One of the biggest challenges for any supervisor or manager is dealing with
new employees. While new employees range from chronic underachievers to future
CEOs, the essential activities for the supervisor are the same. Every good
supervisor needs to focus on training, objectives, feedback coaching, more
training and career development.
Training
Just because an employee has a college degree, a CPA, an MBA or other
academic or professional credential does not mean they are trained to do a
specific job. One of the first roles of a supervisor is to insure that the
people on her team are trained. Some training is common for all employees such
as general administrative practices. Others are specific to a technology such
as a system or a tool. Finally, there is training that is role specific. It is
the responsibility of every supervisor to insure that each employee is trained
in each of these areas. It is best to set expectations before training, to
follow-up after training and then to review how the training is being utilized
after the employee has had an opportunity to use it in the job.
Objectives
Management by Objectives (MBO) appear to be making a strong comeback after a
number of years in disfavor due to other management philosophies and
motivational tools. It is up to every supervisor or manager to insure that her
employees have objectives. The objectives should be specific, measurable,
attainable, realistic and time-bound. The objectives need to be reviewed with
the employee by the supervisor. The employee should have an opportunity to
provide input and ask questions about the objectives. Finally the employee and
the supervisor should each have a copy of the objective document.
Feedback and Coaching
Timely and candid feedback is one of the most important things a supervisor
or manager can provide an employee. While formal feedback on performance
against assigned objectives is essential, day-to-day feedback based on work
activities and actions is even more vital. The supervisor must note not only
what the employee is doing wrong, but also what the employee is doing right.
And in the cases where the employee is doing job functions right, it is up to
the supervisor to explain how to perform even more effectively. Feedback and
coaching by the supervisor should be constant and done with the goal of overall
performance improvement.
More Training
Observation, feedback and coaching will always identify the need for
additional training. Whether to re-train areas of weak performance or to
increase skills and proficiency in areas of strength (and business need),
training is a process and not an end in itself. As employees are on the job
longer, their training shifts from organizational and functional basic training
to more in-depth functional training. Over time, broader cross-functional and
managerial training are in order. The top performers are in line for
specialized programs including those designed for future leaders often called
“fast track” programs and the executive educations programs offered by many of
the top business schools. A key point with training beyond that offered
initially is that there is no such thing as “one size fits all”.
Career Development
Last but certainly not least for the supervisor or manager of the new
employee is career development. While there has been much in the business press
about career self-management, this reality does not relieve the supervisor or
manager of her responsibility. Formal discussion periodically – at least twice
per year – should be focused on the current job, the employees desired next
position, the needs of the business, skills and other requirements for the next
job and where the employees sees himself in several years. By supervisors
having these discussions they can be prepared to provide input into training
budgets, course openings, and vacancies inside and outside of their department
and leadership succession plans.
Supervisors and managers often clamor for new and talented people. Among the
pool of new people can be the future leaders of the business or organization.
It is up to the supervisor to launch the new people on a successful path
through a combination of training, objective setting, feedback and coaching,
more training and career planning. While new employees can be time consuming
for the supervisor, the skill, energy and commitment they bring to the
workplace are vital for growth and innovation.
George F. Franks, III is the founder and CEO of Franks Consulting Group, a
Bethesda, Maryland based management consulting and leadership coaching
practice. He is a member of the International Coach Federation and the
Institute of Management Consultants (USA).