:

Keep up the check-in chats. 

Good career conversations involve frequent, often informal, chats – it could be a quick conversation in the work kitchen about an issue discussed recently. 

Regular check-ins help identify challenges and opportunities that might need looking at further, they also make career conversations less intimidating.

Practice active listening. 

Don’t rush to respond or tell someone what to do. Listen and encourage them to share more by asking questions. Devoting time and space to really hear their opinions builds trust.

Have an open mind. 

Stand in their shoes. How is their situation influencing their approach? 

Be curious about them and encourage them to be curious too.

Building psychological safety doesn’t mean you need to pull back on accountability and excellence. The key is getting the right balance. One without the other is less effective, but in a trusting relationship, constructive feedback is more likely to be taken in good faith and acted upon. 

When someone feels psychologically safe, they’ll be able to be honest about their motivations, which are often overlooked. Once you understand what really drives someone it’ll help you get the best out of them.

Tricky conversations

Occasionally you’ll need to discuss a challenging subject during a career conversation. It’s easy to shy away from these, but if you’ve created an environment of openness and trust you’ll be in a good position to have a constructive discussion.

If you know you need to raise a sensitive issue, find the time and space to hold that conversation respectfully. 

Here are a few ways to prepare for it:

Understand your motives. 

Think through what you want to achieve and what you want the outcome to be for the other person and your organization, before having the conversation.

Get your facts right. 

Make sure everything you say is accurate and based on fact. Nothing unravels your position faster than incorrect information.

Be comfortable being uncomfortable. The person you’re talking to is likely to have a different perspective. They may challenge your assumptions or want to give you feedback that makes you feel uneasy. Also, don’t feel the need to fill awkward silences. Say what you have to say and stop. Unnecessary explanations weaken your position.

Show humility. 

While it’s important to have confidence in your view, it’s just as important to listen to, and have genuine interest in, what the other person has to say. It’ll help you reach a more informed conclusion and plays an important persuasive role too – if someone feels heard they’re more likely to take on board what you have to say.

Keep your emotions in check. 

We often build stories around people’s actions that are misleading. Recognise when you do this, and the negative emotions this can generate.

You’re not superhuman and you don’t have limitless time, but regular check-ins with team members will help you catch things early before they become issues you need to manage. 👍🏻

A few weeks into a new role is the best time to sit down with every new team member to revisit the role and goal clarity. 

We all remember what it’s like starting a new role and the time it takes to understand the way an organisation works and how you contribute to its success. 

You’re likely to have shared expectations with your new team member in the initial days of their induction but it’s very common for grey areas to show themselves in the first weeks of a new role. Nothing is more disengaging than being unsure of what you’re working towards and what you’ll be measured on. 

Ask yourself, and ask your new team member, the questions below:  

A great approach is to share the questions with them say, “I’d like to work through these together”. Then come prepared for an open and honest conversation.  

1. Why is this role important to them? 

Understanding what motivates them to do the job, enables you to make sure it continues to meet their needs.

2. Are they clear what they’re accountable for? 

A job description covers much of this, however, it’s important they are aware of all their responsibilities and there is flexibility to change as the organisation changes.  

3. Are they clear on their goals? 

Have you defined what success looks like and do their goals reflect the work that is being done? 

4. How is their impact and contribution measured?

Do they have objectives and key results (OKRs) or key performance indicators (KPIs)? Are they measured on quality of work, efficiency, innovation, or something else?

5. How will they know when they’re doing a good job? 

How are you providing regular performance feedback to them? Sharing these insights will ensure you are discussing performance expectations regularly so you can adjust them if needed.  

6. What support do they need from you? 

What actions can you take to help remove any barriers or confusion?  Who can you introduce them to who can help them be more effective? 

7. How can they continue to grow in their role?

Based on the feedback they’re sharing, what support would help them to develop and how can you provide it? 

Making sure the company vision, mission and strategy are clear to everyone is important. 

But sometimes we forget to translate this into the day-to-day working lives of our employees, which can lead to disconnection and disillusionment. 

By developing role and goal clarity, alongside a network of support, you’ll be setting everyone in your team up for success. 🏆