Every person went through the process of adaptation. The least enjoyable and serious is adaptation after birth. One has to adapt to any changes: place, people, regime, duties, status, etc. This process is very painful, and it is especially difficult for subtle and vulnerable people to perceive it. Kindergarten, school, college, college, a young family ... You need to get used to all this and come to terms with the new role. The process of personnel adaptation differs from the adaptation of schoolchildren in that they are deliberate actions, and they need to be approached accordingly.
What is adaptation?
Adaptation is the process of adapting to the variability of the outside world, leaving the comfort zone. I must say that this is a basic function, and all living organisms possess the ability to adapt to new conditions.
This process is less painful at an early age, and over the years this ability becomes somewhat dull and stiff. Of course, this depends not only on the years lived, but also on the personality itself. Someone even in old age loves to learn new things, experience previously unknown emotions, take themselves out of their comfort zone, while someone is even twenty years old afraid of the slightest changes, and a sofa shifted by ten centimeters can disturb their peace.
Adaptation is easier for those individuals whose brain is more plastic, since in this case a person does not rely on his habits, but on his own mental abilities and ability to act non-standard in a new situation.
Professional Adaptation
Perhaps this is one of the most conscious types of personnel adaptation, as it is accomplished by a mature person. Adaptation to the profession is not only the possession of the necessary skills, but also the adoption of norms, rules of conduct, the necessary schedule and other components of the role.
Professional adaptation is almost always accompanied by social adaptation, as one needs to adapt not only to the profession, but also to people, to accept the existing working life and to unite these two processes safely. After all, it happens that a person perfectly joined the team, everyone loves him, it’s boring without him, but he never became a master of his craft. There is an absolutely opposite situation when the professional qualities of a person are quite high, but he could not join the team.
To avoid similar and other problems, various methods of personnel adaptation have been developed that are aimed at accelerating this process, avoiding psychological injuries for a beginner and problems for the whole team. With the correct use of techniques by the mentor, the process of infusion into the activity occurs as soon as possible and prevents such an unpleasant phenomenon as staff turnover.
Adaptation system
The staff working in the organization for several years also sometimes needs to be adapted. The reason for this may be a change of manager, location, transfer to another position, computerization and development of new programs, reorganization, etc.
What about newcomers who are just starting their duties? This applies to both young specialists who have graduated from universities, and students in a personnel school.
For this, several techniques and methods have been developed to reduce 3-4 months of adaptation to 1-2. It also depends on what strategy the new employee adopts: to develop as a specialist as much as possible, and only then establish friendly relations with the team or first make friends and support, and then delve into the essence of his position.
An inveterate careerist needs to be more intensively introduced into the society of colleagues, and the “soul of the team” is encouraged to quickly master the necessary skills.
Artificial selection
Adaptation of personnel and the success of the company depends on the psychological compatibility of people. Of course, professionalism is a serious anchor and pivot for a successful role in a group. It is worth noting that, unlike talent, it is given to a person not from birth, it needs to be developed.
Introverts are better at achieving the desired level alone with themselves, trying, feeling, listening. If they ask questions, then strictly in the case - only that which it is impossible to come to alone, or if this requires a lot of time. Thus, all information obtained during personal experiments is reliably recorded in their minds. It is these employees who most often bring rational suggestions to production, thanks to which the adaptation process becomes mutual
Extroverts absorb information better by asking, observing, and interacting. Often they need a mentor who will supervise every step and monitor the performance of particularly complex tasks. Such individuals work well in a team.
Unfortunately, even the most experienced HR manager cannot select staff so that there are no problems in the future. So the human essence is arranged that even in the most successful team there is a leader and an outsider, someone will be better, someone behind.
Adaptation is an adaptation that involves not only changes in some personal indicators, but also a meek acceptance of what you cannot change.
Main tasks
Fast labor adaptation of personnel is beneficial for both parties at the same time: both the employer and the new employee. It is no secret that the process of adaptation is often painful, this is due to a change in priorities, a malfunction of the usual daily routine, the use of rarely used skills, and many others.
Our brain is too finicky; it will not work without good reason. It can be a high salary, career growth, strong interest, the pursuit of prestige. It is at that moment when a new employee finds the main reason why he should work in this organization, his brain begins to work very productively. At the same time, learning new techniques of the profession, he manages to establish internal and external contacts.
The adaptation process is a stressful state, during the period of which the person can show high results, but when the employee enters the usual rhythm, the performance may drop. The reason for this is prolonged adaptation, that is, stress.
The main task of professional adaptation of personnel is to bring a new employee up to date and reduce the number of professional mistakes and shortcomings in the shortest possible time. This will lead to better performance and lower staff turnover.
Types of adaptation
The adaptation of personnel in the organization can be divided into several types:
- professional - familiarization with the position of young specialists and experienced employees who have changed jobs or transferred to another position;
- psychophysiological - addiction to the level of comfort, physical and moral stress;
- organizational - familiarization with the structure of the organization, the customer base;
- socio-psychological - establishing friendly contacts with colleagues;
- economic - getting used to the size of wages and the distribution of their resources.
Adaptation stages
1. Introduction. This is the process of evaluating a new employee’s environment, familiarizing themselves with their responsibilities in the organization and analyzing their capabilities.
At the end of this stage, you need to weigh everything and understand whether you can continue to work in this organization or if you need to look for a new job.
The manager, in turn, also looks closely at the new employee and decides whether he is in the right position. That is, there is an assessment of the adaptation of personnel.
2. Fixture. The stage that comes after familiarization. During this period, the new employee adapts to many of the nuances that have been revealed after several months of work, an assessment of his ability to work after several months of work takes place.
3. Merger. The result of full implementation in the group and positioning itself as a full member of the team. It is characterized by mutual satisfaction and planning for further activities.
The Importance of Adaptation Techniques
Any organization is interested in a smart, fast-learning and productive employee, but how to become one if the probationary period comes to an end, and a new employee is worried about his duties and is afraid to make the slightest mistake? This can only indicate that the adaptation process was unsuccessful, since not quite suitable methods were chosen or they were not used at all.
A competent leader knows that the fate of not only one employee, but also the entire production will depend on his approval or censure.
There are many methods and programs for adapting personnel, the participants of which can be not only a novice and leader or mentor, but the whole team. Let's consider some of them in more detail.
Economic and psychological methods
Adaptation methods are divided into economic and psychological (non-production).
- Economic - these are various monetary incentives (increase in salaries, bonuses, etc.).
- Psychological is a model of the employer's behavior and the formation of a friendly atmosphere in the team to unleash the potential of a new employee and his early adaptation.
Escort
The most effective method of staff adaptation, since all work is divided in half with a mentor. The new employee feels protected, in addition, the chances of making fatal mistakes by a young specialist are reduced. This method is energy-consuming, but it is widely used in those professions where the error of a specialist can lead to human casualties (for example, pilots or engine drivers).
Briefing
This method can be called a list of rules. Often carried out orally or in writing in the language most understandable to the new employee. This is an important point, since a person, for obvious reasons, may not be proficient in vocabulary.
The briefing, although it is a mandatory moment of adaptation, but as an independent method, it is ineffective, not counting those professions where special skills are not required.
Organization website
Modern technologies have opened another method of adaptation for humanity - this is the organization’s website. Thanks to this, all information is collected in one resource accessible to all employees.
Having a website will also help screen out unsuitable employees before submitting a resume.
Mentoring
This is the exchange of knowledge of more experienced employees with a newcomer. This method is the least expensive, as an individual employee does not need to redraw their usual schedule. In addition, in the process of mutual assistance there is a quick social adaptation of a novice and a quick establishment of relations within the team.
Collective training
A very effective way, but rarely used. It consists in the following: all employees gather in a training circle and discuss the results of their work: what was achieved and what did not work out.
Allowed to express all their complaints and rational proposals. Everything said (according to the laws of training) does not go beyond the circle, but it makes it possible to voice all possible emerging conflicts, throw out emotions, understand mistakes and draw conclusions.
In the end, a successful training turns into a kind of consultation on solving common problems.
Many leaders do not even try to implement this method, because it is they who are assigned the role of the leader, who is obliged to possess diplomatic qualities.
Tips for a new employee
- At first, pay more attention to professional adaptation than social.
- You need to merge into the team smoothly, you should not get into the soul of new employees who are not yet familiar. Let it not surprise you that at first you will be the center of attention, they will talk about and evaluate you for your eyes - this is normal.
- Learn to accept comments and not give any importance to praise. Reprimand - this does not mean that you do not fit as an employee - this is just a mistake.
- Try to arrive 10-15 minutes before the start of the working day. This makes it possible to calm down, overcome unnecessary excitement and tune in to fruitful work.
- Do not be afraid of a large amount of unfamiliar information. You can learn a lot on the Internet yourself, and the rest from colleagues. Do not be afraid to ask!
- Do not compare the current place of work with the previous one, although this information flies out automatically to maintain a conversation. This is mistake. No one likes being compared.
- Leave your habits at home. Clicking your fingers, banging them on the table, biting your nails (God forbid) are not the best manifestations of your Self.
- You should not directly express your dissatisfaction, but openly praise for every little thing is also not worth it.
- If you are planning a collective tea party or other informal meeting of colleagues - no need to refuse if you are invited. Do not force yourself to persuade.
- Do not refuse to help colleagues if your professional skills are needed to solve. But do not drop everything and run headlong to the rescue. It may seem that you do not know your price or join the team for you is much more important than becoming an experienced employee.