Dr. John Articles
| Don't ignore old dogs for newly hired pups |
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| Written by Dr. John McFerran |
| Saturday, 29 May 2010 00:00 |
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The same thinking applies to bringing new people into the workplace (also known to be something of a dog-eat-dog world). Too often, long-term employees are taken for granted, not treated as well or altogether overlooked in favour of energetic new hires. Many managers think new hires need their full attention and expect the long-termers to continue working quietly and competently in the background. While it's true that long-term employees may not require the same supervision, they shouldn't become wallpaper. Ignoring the needs of long-term workers or assuming they'll always be there is dangerous thinking. As the senior dogs, so to speak, long-term employees have loyally stood by the business through good and bad times and have contributed to its growth. They may have been a builder since the company's foundation or have witnessed enough struggles and triumphs to be the continuity between where it has been and what its potential is to become. This valued relationship can be upset when a new hire is improperly introduced into the office dynamic. This could include forcing two unlike personalities to work together or stepping on territorial toes when it comes to staked-out areas of responsibility. It could also stem from the boss becoming over-infatuated by an eager new employee's abundance of enthusiasm, hopefulness and fresh ideas. Another too-common problem occurs when an employee with many years of service sees a new hire in a lower-tiered position immediately getting the salary and perks they have worked long and hard to attain. In today's competitive job environment where talent is at a premium, new employees are not shy about asking for a starting salary or vacation time that is in keeping with market demand. (Test out the theory: If you had to hire someone new to replace a loyal employee, would you be willing to pay more or less than their current salary?) Very few organizations can truly afford to let a long-serving employee walk away. While positions can be filled, in many cases, the skills and knowledge that are lost cannot be reclaimed. This is why companies need to put equal value on recruiting new hires as well as retaining longer-term employees. Here are some tips for managers to help support their long-term employees when integrating new employees to the workplace: Turn employees into mentors: Respect long-term employees' experience by asking them to train new hires. Encourage them to serve as mentors or ask for their input in developing orientation programs. Tap into their brain trust as knowledge resources and distinguished members of your workplace community. Continue building their knowledge base: Just because someone has been with an organization for a long time, doesn't mean they know everything they need to know or don't want to learn more. Stimulate their hunger for learning by exposing them to new ideas or technology and involving them in refresher courses and workshops. Provide new opportunities: Long-term employees are committed to their roles, knowing they have contributed to the company's success. Help maintain this pride and effectiveness by providing these individuals with new challenges and opportunities so that their career goals stay aligned with the needs of the organization. Reward loyalty: It is important to praise and recognize long-service employees. Among the many ways to show your gratitude: offer them greater job flexibility, a voice to participate in decision-making or the option to take on new levels of responsibility if they believe their job has become rote. Listen well: Listen carefully to your long-term employees, whether about day-to-day issues or big-picture ideas. Don't wait for them to come to you and don't assume that silence means everything is fine; go out and ask them what they really think. Their experience and perspectives makes their opinions of great value to the entire company. -- With reporting by Barbara Chabai
http://blog.bplans.com/2010/01/29/are-you-treating-your-long-term-employees-well/ http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/06/05/smallb2.html?t=printable
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