Highlights
- Implementing 30-day reviews can give you valuable insights into your new hires’ experiences and spot any potential issues early on.
- By providing the necessary tools, resources, and support, you can help new employees feel equipped and confident in their roles.
- Employers Resource provides comprehensive HR solutions covering compliance, payroll, benefits, and more. Let us handle your complex tasks so you can focus on growing your business! Contact us to get started.
For a new hire, the first 30 days are crucial to acclimate to their roles and understand the company culture. Through a 30-day review, managers can gain valuable insights into their experiences, identify potential challenges, and provide support to ensure a smooth transition. This article outlines 10 questions to ask new hires during this initial period.
Let’s dive in!
The Power of the 30-Day Review
Recruiting, hiring, and training new employees is a huge investment. Losing a new hire within the first months is both frustrating and expensive. Given that nearly 20% of employee turnover occurs within the first 45 days, implementing 30-day reviews can be a strategic approach to mitigate this challenge.
What Is a 30-Day Review?
A 30-day review provides a snapshot of a new employee’s journey with your company. It offers insight into how the employees are adapting to their new roles, team dynamics, and job satisfaction. For both managers and employees, this is a valuable tool to assess the initial fit and identify any potential areas for improvement.
To retain top talent is not enough to simply provide training and initial orientation. You must also focus on creating a positive and supportive work environment. This includes:
- Making employees feel valuable and appreciating their contributions to your team
- Communicating expectations and providing the necessary support
- Proactively identifying and addressing any potential issues that may arise
The 30-Day Check-In: Essential Questions for New Hires
To gain valuable insights into your new hire’s experience, consider asking these 10 questions during your 30-day review. Schedule a meeting between 20 and 30 days after their start date, allowing them time to settle in but before their opinions become too entrenched.
Begin the conversation by expressing your appreciation for their joining the team and emphasizing the importance of their open and honest feedback.
Choose the questions that are more relevant to your specific situation:
- What’s going well so far? Describe some of your best experiences
Start the conversation on a positive, energizing note. This question will help you learn what employees enjoy, providing insight into their strengths and interests.
- Is this role what you envisioned? How has it differed from your initial expectations?
This question aims to understand if the new employee’s perception of the role aligns with their initial expectations. Different is not bad, but it’s important to address any discrepancies and clarify job responsibilities and expectations.
- Are you experiencing any challenges? How can I support your success?
Ask new employees if they are facing any obstacles in their role. This demonstrates that you are willing to assist and shows you value their feedback. By understanding their challenges, you can provide targeted support and adjust future training or resources as needed.
- Do you have enough time to do your work? Do you have too much or too little time?
This question explores whether the new employee’s workload is appropriate. A new hire can be overwhelmed or underwhelmed with their workload, and both can impact productivity and job satisfaction. Gauging an employee’s time versus workload can help you adjust assignments or reassign tasks.
- How can we support your growth and development?
Employees want to feel that their skills are valued and that they have a clear path toward development. Be prepared to follow up with action. Otherwise, you could build false expectations and cause disappointment.
- Do you have the necessary information, tools, and resources to do your job successfully?
Empower new hires to succeed by making sure they have the right information, tools, or resources, and encourage them to share any deficiencies they may be experiencing.
- Do you feel comfortable seeking guidance and support? Whom do you ask? Are there any introductions I can make?
Connections and networks in the workplace are pivotal to employee engagement and success. These questions pinpoint which employees can be influential in retaining new hires and if you can help strengthen the relationships between new employees and other team members.
- Do you feel comfortable within the organization in general? Do you have a clear understanding of your role?
A clear understanding of one’s role is essential for feeling connected, engaged, and successful. When employees have a clear grasp of their responsibilities, expectations, and how their work contributes to the overall goals, they are more likely to feel motivated and valued.
A well-defined role provides employees with a sense of direction and purpose and helps them contribute effectively to the team.
- Is our organization’s mission clear, and do you see how your job supports that mission?
This question explores the employee’s understanding of the organization’s mission and how their role aligns with it. Whether they have a clear connection or need further clarification, it’s an opportunity to discuss the company’s purpose and how the employee’s work contributes to it.
- Do you have any suggestions for, or do you see any weaknesses in specific systems, processes, and procedures that the organization can improve?
Fresh eyes can uncover ideas to improve operations. Employees’ observations can identify areas to improve, as well as suggestions for enhancing systems, processes, or procedures.
To conclude the 30-day review, encourage employees to ask any questions they may have. Remind them that your door is always open for feedback, questions, or concerns.
Turning Insights into Action
Once you’ve gathered honest feedback from your employees through the 30-day review, it’s crucial to take action. While you may not be able to address every request, demonstrating that you value their input and are committed to making a positive impact is essential.
These key questions to ask new hires allow them to be heard, giving you the chance to make necessary adjustments, recognize their early contributions, and help them envision their future within the company.
To streamline your HR processes and have more time to focus on strategic initiatives, consider outsourcing your HR functions to Employers Resource. Our comprehensive PEO services can handle time-consuming administrative tasks such as payroll, benefits, and compliance, allowing you to allocate more resources toward employee engagement and development.
Ready to learn more about how Employers Resource can help your business? Contact us today for a free consultation!
