Adapting managers and staff is acquiring new skills, knowledge, and behavior patterns that allow new employees to perform their job duties in the company as efficiently as possible.
Most newly hired workers are believed to quit during the adjustment period. The main reason, as a rule, is the discrepancy between expectations and the real situation.
Why adaptation is needed, and what is its purpose
Before starting to draw up a program for the adaptation of personnel, it is necessary to determine the ultimate goal pursued. It could be:
- Cost reduction. At first, it is difficult for employees to quickly and efficiently perform their work. In this case, quick integration into the working environment will allow the newcomer to working more efficiently without additional time and money spent by the company.
- Reducing staff turnover. If an employee experiences discomfort and anxiety in a new place, he may start looking for a new job. Successful adaptation will help him quickly join the team and stay in the company for a long time.
- Saving time. When an organization has a competent and well-functioning adaptation program, colleagues and the manager will not often have to be distracted from their duties to explain something new.
- Reducing the stress level of a newly hired employee.
When a person is satisfied with the attitude of the team and the work in general, he works more efficiently.
Kinds of adaptation
Based on the employee’s experience, two types of adaptation are distinguished: primary and secondary.
The primary form involves the inclusion of a beginner who does not have work experience and communication skills in the work team, or these qualities have been lost. Usually, these are graduates of educational institutions or young mothers who have come out of maternity leave. Often, for such employees, the adjustment period is quite difficult.
Secondary adaptation involves integration into the team of a person who already has work experience and knows how to build communication with colleagues. In this case, it is still necessary to get used to it due to the changed activity conditions (new place, people, other specialization or position). However, such employees are much faster and easier to join the process.
Three Approaches to Adaptation
When hiring a new employee, modern organizations usually use one of three approaches to adaptation: optical, “army,” and partner.
Optic
The essence of the method is that the newly hired employee immediately begins to perform his duties. There is practically no training within the framework of the visual approach. After the manager evaluates how the newcomer copes with the work, the conditions for further cooperation and salary are discussed.
“Army”
Within the “army” approach framework, the probationary period is a kind of survival test. In this case, a new employee has to face additional difficulties in the form of responsible tasks. At the same time, no one explains how to deal with them and does not introduce existing developments.
Affiliate
The partnership approach to personnel adaptation is considered the most optimal and progressive today. It is commonly used by organizations that are highly experienced in hiring employees. This method demonstrates the company’s maturity, which is aware that it is necessary to quickly determine the candidate’s compliance with the requirements of the position and reduce the cost of hiring new employees and their stress levels.