8 Onboarding Tips to Get New Employees Off to the Best Possible Start

8 Onboarding Tips to Get New Employees Off to the Best Possible Start So youve spent hours sourcing, interviewing and negotiating in order to find the perfect employee for your organisation; you probably think that  the hard  part is over, right? Not quite. The first week or two  in the job is an incredibly important time  for your new employee, so it is essential that you  ensure they get  off on a good note and feel  happy and engaged in their new role. If you fail to effectively onboard your employees, they will form a negative first impression of the company and you are at risk of losing them at an early stage. Employees want to be thoroughly initiated when they start in a new role, and its to your benefit too if they can learn the ropes as quickly as possible. In order to get your new employee off on the right foot, heres how you can onboard them effectively: 1) Introductions and tour On your employees first day you want them to feel welcome and help them get settled quickly. You can start by properly introducing them to the team and giving them a tour of the office, so they  can familiarise themselves with the different departments and facilities. By getting your whole team involved in making them feel at ease, they will soon integrate into the business and form relationships with colleagues. Encourage other employees to involve them social  activities, such as inviting them out for lunch with them or for drinks after work, so they have the chance to get to know people a bit more. 2) Describe the companys values Although you have probably touched on the topic of your companys values and vision in the interview, its always a good idea to refresh your new employees memory and go into a bit more detail about your future goals for the business and how they will fit into your plans. Provide them with  information about the companys mission, strategy, goals, customers and operational structure, to ensure that they feel involved and  know  how their particular role adds value to the running of the business. 3) Explain responsibilities Youd hope that by this point they would have a pretty good understanding of what their new role involves, however different companies do things in different ways, so it is still important to provide them with some guidance about how you would like things to be done, who they will be reporting to and working alongside, etc. It is also essential that you bring them up to speed with any ongoing projects that they will be involved in and introduce them to clients/customers. 4) Set goals It is important to let them know your expectations of them early on and provide them with information about how their performance will be assessed. You dont want to give your employee too much work, too soon, as this can be overwhelming; however by setting a few  goals for them to work towards in their first few months at the company, it will provide them with a focus and ensure they are engaged from day one. 5) Ensure they have all the required resources Ahead of your employees first day you must make sure that you have collated  all the necessary resources and tools ready for their arrival. This includes access to an employee handbook outlining company policies, procedures and other important information, tech equipment set up for them, the required software installed and  log-in details provided. 6) On the job training Providing on the job training will help your employee to get up to speed with  software and tools and helps them  to develop new skills in order to meet the needs and expectations of the company. Providing hands on training will help new employees to adjust and settle into their roles much quicker than if they are provided with a manual or left to teach themselves. 7) Provide them with an mentor Its likely that your new employee will have a lot of questions in their first couple of weeks in the job, so its important that they have someone to go to for help. By providing them with a mentor they will feel like they have the support they need and its a huge comfort to know they have a go-to person to talk to about any concerns or queries they may have. 8) Ask for feedback Once your employee has been with your company for a few months ask them for a bit of  feedback about their experience and thoughts on  your onboarding process. From this you can evaluate how effective it is, pinpointing what works well and what needs to be improved for future hires. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

5 Steps to Keeping a Work-Life Balance When You Work from Home

5 Steps to Keeping a Work-Life Balance When You Work from Home Home-based employment appeals to many workers. Benefits such as flexible hours, few distractions, comfort, and efficiency make remote work appealing to entrepreneurs, freelancers, telecommuters, and businesses. Challenges to the new way of working also exist. Working from a home office can blur the boundaries between work-life balance. Often, one side ends up consuming more time than the other. Clear rules and practical guidelines will help you succeed as a remote worker. Consider the following five steps to establish and maintain a work-life balance while working from home. 5 Steps to Keeping a Work-Life Balance When You Work from Home 1. Define a Schedule Get control over your time. Time management skills provide a front line of defense against work-life imbalance. Remote workers often take a haphazard approach that results in wasted time and misplaced priorities. People who succeed in their role have to learn how to define and prioritize their tasks and responsibilities at scheduled time appropriately. Different techniques work for different people, so you have to develop habits that fit your lifestyle and personal preferences. Schedule blocks of time that you can dedicate to work so that you have enough time to finish tasks, meet with clients, and collaborate with team members without interruption. If you have unpredictable personal obligations, see if you can vary your schedule each week. When you manage time correctly, you will establish a healthy routine for your work and personal life that will minimize distractions, and give you the most satisfaction. 2. Establish a Task Management System Create a system to manage your tasks, so you always know what you should be doing. Have realistic expectations of your productivity, so you dont try to get too much done in an allotted amount of time. A task management system will help you to prioritize your tasks and get them on your schedule. Tools such as Evernote, Trello, Google Calendars and Todoist can enhance your productivity if they match your style. You can also try other approaches to task management such as the Pomodoro technique that break your work into chunks of tasks performed during short increments of time. Such tactics support mental agility and break-up the monotony of the workday. 3. Clearly Designate your Workspace If you don’t have a particular place to work, youll set the stage for confusion and interruption. Whether you choose to use a spare room, a corner of your living room, or a small nook somewhere in your residence, make sure to find a comfortable place that can accommodate your equipment and your storage needs. You should get an ergonomic chair and desk that will minimize strains on your body caused by prolonged sitting. Designate your space as your work area and create boundaries so all your household members know that this place is reserved for your job. This designated spot will give you a sense of division between work and home that will help you stay productive. 4. Leave the Office When you finish work for the day, leave your work area just as if you would leave an employers office. Failure to maintain clear distinctions between your work area and the rest of your residence can result in the type of imbalance that you want to avoid, especially if you enter a pattern that keeps you inside the house too much. Take breaks outside, whenever possible. Go out for lunch, coffee or just a walk. You can also get out of the office by scheduling meetings with clients at restaurants or coffee shops. 5. Turn Off Your Business Always-on Internet connections and mobile devices challenge your ability to exit your “work” mode. Non-stop work can cause productivity and quality-of-work issues as well as serious health problems, so you have to learn to disconnect from work and fully engage in other activities. Try increasing the distance between you and your business by having a separate smartphone for work and personal life. You should also participate in personal activities outside your residence, such as going to the movies and taking trips, to increase the separation between you and your job. You will likely discover that an active personal life will improve your satisfaction with your work. Your life as a remote worker depends on a healthy work-life balance. Follow these five steps to establish patterns for long-term success. Develop your time and task management skills, define a workspace, and find ways to create boundaries that help you leave work behind while you enjoy the rest of your life. Related Post: 8 Secrets to Balance a Busy Week

Skills To Pick Up In College That Youll Need in The Real World

Skills To Pick Up In College That Youll Need in The Real World Your three or four years of University will be jam-packed with opportunities. These might be opportunities to learn; a new language, for example. Or, it might be the chance to try out a new sport. Javelin, anyone? Of course, there is also a lot of knowledge on offer, and loads of free time to learn it all. But while all of these things are going on, you’ll be picking up new skills along the way. New skills you might not even have noticed you’ve gained yet. Don’t let the chance to learn new skills pass you by. Instead, make a conscious effort not to just absorb them, but actively seek them out. There are dozens of new skills available to you once you reach Uni. Here are six. Look out for them, and don’t let them pass you by. One day, when you reach the world of work, you’ll be glad you have them. Extra skills can put you ahead of the competition. They can ensure you secure your dream job, not somebody else. And they can make it so you have a job you can handle, and a job that you truly enjoy. The skill of… being independent So you arrive at your new halls of residence, and your parents help you carry your boxes into your room. And then… they leave. Your new found independence starts here. The different ways that you learn how to both cope and thrive now will serve you for life. It’s important to be responsible, even with all this new found independence. Sure, you can eat pizza for every meal and go to sleep at 4 am every night. But is that really a wise decision? After all, you’ve got classes to attend, exams to ace and the year ahead to pass. Once you start looking for your first job, the recruiter will want to see that you are a responsible person. They’ll want to see that you can handle the job in question. Then, when you start your career, you’ll be expected to work independently at times. If you’re answering the phone, for example, no one can help you with this. Learning how to be independent, and comfortable with being independent, will serve you well. The skill of… being bilingual Most universities have a language department. And, most language departments also do beginner language lessons. These will be available for students in other departments at the University. If these are available to you, it’s wise you take advantage. This is because having a second language is seen as very valuable when it comes to work. Firstly, a second language could make you a preferential candidate over others with only one language. Similarly, once you start at the company, it could mean you are eligible for promotions, transfers and pay-rises. It can also increase the amount of jobs you are qualified for, and can do. In such a difficult job market, and with so much competition, this is invaluable. If possible, learn a language that will be particularly handy in the career you want to go into. So, for example, Mandarin can be a very useful language to know if you want to go into Business. The skill of having a clear argument Whether you become a lawyer or a teacher, a doctor or a dramaturg, you will need to know how to hold an argument. Don’t think of arguments as being negative things. If both sides are able to put forward their rationales in a calm and informed manner, it can be highly beneficial. Listening to another viewpoint can widen your own perspective. Joining forces with your opposition can sometimes even mean a new, even better solution is formed. You’ll learn how to make clear and informed arguments when you write argumentation essays for your classes. While the help is still available to you, ask your professors for honest feedback. See if they will mentor you in making your arguments, and the way you put them across, stronger. The skill of… getting on with lots of different people Whether your University has 1,000 students or 10,000 students, you’re bound to come across people you don’t like that much. However, the real world is just like this too. And so is the world of work. Learning how to get on with lots of different people is a great skill to have. When you start your career, you’ll have to work alongside people who are total strangers. Showing you can get on with everyone shows that you are adaptable, and amenable. You’re far more likely to be considered for promotions and managerial roles if you show you possess this quality. However, do you know what is an even better skill to learn? How to get on with people you actually don’t like! Your reasons for not liking them don’t matter. What matters is your ability to put these feelings aside. This demonstrates a level of maturity that some people don’t ever reach. There is one occasion when you may have to put this skill to one side, and that is if you are being bullied. Bullying at University and in the workplace should be, and usually is, taken very seriously. Speak to a manager in private if you are struggling to a level that you cannot cope with yourself. The skill of… getting up early! It is pretty unusual to have classes every single day once you reach University. What does this mean? Days off! This might mean that you’re tempted to spend the day in bed; especially if you’ve been at the SU the night before! Similarly, when you have only afternoon classes, it can be tempting to sleep in. While this won’t do any harm on occasion, do your best to set a routine to stick too. Your body clock has a huge impact on how you feel and function on a day to day basis. Take care of it, and keep it in check, and your body will thank you for it. It will also prepare you for when you have to get up early five days a week when you start your career. 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Working from home is not as great as it sounds

Working from home is not as great as it sounds Maybe  I actually do like working from home but Im not liking it now because Im not home. And Im not working. Im finding a cello teacher. Since the  last teacher died, we are traveling all over the country navigating the world of cello teachers:  Claremont, Chicago, Santa Monica, and now Aspen. My son  sometimes says out loud what everyone is thinking: Wow, this is insane. But theres nothing like getting to a new hotel and finding out its next to a PokeStop  to make him fine  with all the travel. I have pictures from our trips this summer, but I send them to Melissa who is my  photo editor, and  its like sending the pictures to a black hole. She waits until she has 200 pictures from me and then she edits them like a year later. I m sure she would edit  my photos faster if she didnt work from home. One  reason psychologists recommend only periodic working from home is because its difficult to be productive. I tried someone else to edit  photos, but he  threw out a great picture of my oldest son saying goodbye to his biology tutor as she goes off to college, and kept a picture of me with a double chin so big it looked  like a brisket hanging off a cow. Melissa pointed out that the new editor did not know my  family personally and he was just editing to make an interesting picture. He did not care about importance of farewells and fatness on the blog. So fine, Melissa  is right. And we agreed she would edit the pictures of family, because she cares, and someone else would do other stuff. Which is why you are seeing Pokemon at the beach instead of my sons at the beach. Although to be honest, my sons  did not swim. They just got their street clothes wet catching water-based Pokemon. A lot of our cello  travel is so we can meet the right people to find out about how to get to other people. Thats ostensibly  a lesson in networking, but  its a very specific type of networking: you make the other person feel valuable, because they are. I remember the first time I wrote about research that says people who ask for advice do better in their careers. I thought to myself, This is why Im so successful. I ask so many questions. Later,  I was older, still noticing research to show that people who ask good questions are the most successful. And I thought to myself, Thats why I am able to identify  star performers so quickly, because I see them asking good questions. I just read more research about asking questions.  For a lot of people it  feels like  asking for help. And I think older peoples careers stagnate because they dont want to ask for help. So since I dont want to feel  old, what do you think I should do about photo editing? Should I be bold  and crop stuff myself in Photoshop? Should I trust someone else to keep me looking thin? Im sick of fighting with Melissa. This would be a great time for a picture of us  fighting.  Melissa met me in Santa Monica last week, and I took pictures while she was  yelling at  me about how  I dont need more photos in order to write posts. Do you think I should  just keep publishing  Pokemon GO photos to remind everyone that Melissa is too slow with my photos? That was  an example of a bad question that will not lead to success. Its a leading question. And a disingenuous question. But its also a passive-aggressive question, so it feels good. At least in the moment. And anyway, if all I cared about was success, youd hate reading this blog. Tonight is the first live session of my course about  personality type  and dating. (Sign up!)  My son  has tickets for  the Aspen Music Festival which is the same time as the webinar. So Ill drop him off at  the concert and do the webinar in a quiet spot, with a great view, that  you  wont see until  Melissa is good and ready. People will say they are sorry I had  to miss the concert. But I love the webinars because I love talking with the people in the webinar. I miss having a job where I talk with people all day. Cassie has an investor she meets every week. When he put money into her company I told  her its important to meet with  investors because  good startup founders are always asking good questions of smart people. But  hes stupid. He  doesnt want to put more money into the company but he still wants to meet with her. I am outraged. I tell her there is no point in meeting with him if hes not part of the future of the company. She says she meets with him because she works from home and theres no one else she has a meeting with, ever. I get it. Not everyone likes meetings. But for people who like to hear themselves talk,  for people who think out loud, for people like me and Cassie, meetings are fun. Cassie has a theory that all people  will work  from home in the future. But I dont think soits too lonely. Look, Inc magazine says its lonely, Forbes says its lonely, and these articles are written by freelancers who presumably choose to work from home. (They probably wrote  the articles at a co-working space, because most people who join co-working spaces do it to have personal interaction.) What people really  want is  flexible hours, and if they dont say theyre working from home, they cant get paid to do a webinar about dating and marriage at the Aspen Music Festival. Hey, and wait. Heres one more picture: To annoy Melissa. Because I think fighting with Melissa is like Cassie  meeting with her investor:   stupid and unnecessary but the only way to have consistent contact with a co-worker.

Resume Writing For It Freshers

Resume Writing For It FreshersResume writing for it freshers is a necessary part of the job search process. It is an important consideration because you want to set yourself apart from the crowd and win the approval of potential employers.However, many students and recent graduates find themselves buried in a mountain of information when they begin their job search. This is where the real problem lies. The large amount of options available to freshers can make it difficult to choose a position that is right for you. If you are looking for some helpful tips on resume writing for it freshers, read on.The first step in the job search is to determine the type of job you are seeking. Is it a traditional office job or something more specialized? What sort of skills and education do you have? These questions will help you in your resume writing for it freshers. Then, you will be able to write an appropriate job description for your position.Second, you will need to list relevant experience. You will need to list the most recent work experiences you have had, but also some educational or professional training. In addition, make sure that your listing includes all of the necessary information. Listing the correct education and work history will help your resume stand out from the crowd. For example, you should not leave out information about your education if you have recently graduated from college.Finally, you will need to create a job description for the specific job you are applying for. In most cases, you will want to provide a detailed description of your duties. You should list your job responsibilities in chronological order, including when you started and where you finished. Then, you will list your responsibilities in a working environment. You should include contact information for supervisors, management, and human resources, as well as a summary of your supervisor training.You should always remember that your resume is for an audience who has never seen the person before in the real world. When you write a resume for it freshers, it is very important to keep your tone professional. You should always make sure that your resume is as real as possible and not stuffed with half-truths. Your resume should be complete and up-to-date.The job hunt is stressful enough for many people, and you do not want to add to the stress by muddying your resume. By following these tips, you can make sure that your resume is current and fully functional for the job you are applying for.Job hunting is a tough task, and it is difficult to get a job if you do not have a job that is even remotely related to what you are looking for. If you are looking for some helpful tips on resume writing for it freshers, read on. We can help you find the right job and put you on the fast track to getting a great job.

Vacation Planning vs. Career Planning - which do you do more often

Vacation Planning vs. Career Planning - which do you do more often Do you spend more time planning your two-week vacation than your thirty-plus year career?Im taking a poll so weigh in with a comment below and dont worry, if vacation wins out, youre not alone.Perhaps Im focused on this topic because Im writing this post from sunny Florida.   Perhaps its also because Ive been contacted over the past year by many people in need of soul search before their job search but without budgeted funds to invest in themselves.   (Gladly I offer lots of free resources on my website as well as the opportunity for free live career advice via my radio show each week.)Its time our careers get attention too.The economy has changed and no longer are people finding jobs by just submitting a resume.   Employers instead are looking for the IDEAL candidates and wont settle for less.   They want a proven track record from their new hires as well as genuine enthusiasm for the job.   (Read more about hiring errors.)If youve been spending more time planning your vacation than your career, the good news is that career planning can be as easy as 1-2-3:Soul Search define what motivates you, what you love to do and your unique gifts and talentsResearch talk to people in jobs youve dreams of doing, take a Vocation Vacation, subscribe to newsletters like Springwise to learn of new creative business ideasJob Search translate your genuine career interest into on-the-job experience with a part-time job or volunteer project.Its time to have a plan for your career so that the years you spend working are as enjoyable (if not more so) as the time you spend vacationing (yes, its possible).   To help, Dr. Woody Woodward joins my SIRIUSXM show Friday (today) at 4p ET/1p PT to share insights from his book The You Plan A 5-Step Guide to Taking Charge of Your Career.Hope you can tune in and be reminded that, its never too late to be who you might have been. George Elliot, English novelist.

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