Adaptation of a new employee: the importance of the period, the stages of the process and the adaptation plan

A new job is stress for both the employee and the organization itself. It is necessary that a person delve into the labor process, as well as build relationships with team members. This period is called the adaptation of a new employee. It is important that the management of the enterprise pay enough attention to this issue.

Significance of the adaptation period

Adaptation of a new employee is a crucial period, which largely determines the future fate of this individual in the enterprise. The significance of the process is determined by such moments:

• If you do not pay enough attention to adaptation, this will cause a strong staff turnover.
• In the process of adaptation, a new employee develops a certain attitude towards the organization and makes a decision on the advisability of cooperation.
• Getting used to a new job, a person is more exposed to motivational measures.
• Elimination of feelings of anxiety and fear associated with getting into a new environment.

Adaptation goals

Professional adaptation of new employees pursues the following main goals:

• Cost reduction. A new employee is usually unproductive. Purposeful adaptation helps to reduce the process of introducing a new employee in the course of business. Thus, it will quickly begin to bring real and material benefits to the enterprise.
• Time saving. If you have a clear adaptation plan, you can avoid delays associated with the sluggishness of an inexperienced employee.
• Decrease in the level of uncertainty. This will allow the beginner to feel more comfortable, which allows him to quickly join the workflow.
• Improving the company's reputation in the labor market. Word of mouth quickly enough to disseminate information about the attitude towards new employees.

Two types of adaptation

Adaptation of an employee in a new workplace can be of two types:

• Primary is the introduction of an employee who does not have work experience and communications in a particular enterprise. In this case, the adaptation is quite complicated and lengthy.
• Secondary adaptation - refers to employees who are transferred to another place of work within the enterprise or transferred to another unit. They are familiar with the specifics of the enterprise, so the adaptation is quick and painless.

The main stages of adaptation

Adaptation of a new employee in the organization includes several stages. Namely:

• Preadaptation. It occurs when a person is not yet an employee of the organization. This refers to getting acquainted with the vacancy and conducting an interview.
• Primary adaptation. Occurs in the early days of a newcomer to the enterprise. This acquaintance with the organization, its employees and the specifics of work.
• Effective adaptation. The longest stage, which involves the introduction of an employee into the work process. As a rule, in the early days, a mentor is attached to the employee, who prepares him for independent activity.

Adaptation to the position

An important component of the new employee’s adaptation program is adaptation to the position. It includes such moments:

• The hierarchy system in the enterprise (familiarization with the organizational structure). It is worth introducing an employee into the course of not only formal subordination, but also talk about informal leaders.
• Credentials. This applies both to the duties prescribed in the job description, and potential tasks that may arise due to production needs.
• The content of the documents. These are all regulatory legal acts, as well as internal documents regulating the organization’s work.
• Comprehensive information about the enterprise. This applies to the specifics of products (services), relationships with customers, suppliers, competitors and regulatory authorities.

Professional Adaptation

In the process of professional adaptation of a new employee, the following points are affected:

• Determination of the content of the work and the desired results. It is necessary to explain to the employee the essential points and rules, as well as talk about approaches to the performance of production functions. Simply put, you need to describe the mechanism for evaluating the results of work by the employer.
• Features of the operation of instruments and equipment. The first step is to demonstrate the operation of the technique. If an employee has not previously encountered such equipment, then he undergoes training under the guidance of a curator.
• Providing a workplace. Each employee should have his own territory assigned to him. According to psychologists, the lack of personal space is one of the most common reasons for dismissal during a trial period.
• Definition of responsibility for documents. The employee must understand what papers he will have to deal with, how to draw them up correctly.

Socio-psychological adaptation

The socio-psychological adaptation of a new employee is one of the key points in introducing an enterprise. This aspect is influenced by such links of the organization:

• Head - not only evaluates the staff, but also sets the tone for work. The mood and temperament of the boss is largely determined by the psychological atmosphere in the team.
• The collective means the established system of informal relations, traditions and rituals. The further fate of the new employee in the organization largely depends on whether his team will accept (or whether he will accept this situation).
• The general interaction environment for the team and superiors is the norms and rules in force in the organization. They can both unite and embroil employees.

Step # 1: getting started

Considering an example of a new employee’s adaptation plan, it is worth noting that this process does not begin from the first working day, but a little earlier. About three to four days before the arrival of a new subordinate to the enterprise, the personnel manager must perform the following approximate list of actions:

• Call a new employee to verify their intentions.
• inform the labor collective about the imminent appearance of a new member;
• prepare an introductory information package for an employee (for example, phone numbers of various organization services, rules for connecting to a local network, various application forms);
• prepare a pass to the enterprise;
• check the workplace for readiness;
• installation on a personal computer of the programs necessary for the performance of official duties;
• check serviceability of office equipment;
• prepare a set of stationery and supplies.

As for the immediate head of the unit where the newcomer will work, he must check the relevance of the job description. A curator should also be appointed.

Step number 2: first working day

In the example of a new employee’s adaptation plan, the most capacious is the first working day. It involves three key links, the approximate actions of which are described in the table.

Step # 3: first work week

Considering a typical example of a program for adapting new employees, it is worth noting that the curator is almost entirely responsible for organizing the first working week. Here is what he must do:

• tell the sponsor about the history of the organization, its goals, objectives, mission, mechanism of work and the policy of communication with contractors;
• to familiarize in detail with the documents that are used in the work process;
• explain the mechanism of functioning of the administrative apparatus of the organization;
• introduce the new employee to colleagues with whom he will directly interact in the process of work;
• Explain the essence of special procedures;
• give an idea of ​​the reporting system.

Unsuccessful adaptations

Bad examples of adapting a new employee in an organization are not uncommon. Here are the most common situations:

• Arrogance and closeness to a beginner. This attitude of the leader often copies the entire team. Such an atmosphere puts pressure on the employee, which affects his productivity.
• Space saving. If you place a newcomer at the same table with another employee, this will create inconvenience to both. In addition, the newly arrived employee will not have the feeling that he is an integral part of the organization.
• Ignoring questions. A new person in the enterprise is faced with a huge flow of information. It is impossible to remember everything at once. Therefore, you need to be loyal to the questions of the beginner, and not say "Understand it yourself."
• Inconsistent reporting. Lack of a clear communication plan leads to confusion. In addition, you should not operate with complex special terms.
• Quibbling and finding flaws. Even if the employee has not yet managed to prove himself, he must be praised. And any comments should be made in private.
• Insulation. From the first days, the employee must be involved in team work. So he will get used to it much faster and get acquainted with its specifics.

Common employer mistakes

Unfortunately, at the domestic enterprises insufficient attention is paid to the issue of adaptation of new employees. In this regard, we can distinguish the following typical mistakes of employers:

• Search for a "ready" employee. Some managers are confident that the new employee should work with 100% return. But the ideal employee cannot be found. It can only be "nurtured" on its own. This will take some time.
• Attitude towards an employee as a "working machine". Any employee is first of all a person who is characterized not only by virtues, but also by disadvantages. He may make mistakes. It is necessary to take this into account when building relationships with employees.
• Overstated requirements. Often, employers put forward “space” requirements for a new employee regarding knowledge and skills. Moreover, not every leader himself meets these parameters.
• Disrespectful attitude towards employees without work experience. A rare employer agrees to hire an inexperienced employee. And if this happens, then few people care about the psychological comfort of the young specialist, believing that the fact of work itself should be perceived with gratitude.
• Incorrect interpretation of the trial period. This is a common practice in order to understand whether an employee of an organization is suitable. But we must remember that the management of the organization must also make every effort to “fit” the new employee.