You’ve recruited the perfect employee, and have likely spent thousands of pounds in man hours and advertising costs to find this person. It can be frustrating and financially crippling, particularly for small businesses, if your new employee walks out of the job in their first week. This article looks at tips for employers to reduce the chance of this occurring.

Job Advert

Whilst job adverts are not legally binding, it’s important that the job ad reflects the main duties of the role. It’s not unheard of for companies to misrepresent a position or to conceal certain information from prospective employees. However, this will only result in disappointed and disengaged employees in their first week of work. Better still, ensure that all prospective employees are sent the full job description ideally before the interview stage. This will ensure that your chosen employee clearly understands the nature of the role.

Communicate

Your new employee may leave simply because they have been offered a job by another company that they have recently interviewed for. Ensure that your salary is fair and competitive, and have clear communication with your new employee before their start date. For example, emailing them on the Friday beforehand with a clear training itinerary, stating ‘We’re looking forward to you joining the team’ will make new employees feel valued, and show them that you are serious about their training. On their first day ensure that you and your colleagues are there to help and support the new employee. Consider organising lunch or after-work drinks to help your new employee feel part of the team early on.  

Keep Calm

If your new employee makes a big mistake in their first week, don’t sweat. It may be because they haven’t been trained properly, or were simply nervous. Use the experience as a learning curve and show that you are there to support the employee and help them to avoid similar mistakes in future. Don’t throw your new employee into the deep end during their first week by being given too many responsibilities. This will ensure that they can build skills with confidence, at their own pace. Remember that every workplace is different and it can take up to three months for the average employee to become profitable for the business.

If you would like to discuss how Ortolan People can help you minimise the risk of new employees leaving in their first week, contact us on 020 3743 0600 or email info@ortolan.com.