New hires may look excited on day one. Inside, many are scared. In his segment of the session The Human Capital Ecosystem™: Creating the Conditions for People to Thrive at the Rewiring Healthcare: Foundation to Future conference, Quint Studer focused on selection and onboarding. He reminded leaders that a few small, intentional moves can turn that fear into confidence. Here are a few of his hot takeaways.
1. Assume they’re nervous. Even the most experienced hire walks in asking two questions: Can I do this? Do I fit in? This is true no matter how enthusiastic they are about accepting the job offer. That fear colors everything they hear. (As Quint put it, “Our people play a tape that’s different from the tape we want them to play.”) When leaders expect new hires to feel that fear, we can help them get ahead of it and Emotional Onboarding™ can help us help them.
2. Little things make them feel better. A big piece of this, and a big part of Emotional Onboarding, is helping people feel a sense of belonging. The sooner they feel they belong, the more likely they’ll stay. Before day one, send a personal welcome text or a short phone video from the team. Then try what Quint calls the one thing to do if you do nothing else: Have experienced employees sit down privately with new hires and share how they felt their first few days. New people realize they’re not alone. Veterans rediscover their empathy.
3. Ask what they want, starting on day one. Don’t wait for a 30- or 90-day check-in. Use the Personal Retention Plan™ questions early and as often as the person needs:
- Describe what type of workplace makes you want to stay.
- What brings you the most joy in your current role?
- What could cause you to feel this is not the place for you?
- What is your biggest concern or worry right now?
- What skill are you most interested in developing or improving?
- How can I, as your direct supervisor, best support you?
- And one for the supervisor to answer: What is the most effective way to work with you?
4. Make retention everyone’s job. Set retention as a team goal. Everyone owns helping new hires stay and feel a sense of belonging. Together, celebrate milestones from day one forward. For an article on this subject, visit https://healthcareplussg.com/coworkers-may-hold-the-key-to-
new-employee-retention/.
The bottom line? Love them early, and you’ll help give them the confidence they need to stay.
