Expanding your agency and bringing new talent on board is incredibly rewarding. However, figuring out the most effective way to train and onboard these new hires can be a challenge. While it might be tempting to give them a quick rundown and then let them figure things out, this approach won’t benefit your agency in the long term.
Just like teaching someone to swim, you need to gradually introduce your new employees to your business, providing them with the knowledge and resources to thrive, and supporting them until they can navigate independently.
So, how do you ensure your training program sets up both your new hires and your agency for success?
This post will cover:
- The significance of training new hires
- Seven effective tips for training new employees
- Best practices to remember during the employee onboarding process
The Importance of Training New Hires
Training and development are crucial for onboarding new employees, regardless of their role or the type of business. In fact, a well-structured onboarding process results in nearly 70% of employees staying with their company for at least three years. For agencies, onboarding is even more vital because a well-designed training program can significantly impact not only the agency’s success but also the success of its clients. Let’s explore the reasons why training new hires is so essential.
Navigating the Tech Stack Learning Curve
Your agency likely relies on a comprehensive suite of technology systems, platforms, and tools. While some, such as Google Analytics or Slack, might be familiar to your new hires, others are probably unique to your agency. These internal systems aim to simplify campaign management, reporting, and communication, but they can pose challenges for new users.
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During onboarding and training, it’s crucial to explain the various tools, systems, and platforms your new hires will be using, provide guidance on their optimal use, and share any valuable tips or tricks.
By dedicating time to detailing these agency systems and tools, especially those used daily, you equip them for a smooth transition from training to managing campaigns and performing their daily tasks.
Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices
Within a few months of working at your agency, employees acquire practical tips and best practices that might not be formally documented. These are the insights gained from consistent experience. This highlights the importance of employee retention; experienced employees possess invaluable knowledge about your business, clients, and efficient work practices. A structured training program should encompass documented best practices, tips, and insights to give new hires a solid grasp of their responsibilities and how to execute them according to your agency’s standards. Additionally, your program should incorporate job shadowing and knowledge sharing from your experienced employees.
This training plan template should involve interactions with different departments.
While explaining concepts is essential, observing their practical application and having the opportunity to practice firsthand is even more impactful.
By equipping new employees with this internal knowledge during training, you lay a strong foundation for their success.
The Impact on Client Experience
Your agency’s success ultimately hinges on the service and results delivered to clients. If new employees are not adequately trained, it will inevitably affect your clients. Untrained employees might struggle to maintain the expected level of service, lack the skills to deliver consistent results, or take longer to complete tasks, leading to client dissatisfaction. Prioritizing new employee training demonstrates your commitment to nurturing client relationships.
7 Effective Tips for Training New Employees
Use these tips to develop an effective onboarding and training process for your new hires.
1. Setting Clear Expectations
Establishing clear expectations is a crucial first step when training new employees. This involves setting expectations not only for the training and onboarding process itself but also for what you anticipate from them. Here are some ways to achieve this:
- Well-Defined Job Description: A comprehensive job description is valuable beyond recruitment. It should be revisited during training as it outlines long-term expectations and provides clarity on daily responsibilities. If your job descriptions don’t explicitly detail daily tasks and overall goals, consider updating them for the onboarding process.
- Formal Training Process: Documenting and presenting a formal training process outlines what new employees can expect during their initial weeks. This may include scheduled training sessions, learning objectives, and shadowing opportunities.
- 30/60/90-Day Plan: Creating a 30/60/90-day plan for new hires, outlining desired accomplishments and learning milestones, keeps them on track during onboarding. This plan can include specific milestones deemed crucial for success, such as handling a client call, securing a new client, or completing an online course.
By providing these documented plans and processes, you communicate clearly with your new hires and equip them with a roadmap for success within your agency.
2. Understanding Individual Needs and Opportunities
Each new hire comes with a unique blend of background, experience, and areas for development. While you gather some of this information during hiring, it’s vital to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and opportunities during training. This can be achieved through informal conversations or standardized assessments developed by your agency. Encouraging new hires to ask questions throughout training can also shed light on areas where they might require more focused practice. By tailoring your training to their specific needs, you keep them engaged and motivated, avoiding boredom in areas where they already excel.
3. Sharing Your Agency’s Mission and Purpose
Your new hire is now part of your team. It’s essential to foster their alignment with your agency’s mission and purpose. Employees who resonate with a company’s mission are less likely to consider leaving and tend to be more engaged. Engaged employees can contribute an extra 21% in profitability and a 20% boost in productivity.
Take the time to share your mission statement or agency purpose with your new hire. Provide an overview of your agency’s raison d’être, your target audience, and any other aspects you’re particularly proud of.
For instance, if your agency offers matched volunteer hours, share examples of organizations employees have supported through this initiative.
Additionally, showcase case studies and client success stories, highlighting how your agency has made a difference. By expressing passion for your business and your clients, you inspire new employees about their work.
4. Fostering Internal Knowledge Sharing
As mentioned earlier, training presents an ideal opportunity for experienced employees to share valuable best practices and insights. Pairing new hires with experienced employees not only facilitates knowledge transfer but also fosters connections. This can enhance the onboarding experience for new employees and contribute to higher retention rates. Studies have shown that 86% of new employees who had a mentor during onboarding were more likely to stay with the company long-term.
This approach also allows you to recognize and empower your top performers by providing them with a platform to share their expertise and demonstrate the value you place on their contributions.
Encourage experienced employees to create presentations about their agency journey, lessons learned, and favorite aspects of working with you. Alternatively, arrange one-on-one sessions for new hires to ask questions or shadow experienced employees.
This hands-on learning builds upon the foundational information provided and illustrates practical application.
5. Incorporating Mock Client Calls
If client interaction is part of their role, incorporating practice sessions into your training program is invaluable. Mock client calls help you assess a new hire’s grasp of the training material and identify areas for improvement. It also provides them with a glimpse into client interactions. Treat these mock calls as realistically as possible by having new hires initiate contact as they would with a real client, schedule the call using your preferred platform (e.g., Zoom), and record the session for training purposes.
By simulating the entire process, you provide new hires with a comprehensive experience and boost their confidence in applying what they’ve learned.
6. Maintaining Engagement Throughout Training
The training and onboarding process can be overwhelming for new hires due to the sheer volume of information. For remote employees, maintaining engagement and gauging their progress can be even more challenging. Incorporate diverse learning methods into your training program to cater to different learning styles. Some individuals thrive with videos, while others prefer interactive learning or hands-on experiences.
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Consider incorporating less structured time for new hires to connect with colleagues, ask questions, and learn more about the agency and its culture.
Building a strong culture is essential, and this process can begin during training.
7. Following Up Post-Onboarding
Once your new employee has completed training and transitioned into their role, schedule follow-up sessions for them to ask questions, share their experiences, or seek guidance in areas for improvement. These check-ins are also valuable for discussing career aspirations and growth opportunities. After gaining some experience, new hires may have a clearer idea of their desired career path within your agency. Providing a space for them to share these goals and receive feedback demonstrates your commitment to their long-term growth and retention.
Making Training New Hires Work for Your Agency
Developing the ideal training program for your agency is an iterative process that requires experimentation and refinement. However, investing time and effort in this crucial aspect of growing and scaling your agency yields significant long-term rewards. To recap, here are the seven tips for effectively training new employees:
- Set Clear Expectations
- Understand Individual Needs and Opportunities
- Share Your Agency’s Mission and Purpose
- Foster Internal Knowledge Sharing
- Incorporate Mock Client Calls
- Maintain Engagement Throughout Training
- Follow Up Post-Onboarding