By Ash Athawale, Senior Vice President and Senior Group Managing Director, Robert HalfThink about the last time you made a major purchase or big decision. You likely felt a sense of excitement and accomplishment. That may have been coupled with a little voice in the back of your head with some nagging questions: Did I make the right decision? Will I regret this in any way? Could this turn out to be a mistake? A little bit of post purchase cognitive dissonance?All of these questions are common when we embark on something new. I see this daily in my work in recruiting and executive search. New hires – at every level of the organization – can have lingering doubts about their decision. These doubts become most prevalent at a very precarious time: They start at the time of offer acceptance and can last through the first several weeks in the new role.Leaders, this timeframe is when your employee retention efforts should be implemented. Contrary to popular belief, retention does not begin:On Day 1 of the new role, orAt the first performance review or work anniversary, orWhen you sense unhappiness and a possibility of a departureRetention starts as soon as the candidate accepts the offer. Your ongoing job is to:Minimize any potential doubtsReinforce the candidate made the right decision, as did youMake the person feel welcome and part of the team before Day 1“But Ash,” clients often say, “This has been a long road to find the right person. Our offer was accepted, the start date is set and I need to focus on other things. My work on this is over.” When I hear this, my response is simple: “Actually, your work on retention begins the day the offer is accepted. This is just beginning.”If you don’t follow up now through the start date by engaging with that new hire, you may see an unhappy consequence: A change of heart and mind, resulting in accepting a counteroffer from their current firm — or — an offer from a different organization.Find out how Robert Half can help you find your next great hire.
Thankfully, beginning your retention efforts is not a difficult process. Small things make a big difference. You should engage everyone on the team to provide a warm and enthusiastic welcome. Here are some steps to take:Call your new hire: As soon as the offer letter is signed and the start date is set, call with your congratulations. A phone call is better than an email: You can answer any questions on the spot and convey your enthusiasm verbally. Many years ago when I started with Robert Half, Bill Driscoll who had essentially recruited me to the firm, called to congratulate and welcome me to the team. I felt like part of the group before I even started and have always remembered his kind gesture.
Send a card or package to the home address: A simple congratulations card signed by everyone on the team is a nice touch. If you have branded company swag — like a shirt, coffee mug or mousepad — send that along too.
Email helpful information: Send links to non-restricted content that will help the new hire better understand and acclimate to the organization. If the person will be coming onsite for orientation, send building maps and parking instructions in advance. Let the team know of their prospective visit — start with the person at the front desk. Yes, you know the one — Director of First Impressions.
Assign team outreach: If it will be a few weeks before the person starts, assign one person on your team to reach out to the new hire each week. This can be a simple introduction and offer to answer questions. If the candidate is relocating to the area, your team’s insights on neighborhoods, restaurants and services near the office will be very welcome.
Place the order now: Order a laptop as well as other equipment the person will need on day one. Make sure the workspace is clean and has basic office supplies. Remove any clutter or materials from previous employees. Work with IT and security to line up network access and a security badge. It is a very poor and frustrating experience for the new person when these things are not done in advance, and also reflects badly on the organization.
Get paperwork ready: Make sure HR provides you with all the forms the new hire needs to sign. Get these ready electronically, or printed and organized before Day 1.
Have point people on deck: As the hiring manager, you’ll be the primary resource to your new hire. Make introductions to everyone on the team and note who can help with what — especially if you’re out of pocket that day.
Make plans for lunch: Take the new hire to lunch and invite others on the team or in other departments to join. Get to know each other as people, not just colleagues.
Even if the new role your candidate accepted with your organization is a “dream job,” remember that it’s still a risk to leave a stable, familiar environment to embark on an unknown journey.
Don’t lose this person to fear, nagging questions or the appeal of another organization. You’ve worked too hard to find your new hire to see your efforts go down the drain — and be forced to start the hiring process all over again from scratch.
Ash Athawale is senior vice president and senior group managing director at Robert Half in the executive search practice. Follow Ash on Twitter and LinkedIn.
