Training new hires can be a drain on your business. Sometimes, training new employees can take weeks, or even months. It also takes time away from your seasoned, most productive employees. The need to reduce the time spent on training, while still equipping new employees with the training they need to be efficient is critical to the success of your business. Reduce your time spent training by doing these 3 things.
1) Create a Detailed Job Description for Your New Employee
A well thought out job description provides a frame of reference for employee expectations, and can be used as a method of performance evaluation. An effective job description should include daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual tasks. It should also include the methods used to accomplish expected tasks, as well as the relationship of the position to others within the company. If collaboration is expected, be sure to provide a framework, so each person understands their particular responsibilities.
Be concise when creating a job description, and avoid vague descriptions that can be open to interpretations. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides the following suggestions for writing an effective job description:
- Structure your sentences in classic verb/object and explanatory phrases. Since the occupant of the job is the subject of your sentence, it may be eliminated. For example, a sentence pertaining to the description of a receptionist position might read: “Greets office visitors and personnel in a friendly and sincere manner.”
- Always use the present tense of verbs.
- If necessary, use explanatory phrases telling why, how, where, or how often to add meaning and clarity (e.g. “Collects all employee timesheets on a biweekly basis for payroll purposes.”).
- Omit any unnecessary articles such as “a,” “an,” “the,” or other words for an easy-to-understand description.
- Use unbiased terminology. For example, use the he/she approach or construct sentences in such a way that gender pronouns are not required.
- Avoid using adverbs or adjectives that are subject to interpretation such as “frequently,” “some,” “complex,” “occasional,” and “several.”
2) Identify When Each Task Needs to be Done
Set a timetable for each task, for example, every Monday, the 15th of each month, etc. By assigning a due date, you help your employees know how to measure their own success. Ideally, your system should alert your employees of when a due date is approaching, and give them an opportunity to close out a task once it is completed.
If you are using a CRM you can also set your system to automatically notify the manager of each employee when a task is completed, which encourages awareness of efficiency and productivity. By automating the tasks within your business, you can delegate more effectively, and your employees will have a better understanding of what is expected of them.
3) Give Detailed Instructions of Best Practices, and Exactly How You Want Things Done
Reference for Business states that one of the most effective methods of employee training includes the following sequence: tell, show, demonstrate, and explain. Screen shot videos are an effective method of employee training, particularly training on computer processes. Videos enable you to include each of the four steps in one training session. Screenshot videos also have the advantage of allowing the person to refer back for help or further training. By giving relevant examples, you can provide a simple, easy to follow training system.
For screen shot videos we recommend Snagit by techsmith.com. This allows you to record what you’re doing on the computer while recording your voice explaining the process as you go. Techsmith.com also offers a free version called Jing that allows you to take 5 minute screen shot videos. Videos can easily be uploaded to YouTube or their sharing platform, Screencast.com.
Simplifying your training process while still producing effective results can be a challenge. Our team at Business Made Simple can help you evaluate your process, and streamline it for even greater efficiency. Contact us for a complimentary 15 minute business evaluation.