On-Boarding
How does on-boarding coaching help new employees become more productive?
On-boarding coaching is about making new employees reach breakeven point more quickly. That means the point when they contribute as much to an organisation as they consume from it. When 210 company CEOs were asked for their best estimates of the time it takes a typical midlevel manager in their organizations to reach the breakeven point, the average of their responses was 6.2 months. The purpose of on-boarding (sometimes called transition) coaching is to reach this breakeven point quicker. The coach will help the new employee to align his/her objectives with that of the new organisation and help them to remove any obstacles to achieving their early objectives.
More research has shown that the higher the initial applicant expectations in a new role, the greater the reality shock and the lower their job satisfaction and commitment. Often issues that start in the early months of an employment contract can build up into frustrations that cause the eventual departure of a potentially great employee. (And another move on that person's CV that could have been avoided).
We are trained in facilitating conversations between new staff and their managers. Once the selection process has finished, the real work begins. Our role is to ensure that the new employee understands exactly what is expected of them. We manage expectations on both sides to ensure a smooth transition into a new role and a quicker break-even point. What difference would it make in your organisation if your new employees were productive one month earlier?
References: Mabey (1986) and Watkins (2003).