Orientation: Training for New Employees - Assignment Example

Introduction: This paper seeks to discuss and analyze a chosen topic which is “Orientation: Training for New Employees.” I have chosen the topic among other choice because I believe that orientation is one of the critical parts of HR management. There is a saying that goes this way: “Start well to end well.” Hiring an employee first and foremost may involve making the employee a loyal employee of the organization. Hence, for such a critical issue as orienting said employee, it may have to be done the best way if best results are to be obtained. An employee once assured that the organization is worth staying with will not think twice to be loyal to the company. His first impressions about organization, its people and processes will matter a lot to him. Hence, I designed three critically important questions related to chosen topic that I plan to answer through research and they are as follows: (1) what possible problems would be faced by new employees for orientation? (2) What characterized and a good orientation program? (3) What could be used as materials to be given to new employees during orientation? I selected the three questions because I feel they are worth looking into by every decision maker in an organization. Looking on the surface, the three questions are very close to the topic at hand. The first question is asking for possible problems as result of an orientation. The second question therefore is anticipating what may be the proper things that must be done by management to prepare for an orientation activity by knowing what the characteristics of a good orientation program. Section 2 seeks to answer submitted in Section 1 by critically examining questions being presented. Questions will be compared with the findings of as per research and an explanation will be made how the answers per research will compare with preconceived notions I had prior to your research. (1) Summary of orientation essay Business organizations have goals and objective to attain. New employees have their own background and ways of looking at things but the new organization now takes charge some of the new employees’ life by orienting to the direction at which the organization is going to. The new employer need to orient its new employees about company systems, processes, procedures, people and all other things about the organization. Orientation is a continuous process; hence the human resource people should anticipate possible problems after the orientation and provide for appropriate solutions. Knowing what the characteristics of new orientation program are would help much in providing solutions. Actually following the programs prompts one to know at least materials that may be of used to the employees under orientation. (2) Your reference critical question? Are there good characteristics of orientation program that would help in anticipating solutions to possible problems after the orientation proper? If yes, what materials could be required to be given to new employees to hasten orientation? (3) Thesis statement This paper maintains that there a is proper way of conducting orientation. This may be done by anticipating problems after the orientation and providing their solution based on knowledge of the proper characteristics of orientation and knowing what materials should be given to employees who are just oriented (4) First question, Evidence for first point: 1.Paraphrases and quotations form you reference or text (with source citations in APA style) (1) What possible problems would be faced by new employees for orientation? Just orienting new employees may not obtain the objective of orientation. O'Toole (2006) cited to us what are the possible things that could happen during orientation. She said that orientation may have been done but qualified by saying “yet the average employee feels bewildered, overwhelmed, and far from welcomed. Not your intention at all! What’s missing? How can you take your program from simply orienting to integrating your new hire?” O'Toole (2006) realized the fact that many new hires question their decision to change companies by the end of their first day. She was aware of their anxieties which are fueled by mistakes that companies often make during that first-day new employee orientation program. She enumerated common mistakes to include: • overwhelming the new hire with facts, figures, names and faces packed into one eight hour day; • showing boring orientation videos; • providing lengthy front-of-the-room lectures; and • failing to prepare for the new hire; providing no phone, no e-mail, no computer, and no work The author added that before one completely revamps its present new employee orientation process, it must ask itself following question: "What do we want to achieve during new employee orientation? What first impression do we want to make?” She then agreed with the fact this will leave the company’s positive first impressions which can cement the deal for a newly recruited employee. There is therefore good reason to take the author’s advice and according to her those positive strokes can also speed integration and productivity as he divulged a research survey result showing that good orientation programs can improve employee retention by 25 percent. (O'Toole, 2006) (5) Omissions This paper limits only answers to questions posed and therefore other side questions may not necessarily looked into. (6) Transition to second question Second question, Evidence for second question omissions. Knowing the possible problems just after the orientation would just require one to really know the characteristics of a good orientation program. (2) What characterized and a good orientation program? A good orientation program must accomplish its purpose. Orientation is the first part of training that is given to employees to accomplish corporate objective. Hence if it will not result to the training of new then orientation of new employees may not after all be needed. O'Toole (2006) said that the best new employee orientation: • has targeted goals and meets them, • makes the first day a celebration, • involves family as well as coworkers, • makes new hires productive on the first day, • is not boring, rushed or ineffective, and • uses feedback to continuously improve Specifically the O’Toole (2006) advised to “Make Them Say During New Employee Orientation: ‘I Am Welcomed, Therefore I Belong.’” She explained this by arguing that most organizations are great at celebrating the departure of a beloved coworker. She discussed a reality that of why are we often so awful at welcoming a new one? Thus thinking about arranging a party to welcome the new employee would be a nice move according to her since celebrations produce enthusiasm. She even made suggestion about some simple celebration methods which might include: “a letter of welcome signed by the CEO, a company t-shirt signed by all department members and a cake with candles on the employee’s first day.” She also suggested to involve families in the celebration and to schedule a welcome luncheon or dinner for spouses and families during the employee’s first month (O’Toole, 2006) (Paraphrasing made). It is expected that in giving new employee orientation, employees can even be productive on their first day of work and could leave a lasting impression on them. (O'Toole, 2006) The employee manual introduces its discussion by welcoming employees. The welcome implies that an orientation program may not only aim to train, it aims also to welcome new employees signifying the needs of new employees for sense of belonging. (7) Third question Evidence for the third question, paraphrases and quotations of reference text (with source citations in APL style) (3) What could be used as materials to be given to new employees during orientation? Orientation cannot be finished in one day since it already constitutes employee training, hence it must be continues. Making the orientation during the first day could not be taken lightly because employees make react differently if not wrong for the failure of the organization to meet the expectation of the new employees. Hence knowing good characteristics of orientation would do much in avoiding unnecessary cost and there lead such new towards the attainment of the corporate goals and objectives. The University of Texas at Austin Division of Housing and Food Service (n.d.) gives an example of an employee manual that may the given to the new hire to hasten his orientation to the company. Information in the manual may include the, organizational structure of the business, the names of administrators and managers, the work areas, the works schedules (Reporting, Breaks, Overtime Pay and Compensatory Time, Paydays, Emergency Call Breaks, Opening and Closing). It could also include Security Issues, Employee Annual Evaluation, Drug and Alcohol Policy, Harassment, Employee Assistance Program, Benefits, Approved Leave, Annual Leave, Leave without Pay, Other leaves, Educational Programs and all other important materials. Classified Employee Handbook (n.d.) may explain more about employment policies and procedures. While employees are expected to remain and be loyal to the company circumstances may warrant severance of relationship and the new employee must there be provided a copy of disciplinary procedure. Utah State University Policy Manual General (1997) gives us a relevant sample of such procedure. To enhance knowledge for employment rights, the new employee must know the meaning of harassment and discrimination. The University of Sydney (2006) may help clarify what is harassment under the law. (8) Confusion: 1. Acknowledgment of your concerns 2. Summary of three main points 3. Return to theme of introduction weighting costs and last the reference to complete source in APA style. Orientation is not completed one time. Rather, since it constitutes an employee training, it should be continuously done by people who the have the responsibilities. Business organizations changes plans and necessarily new plans may require new skills and new attitudes. Orientation would need to be continued to live with these changes. The points that where discussed are limited to the questions posed for research. Conclusion: It must be stressed that the orientation of new employees is for training them and leading to corporate goals and objectives and how to attain the same. The new employees need the introduction of the company systems, processes, procedures, people and all other things about the organization for the new employees to help contribute to business objectives. The company therefore hopes to have the new employees’ cooperation and loyalty after staying with the company. The company however is required to have a working knowledge of the good characteristics of employee’s orientation program and it must provide the necessary to new employees the proper materials as discussed in the text after the orientation proper. Bibliography: The University of Texas at Austin, Division of Housing and Food Service (n.d.), Facilities Employee Orientation Manual {www document} URL, www.utexas.edu/student/housing/pdfs/FacilitiesEmployeeOrientation.pdf, Accessed October 4, 2006 Classified Employee Handbook (n.d.), Employment Policies and Procedures, {www document} URL http://xena.ualr.edu/hrs/policies/EmpHB_012.html, Accessed October 4, 2006 Utah state University Policy Manual General (1997), Disciplinary procedures {www document} URL, http://www.usu.edu/hr/policies/311.htm, Accessed October 4, 2006 O’Toole (2006), Orientation Vs. Integration, {www document} URL, http://humanresources.about.com/cs/retention/a/turnover.htm, Accessed October 4, 2006 The University of Sydney (2006) Harassment and Discrimination: Your Rights and Responsibilities, {www document} URL http://www.usyd.edu.au/sydneylearning/orientation/responsibilities/orientation_responsibilities_harassment.shtml#what , Accessed October 4, 2006 Read More