Business forum: Get current to keep new hires interested

Wlcm 2the cmpny!!! :)

This simple text message -- "Welcome to the company" -- shows one new way for employers to connect with new hires who live by the immediacy of technology. Members of today's millennial generation not only want to feel welcomed but also know much more than yesterday's new employees about their jobs and career paths before Day 1.

As May graduation approaches, I believe Twin Cities companies must realize this next generation (born somewhere between 1982 and 2000) expects more than its father's company orientation program.

Gone are the days when new hires received a badge, a benefits package and a cursory company overview, then landed at their workstations before lunchtime. The terms of engagement have shifted for companies that want to attract and retain younger workers.

This major attitude change concerning hiring is because of the war for talent in today's labor market with fewer people filling the jobs that baby boomers are leaving. According to the Social Security Administration, the demographic growth-rate balance starts to shift in 2010, and by 2015 the 65-and-over age group starts to grow at a faster rate than the 20-to-64 age group.

Greater competition for workers is mirrored by increased marketplace competition. So it's essential for all new employees to carry the company's strong brand message. Engaging this next generation is all about what's good for the customer.

Onboarding trend

This is especially critical within sales organizations, as new representatives become the face in front of the company's customer. The partnership between 3M Co. and the College of St. Catherine has examined new trends in "onboarding" around millennials for developing plans to reflect their employment expectations.

It's a regular topic in the Sales Executive Forum -- whose members come from Wells Fargo, Loffler and others -- as companies across the Twin Cities grapple with how to strategically connect with millennial workers.

Onboarding is the process that organizations use to introduce, train, integrate and coach new hires in the company's culture and methods. For millennials, there's a need to reinforce that they've made the right decision by hearing how valuable their skills are to the company, what types of assignments they will work on and steps to development within the first year.

Loffler, a local office products and services provider, has been preparing its sales managers to understand this generation. John Hastings, vice president of sales for Loffler, said, "We've had a heightened awareness around millennials. ... They require a clearly defined training process that we've had success in delivering."

Nat Porter, vice president of KI, a Green Bay, Wis.-based furniture manufacturer, agrees. "A written plan for the first six months should provide a variety of activities, sense of control and vision to work toward," Porter said. "Once you've set parameters, millennials like the freedom to figure out how to get the job done on their own."

What seems more important today is earlier, more frequent communications with candidates and new hires in the medium where they are most comfortable. For example, new interns at one local company started a Facebook group to stay connected as instant work resources and as a way to celebrate successes with one another.

Job satisfaction

Research by the College of St. Catherine's Center for Sales Innovation indicates a strong, positive correlation between the onboarding experience and job satisfaction.

For example, 75 percent of millennials surveyed said they expect the company to be ready for them. That means the likes of a cell phone, computer, e-mail account and business cards ready on Day 1. These simple items can make a huge impact, as one Wells Fargo manager discovered after overhearing a phone conversation by a new employee telling her friends: "They really wanted me!"

Support from a new hire's manager was the top factor, cited by 88 percent of respondents. And three out of four surveyed said they expected a feedback system with their managers for regular "check-ins." The research suggests that a "go-to person," in addition to a mentor, is a good idea.

Adapting to millennials is not entirely an employer's responsibility -- this generation also needs to adjust to a business world that doesn't revolve around college semesters and finals. Smart companies will recognize that contemporary onboarding approaches enhance the process and retention for all new hires.