5 Steps to Take Your Company “Back to School” - Employment Edition

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by Koleen Singerline

Hopefully, the Labor Day weekend provided everyone with an opportunity to enjoy the last glimpse of fading summer  and now, we’re all ready to "re-focus" ourselves on work and get ready for the fourth quarter.  Most of us can still relate to the “back to school” emotions brought on by new clothes, new friends and new books for the next leap of education.  Labor Day was always the symbolic point for putting “play” behind and returning to the serious and sometimes fun side of life – learning.

Given the significant changes in staffing that most employers have experienced during 2009 and the first two quarters of 2010,  “back to school”  might be the best direction for all of us.  Whether you’ve experienced layoffs or have added temporary workers or temp-to-hire candidates to your team, now is a great time to evaluate your current situation and realign your employees with updated company goals.  

5 Steps to Get Your Company Back to School:

1) Set Goals for the “New Team”:  has the company’s focus changed?  Are you headed in a new direction?  The economy may have forced you to re-work your expectations.  This should be reflected in your company’s goals.

2) Look at Your Job Descriptions:  remaining  may have had to take on extra work.  Their job might not look like it did a year ago.  An up to date job description will give them the right starting point and help them to focus on your priorities.

3) Evaluate Employee Strengths and Weaknesses: Changes in work expectations may result in needs for new skills.

4) Design Your “Back to School” Program:  designing a skills improvement program for your staff will not only improve production but will also increase employee engagement.  Studies from the Gallup organization show that employees who have an above average attitude toward their work will generate:

• 38% higher customer satisfaction scores
• 22% higher productivity
• 27% higher profits for their companies

Help your employees re-prioritize with new responsibilities. 

5) “Re-Onboard” and Rejuvenate Your Team:  Now that you’ve thought through how things have changed and you have a plan in place for the future, you can re-orientate your team to the new reality.  Onboarding is the process of helping new employees assimilate into corporate culture and learn how they can contribute to your company goals.  According to Robert Bilotti of Novarti, staff members that have gone through the onboarding process correctly are:

• 85% more likely to contribute their ideas for improvements.
• 48% more likely to feel a strong sense of commitment to help the company be successful.
• 95% more likely to feel part of a team working towards a common goal.
• 207% more likely to feel the company was committed to their learning and development.
• 481% more likely to have an impression of the company as organized.
• 51% more likely to have an impression of the company as dynamic.
• 65% more likely to have an impression of the company as caring.

If you’re using a staffing agency as a part of your strategic staffing program, include them in your program – they can offer you insight gained from years of working with multiple companies.