In This Issue:
	Multipurpose Training New Hire Orientation Time! Late-Summer Training Ideas Get the Most Out of Training Day

New Hire Orientation Time!

It's almost that time of year again for many of you when a large group of energetic new hires joins your organization. To make sure that these new employees add the highest value in the shortest amount of time, many of you offer orientation training programs. But how do you know if your orientation process is working most effectively? Here are three questions you may want to consider as you prepare to implement your fall orientation program: 1. Do you introduce new employees to your organization's culture? New employees arrive at your organization with varied backgrounds and experiences. An effective New Hire Orientation Program acknowledges these backgrounds and uses them as a springboard to demonstrate how your organization compares to or differs from previous employers. For example, let's suppose your organization is characterized by an intense, fast-paced, incentive- based culture. You may want to incorporate a discussion into your New Hire Orientation Program that defines these expectations and asks new employees to share previous experiences that highlight these cultural distinctions. A new employee may say, for instance, that she once worked as a waitress at a busy college pub and had to deal with many fast-paced demands. You could then use this experience to describe the similarities to your organization's fast-paced environment. By recognizing the past work experiences of your new hires, and relating your work culture to these experiences, your new hires will more quickly adjust to your workplace demands. 2. Do you explain professional conduct expectations? In addition to informing your new employees about your organization's professional culture, it is also important to let these new hires know what behavior is expected of them on the job. How should they act? What should they wear? How is professional conduct defined and enforced within your organization? These are some of the behavioral questions you will want to answer when conducting your New Hire Orientation Program. One lively and interactive way to demonstrate your organization's professional conduct expectations is to create a simple case study. Draft a humorous story about New Hire Nelly who arrives at your organization and, within the first week, makes a dozen or more mistakes related to professional conduct. For example, maybe she came to work late, wore a tank-top to the office, responded to an e-mail inappropriately, or did not take the initiative to seek out work during a down time. Ask your new hires to identify the mistakes revealed in the case study and lead a discussion about the professional behavior expected at your organization. 3. Do you define performance expectations within your organization? Many organizations make the mistake of not sharing performance criteria with new employees. Often there is a veil of secrecy around what it takes to succeed at one's job. Your New Hire Orientation Program provides an ideal opportunity to share the competencies and skills that your employees are required to master at each career level. Explain what these competencies and skills are and why they are important to your organization's mission. Share copies of performance evaluation forms, and explain how the formal performance feedback process works. Encourage your new employees to ask for feedback from their supervisors periodically throughout the year, rather than waiting for annual or semi-annual review meetings. Using your New Hire Orientation Program to explain your organization's culture, professional conduct expectations, and performance review criteria creates a transparent workplace and helps all employees get off to a great start. »

Late-Summer Training Ideas

Late-summer can be a slow time at many workplaces. Vacations, reduced client demands, and a slower- paced work schedule may create some down time in the office. Why not use this time to help your employees refine important skills that improve their productivity when the pace picks up? Point of Action can deliver several last-minute training programs for you before the summer's end. Some training programs you may want to consider include: * Supervising for Success! - This is a full or half-day workshop on delivering effective feedback to employees and writing constructive performance evaluations. * Navigating Successful Meetings - This 2-hour workshop focuses on how to conduct and participate in meetings to make them more effective. * Effective Business Writing - This full or half-day workshop is designed to help employees plan write, and edit better-quality documents more quickly and effectively. * Advanced Public Speaking & Presentation - This full or half-day workshop helps employees to construct and deliver high-quality, persuasive presentations. * You're A Leader: Now What? - This half-day workshop focuses on the fundamentals of leadership, including motivating people and managing projects. * Constructing Your Career Development Plan - This half-day workshop helps participants to analyze their career path and establish professional goals. If any of these training programs interest you, or there are others you would like to offer to your employees, please give us a call at (617) 429-0083 for more information. »

Get the Most Out of Training Day

*** If you are looking to identify training needs within your firm and develop a strategic training plan, click on the article link below to help you get started. Article Link... »