A new employee may have his or her college degree or a great deal of previous work experience. However, this does not mean that your new hire will have experience with your systems or your particular way of doing things. While larger companies can deal with the expense of employee turnover, your small business may not have that luxury. Therefore, how do you train a small business employee so that he or she is successful on the job?
Move at the Employee’s Pace
While you may not have a lot of time for a formal training program, the last thing that you want to do is move too fast for your new hire. If he or she is unfamiliar with a certain machine or unsure how to use the phone system, it could lead to critical mistakes that could cost your company time and money. Make sure that you are nearby to supervise or to take urgent questions until your new hire is more aware of his or her surroundings.
Cover Key Company Policies on the First Day
It is important that your new hire is aware of company policies regarding disclosure of business secrets, sexual harassment and other key issues. While employees may be aware of general rules regarding trade secrets or how to treat other employees, they may make a decision that they are not authorized to make or otherwise go against protocol if there is a lack of communication. This could create tension between an employer and employee or between two employees that may result in a termination or a key worker leaving the company.
Be Sure to Know the Law Regarding Minor Workers
Although workers under the age of 18 may be employed by most companies, they may be limited as to when they can work and what they can do. In most cases, workers under the age of 18 cannot handle knives or use mechanized machines. They may also not be able to work during the school week or for more than three hours on a school night. In some cases, it may be necessary to stretch a training class over the course of an entire week or several weeks to adhere to the law.
If you need to hire a new employee, you may be taking on additional costs that your business can’t handle on its own. However, using a company such as AFN can help you pay that worker as well as pay for training materials and other related expenses. With the right training and the proper funding, your new hires can become future leaders that will take your business to the next level.
