As the competition for workers heats up, employers are offering better benefits and pay in an effort to attract job candidates.
The problem is that once a new worker is on board, then things may start to fall apart -- often within the first week. Many new workers are thinking to themselves: "Wow, I think this was a mistake," and may even begin job hunting again, knowing that there are plenty of employers out there who want them.
Why do new workers feel this way? Often, it's very simple: They don't feel a connection to the new job or the people or the organization. The quickest way to remedy that, finds a recent study, is for the manager to meet one-on-one with the new worker.
A Microsoft study found that it's often the "little things" that matter most to new hires: a working computer, immediate access to the building, email and intranet on the first day of work. That way, the employee feels productive immediately, and also begins to tie into the shared goals of the organization.
Looking at the engagement of about 3,000 workers, Microsoft finds that the really critical key is for a new employee met with a manager during the first week. When that happens, then the company saw key growth for the employee in building an internal network, higher-quality meetings and greater collaboration with team members.
Let's look at it another way. When you invite someone to your home for dinner, you don't let this person into your home, then turn around and go lock yourself in the bedroom to read or play Fortnight. You wouldn't expect this person to make his own dinner, clean up afterward and then find his way home without any contact from you. It's ridiculous -- and so is the practice of new employees never being personally welcomed by the boss and spending that one-on-one-time.
As the Microsoft researchers note, it's a pretty simple idea, but one that many bosses miss.
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