Turnover is probably one of the largest expenses to many small businesses. Unfortunately, many small business owners are unaware of the magnitude of the expense because it is so difficult to measure. While hiring practices are a large contributor to this expense, onboard training (or lack of it) can also play a part. You can reduce turnover and improve profitability with effective new hire training, including the profile of a successful employee.
Our new hire training consists of several components and each is important. However, the most critical in my opinion is a one-hour session I lead with all new hires. In this new hire training session, I cover three elements:
- The History of our Business
- Our Core Philosophy (our Why)
- The Successful Employee Profile
New Hire Training
I start by giving the full history of our company. This does not take long, but I believe it gives each new employee context for what comes next. I then cover our core philosophy. In this segment, I cover our mission, vision, and core values. I probably spend the most time here as I see this to be the most important part of my training. You can read more about the content of this training [HERE].
While the first two on this list are specific to our business, I believe you can most benefit from the details of our Successful Employee Profile. Today, I will share the first three qualities in our profile. I will follow up in my next post with the final three qualities.
In teaching these qualities to our new hires, I explain that every company has their own way of doing things. In other companies, the profile of a successful employee might look different. However, based on our core philosophy and the resulting practices, a successful employee must exhibit these qualities.
Quality #1 – Character
This is should be an obvious quality, but too often we simply do not talk about it like we should. Maybe we assume everyone knows they should have character. It could be that we assume everyone has the same definition of character.
Whatever the problem, this quality should top our list. At our company, we define character as always embracing and living out the mission, vision, and core values we have established, regardless of cost. This is to be done whether people are watching or not.
Quality #2 – Servant Heart
In teaching our new hires about this quality, I start with a quote from Zig Ziglar. If you have never read or listened to material from Zig, I strongly urge you to do so. He was an inspirational, godly leader and speaker. Here is what he said:
At first glance, some people might see this as somewhat self-serving. Maybe it is, just a little. However, the key is where you start. I teach our new hires that they must start by serving our customer as well as each other. Their mindset must be to meet the needs of others first, before addressing their own.
The whole key to Zig’s statement is where you start. If you start by trying to get what you want in life, you will likely find the path difficult and virtually never-ending. If, however, you begin by seeking to serve others first, your desires are more likely to come to pass. I urge our new hires to choose the latter.
Quality #3 – Customer First
This quality seems at first glance to resemble the last one, but the key here is I to focus on the customer in the course of doing the job. Too often, we get caught up in doing our job or process, following “policy”, etc. and we forget the customer we are there to serve. We can have all of the best policies and processes in the world, but if the customer is not served, we will go out of business.
When I am teaching the new hires, I try to make sure they understand they must balance our need for process and policy with the needs of the customer. I urge them to make decisions to serve the customer over a policy or process. If they choose incorrectly, there will not be disciplinary action. Instead we will simply review their decisions afterwards and determine the best course for the next time.
The other key point I make is that they each have a specific job and role in the business. However, if they ever see a customer in need, they are to meet that need – even if it is someone else’s job. “Not my job” is never an acceptable excuse in our company! This is the quote I use:
Successful Employee Profile
These are the first three qualities in what we call our Successful Employee Profile. I would love to hear if you have something similar in your company. If you do, please share in the comment section below. If you have something to add to the ones I listed so far, I am eager to learn. Share that as well!
What qualities make up your successful employee profile?
Is this something you teach all new hires?
What are some other ways you reinforce this profile on an ongoing basis?
Photo by Jirsak/Shutterstock
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