An employee’s first 90 days on a new job can be tough. It may be tougher for someone who has been working for the same company for many years and has just gathered the courage to join a new company. Probably the scariest aspect of starting a new job is fear of the unknown. Working in a company where you are not completely happy may be a little easier than being a new employee because at least you know what to expect. The first few weeks or months are what I consider the honeymoon phase because it seems that everyone is friendly and willing to help you learn the ropes. However, as time passes on, the level of support can dissipate.
After the honeymoon is over people may assume that you have learned all there is to know including the things that took them several years to learn. Many companies negelect to incorporate an appropriate level of training into their new hire process. Usually this is not because they don’t value training, instead it is often because managers and other employees are extremely busy and don’t have a lot of time to train the new employee appropriately. Therefore they may opt to throw the newly hired employee into the fire and make themselves available only when it gets too hot.
Newly hired employees may have to sort through different emotions during their first 90 days with a new company. First, they may be questioning why they left their last job and wondering if it was really as bas as they thought. Next, they may compare the way things are done at their new employer with the way they use to do it. They may compare personalities of their current coworkers to their previous coworkers. If they have experienced challenging personality types at their new job they may take it personally since they don’t have a frame of reference yet. Stress may be higher during the first 3-6 months because stress tends to be based on a person’s perception of their own ability to meet the demands that are places upon them. Stress could also be lower because the manager may wait a little longer to unleash the full workload.
In my opinion newly hired employees retain new information better when it is given in stages, opposed to all at once. An employee’s first day is usually full of new things, such as the layout of the building and the names of everyone who works in the building. Out of all that information the only thing that may be remembered is the location of the bathroom and the name of the new hire’s manager. Giving the new employee assignments that allow them to catch on in stages may prove to be an effective approach. One of the most effective company’s that I have worked for incorporated a 90 day orientation program. At the end of the 90 days I felt that I was completely prepared to take on my new job successfully.
Coach Kenya 