Adaptation of new employees: 3 approaches and stages

Adaptation is the process of adapting an employee to work in a new organization. Every person, student or experienced worker, experiences stress when changing jobs. People tend to worry whether they will cope, whether they will be able to establish relationships with colleagues, how interaction with management will develop. Few people can immediately get involved in work; according to a Superjob study, it takes one to four months to get used to a new place.

It is important for the employer that the adaptation of new employees is quick and painless. According to the study, only 27% of companies organize preboarding for new employees (the process of adapting an employee to new conditions even before he goes to work).

Most people who quit in the first 6 months of starting a job made the decision to do so in the first 2-3 weeks. Successful adaptation of personnel would avoid the costs of finding and training employees to replace those who quit.

Adaptation goals:

Cost reduction - the faster an employee integrates into the work environment, the faster he will work effectively.
Reduce employee turnover: If a new employee feels uncomfortable in the workplace, he may start looking for a new job. If adaptation is successful, the new employee quickly joins the team and the chance that he will stay in the company for at least three years increases by 69%.
Saving time for the immediate manager: adaptation according to a specific algorithm helps different departments of the organization interact better to immerse the newcomer in the work environment.
Reducing the stress level of a new employee.
Increasing employee job satisfaction.

Give yourself time

It will be hard at first. You will absorb and comprehend new information, and you will have much less energy left for work than usual. This is fine.

It’s normal to be shy and hesitant before asking your colleagues a question. It’s okay to ask again. It’s okay to joke inappropriately. Feeling tired, even if you seem to have done nothing all day, is also normal. These are temporary difficulties that we agreed to accept at the very beginning of the text.

After a few months, the tedious awkwardness will be replaced by your usual productivity. Well, okay, not a change - it’s unlikely that you will turn into a carefree, cheerful person who loves to be the center of attention. But you will definitely feel better, and going to work will no longer put you in stress.

What influences adaptation?

The company's openness to the arrival of newcomers to the team.
Organization size: In a small organization, onboarding new employees is less formalized.
Corporate culture – how open it is, how logically structured it is, and whether there are ready-made integration algorithms.
The psychological climate in the team, in a friendly environment, adaptation occurs faster.
Management skills, both from the immediate supervisor and from senior management.
Motivation of a new employee - whether he is committed to short-term cooperation or plans to work as long as possible.
A position with great responsibility and an impressive amount of work requires a long adjustment period.
Personal characteristics of a newcomer - emotional intelligence, communication skills, education, qualifications.
Compliance of skills and professional competencies with the position held.

The main problems of beginners

What can make life difficult for a person in his first days at a new job? What should specialists dealing with personnel adaptation problems pay attention to first? Research shows that the predominant negative aspects that prevent new employees from feeling “in their place” are:

Types of adaptation:

Adaptation can be primary , if an employee starts work for the first time in his life, and secondary , when he already has work experience. However, this division does not cover all the directions in which employees adapt to the new environment. If we consider this process in more detail, we can distinguish the following types of adaptation:

1. Social adaptation – familiarization with the “company atmosphere”, integration into the social environment, acceptance of norms of behavior, active interaction with this environment. 2. Production adaptation - inclusion of an employee in the production process, study of labor standards and production conditions, this includes getting used to new technology and software, studying a CRM system. 3. Professional adaptation – acquisition of new knowledge and skills needed in a new place of work, assessment of growth prospects, opportunities for training and advanced training. 4. Physiological adaptation – adaptation to new working conditions, schedule, loads. 5. Psychological adaptation – building relationships with the team and management. 6. Organizational adaptation - the study of interaction mechanisms in the organization: who can be contacted with this or that question, who reports to whom. Its result is a clear understanding of your place in the company structure. 7. Economic adaptation is the process of getting used to the system of material incentives and the level of payment.

Difficulties of the adaptation process

A new employee, especially one without experience in the field, wants to demonstrate his best side. The fear of not being able to cope with responsibilities, of losing oneself in the eyes of colleagues is the main obstacle in the adaptation of a newcomer. There are also fears of not working well with the new boss, of discovering one’s own incompetence and of losing one’s job. Adaptation measures should combat such phobias. Most layoffs occur in the first month of an employee's work. Moreover, this applies not only to voluntary dismissals. Accidents at work also occur in the first months of work for a newbie. To prevent such staff turnover in an organization, personnel adaptation is needed. The main goal of the adaptation process is to make the newcomer a working element of the team. We need to tell him about the specifics of his job duties, help him integrate into the team, and establish relationships between the team and his superiors. Ultimately, adaptation helps not only the newcomer get used to the team, but also colleagues and managers get used to the new employee. Trainings and educational events will help the employee undergo adaptation - this way the person will quickly understand his responsibilities and will be useful to the company. A system of public assignments for establishing close contact with the team will also be useful. Such assignments will help you get to know your colleagues and establish informal connections. At the initial stage, it is also worth monitoring the interaction between the boss and the newcomer - whether the work is being assessed fairly, whether the specialist corrects the manager’s comments. Finally, team building activities will help to integrate into the team.

Three approaches to adaptation

“Optical” - “you work, and we’ll look at you”

This approach cannot be called successful. Employers who choose it prefer to discuss the employee's salary and responsibilities after looking at him in action. There is practically no training; a beginner gets to work right away. If he doesn't fit, they hire someone else. For a new employee, this can result in frustration and a feeling of uselessness.

“Army” - “hard in training, easy in battle”

The probationary period becomes a real test of survival - the newcomer is given complex and responsible tasks, but is not explained how to complete them. Under these conditions, only the most purposeful remain. The employee who was not suitable is parted with and a new one is hired. This method has negative consequences: after joining the staff, the new employee relaxes or begins to “revenge”. Newcomers in such organizations are treated with hostility or tried not to notice - it is unknown how long they will last. Thus, an attempt to hire the best personnel results in the long term in a bad attitude towards work and conflicts in the team.

“Affiliate” – “we will help”

This approach is the result of an effective personnel policy. The employer realizes that there are no ideal candidates, does not delay the search, but chooses the most suitable person for the position. Entry into work is as smooth as possible - the employee is trained, introduced to the organization, and assigned a mentor so that he can ask him his questions.

Vladimir Trofimenko , General Director of the Mankiewicz representative office in Russia and the CIS countries, Member of the Strategic Council for Investments in New Industries under the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade:

“Our project management system was implemented in a natural, organic way and was based on the desire to achieve the company’s goals. We do not have a department that could deal with personnel adaptation. Instead, a “start-up” system has been introduced. They are formed based on the psychophysiological characteristics of each participant and are based on continuous training of team leaders who monitor balance, clear planning and hierarchy within the team. With this approach, the effectiveness of an entire department is always greater than the sum of the abilities of its constituent employees. Each startup is recruited for a specific project, and its duration depends on the deadline for completing the task. As soon as one startup closes, a new one is immediately formed, with a different composition of employees. Thus, the new employee does not go through a long adaptation process, but immediately gets to work and gets to know his startup colleagues. When the task changes, the newcomer begins to delve into the specifics of the work of another startup and works with other colleagues. It is quite difficult to accept a structure where there are no instructions for staff, a percentage of sales and penalties. But the results speak for themselves: at Mankiewicz, our average employee tenure is 12 years, and there is no staff turnover that plagues Russian companies. Many stay with us after coming for an internship for the first time as students. This means that the system confirms its effectiveness.”

Finding out the reasons

Before making any decisions, let's carefully analyze why you don't like the job. The reasons may be as follows:

Not satisfied with job responsibilities.
The team is unsuccessful.
I don't like the manager's attitude.
The salary is different than promised.
Not at all what I would like to do.

Now let's look at each of them in detail.

Stages of adaptation for a new employee

Familiarization

This usually takes place during a probationary period. The employee gets acquainted with the goals and objectives of the company, corporate culture, and team. He analyzes whether his expectations and career goals coincide with what the employer offers, and makes a conclusion whether to stay with the organization.

The employer evaluates potential capabilities and professional competencies to understand whether the employee is suitable for this position. Depending on the decision made, the personnel department prepares documents on the admission of a new employee to the staff or on dismissal.

Device

This stage lasts from a month to a year. Its duration depends on the complexity of the work, the expected level of responsibility, the assistance provided to the employee by colleagues, subordinates, management and the personnel service. Storekeepers adapt the fastest (27 days); for office managers and secretaries, this process takes 46-47 days. Sales managers, accountants and executives get used to a new place of work in 80-82 days. Programmers (102 days) and HR employees (100 days) take the longest to adapt.

Assimilation

The employee is accepted by the team and is well aware of his place in the team. Its effectiveness increases. At this stage, the employee can determine for himself which tasks are important and priority, and which are routine.

Previously, the website Job.ru (now hh.ru) conducted a survey “Who most often helps a newcomer fit into a new team faster, master new tasks” and here is the result:

Ask and ask again

I'm constantly worried about how I look from the outside, and I'm afraid of seeming narrow-minded. When under stress, anxiety increases. Before asking any (even the most necessary) question, I doubt it, say it to myself and figure out whether it’s worth it. In the end, of course, I ask – and not just one question, but a whole bunch.

At first it’s hard for me to ask for help, but then, along with other difficulties, I accept this too. Google doesn't have anything about processes or traditions in a specific team, but I need this information to perform my tasks well. All that remains is to ask your colleagues. Once you flip this switch in your head, the embarrassment disappears.

What stands apart in this topic is the need to ask again. It can be difficult for me to admit that I didn’t understand the answer, but... this road also needs to be walked. If you are embarrassed to ask again, it is important to notice this feeling and come to an agreement with yourself. In the end, what would be better: to remain silent, not to seem stupid and not learn something important, or to ask again, even if it’s awkward for me? The second option always wins - both when I didn’t catch the name of a new colleague, and when I didn’t understand the technical details.

And then, if you ask a lot of questions, it means you care. Everyone will like your indifference.

Adaptation of new employees: how to speed up

Hiring an employee is a long and complex procedure. The employee has not yet begun his duties, but financial and time resources have already been invested in him. Any employer is interested in ensuring that the adaptation of new employees takes place as quickly as possible. What you can do for this:

Develop an adaptation plan

This is a manual for the HR department and a new manager, which shows step-by-step measures to introduce the employee to the process. This can include:

Introductory tour. This should not be neglected; often an employee is embarrassed to ask where the canteen or break room is located.
Internal rules and regulations: work and rest hours, rules for using a mobile phone during working hours, schedule of meetings and team building events, dress code adopted by the company.
Hiring an employee: signing an employment contract, issuing a hiring order, making an entry in the work book.
Introducing the employee to how information is exchanged in the company: through instant messengers, email or using a CRM system, as well as issuing a login and password for corporate mail.

Any company develops, and regulations change along with it, so the plan needs to be periodically updated: remove unnecessary things and supplement with new information.

Conduct training or education

These could be events designed to train new employees or general sessions for all employees. They can be individual or group, for example, a ready-made introductory video course in a corporate training system.

Attach a mentor

It is to the mentor that the new employee can ask any questions about the organization of work, communication with other departments and other important nuances.

Establish communication with your immediate supervisor

A newbie should receive feedback from his boss. It may be worth setting aside a special time for this where you can ask all questions and get feedback on your work. It is important for a manager to pay attention to signs of maladaptation in an employee’s behavior:

decreased performance recently;
poor relationships with the team;
disregard for corporate culture norms;
violations of discipline;
dependence on a mentor or leader;
decreased motivation.

Include a newcomer into the life of the team

It is necessary to introduce the employee to the team, tell him what his duties will be, and what questions he can be contacted about. If the organization is large, it is better to duplicate this information in an email newsletter.

Team building events are also suitable for this. A beginner can prove himself in sports or creative projects. Not everyone is ready to immediately become actively involved in corporate life, but if a person shows initiative, we need to give him this opportunity.

Anna Leonova , employee of the personnel motivation and adaptation department of ICL Services:

“A new job is always stressful, whether you are a senior specialist or an intern. A new team, office, responsibilities or processes are all a potential risk that the newcomer will not like it and will leave for another company. That's why organizations do everything they can to minimize these risks. At ICL Services, the adaptation of new employees is worked out to the smallest detail. We understand that the less time a newcomer spends on entering a position, the faster and more efficiently he will begin to work and benefit the business. The first thing a new employee sees after HR in a company is his mentor. The mentoring program lasts 3 months and helps to socialize in a team. There is always someone nearby who can tell you: how to use the internal portal, how to apply for training, who to contact on a work issue, or where the canteen is located. ICL Services received the prestigious IT HR Awards for this program. The portal has been studied, the recruiter's kit is on the table, the equipment has been received, and now the first letter arrives in the mail. In it, the employee sees that he was expected at a new place. By the way, all colleagues also receive a newsletter with a photo of the newcomer, so that they understand which team he works for. The introductory training talks about the work of all departments of the company, social responsibility, processes and projects. Department heads and top executives come here to talk live about the company’s mission, what’s here and why. Such training is carried out as the group is recruited. To make it easier to understand the unofficial rules of behavior in open space, the company has developed a comic where it explains what is good and what is not so good. We also have an electronic adaptation course. In it, the employee sees what trainings he must undergo and what information he must study so that the work becomes clearer and easier. After the probationary period, the employee undergoes a “360” assessment, which is designed to assess his success during this period. The employee is assessed by his manager, colleagues with whom he worked, and, of course, himself. You should always remember that there are two parties involved in hiring and onboarding. And a newcomer also evaluates the company when he comes here. And if he couldn’t adapt, that’s a question for the company.”

Salary is different

Don't like the job? The new job should be enjoyable and satisfying in terms of money. And if the first part is in perfect order, then there is something wrong with the second... Did you receive your first salary and were unpleasantly surprised? Expectations were not met, the amount was lower than promised during the interview?

Go to the manager. Perhaps this is an accounting error. If there is no mistake, and the manager says that this is for the duration of the probationary period, raise the employment contract. Is there a clause in it that during the probationary period the salary is a certain amount? If not, then feel free to link to it.

The boss vows to pay the missing amount next month? Intimidate him by contacting the labor inspectorate. It does not work? Then write a statement to the prosecutor's office.

After this, you will most likely have to leave your job. But it is better to emerge victorious from the game than to humbly endure the infringement of your rights in the future. And this will happen again if the manager once allowed himself to cut wages without explaining the reasons.

Let's summarize

Onboarding should not be viewed as a process of learning a new job. It involves immersing an employee in a new environment, understanding the rules of behavior, interacting in a team, accepting corporate norms, and establishing relationships with colleagues and partners.

The adaptation process is mutual: the organization evaluates the employee, and the employee evaluates the organization. A lot of time is spent searching for a suitable specialist, especially a highly qualified one, so every employer is interested in ensuring that the employee starts working with maximum efficiency and benefit as quickly as possible.

Adaptation of new employees can go in different ways: somewhere a newcomer is thrown into the thick of things, hoping that he will figure it out on his own; somewhere they are treated with care so that the stress experienced by the employee is minimal.

It is important to understand that the duration of adaptation does not coincide with the duration of the probationary period; it can take up to four months or more. A developed adaptation plan, the assignment of a mentor, and a system of training and corporate education will help speed it up.

Periods

The acute adaptation stage can last up to two months. There is increased anxiety, erroneous actions, and uncertainty. There may be a realization that the new job is not what it seemed before. The tasks seem unnecessarily difficult. There is serious psychological stress. This period ends at the moment when there is a feeling that work is no longer unpredictable, I can cope with assignments, there are people who trust me as a specialist.
The optimistic period of adaptation at work occurs approximately four months after employment. The person calms down, the tension disappears. He understands that he is already “one of the people” and can cope with his job responsibilities. Due to excessive relaxation, mistakes begin to be made, both in relationships and in work. When such an individual begins to have his shortcomings pointed out, he becomes offended. This can lead to a crisis and subsequent dismissal.
Secondary stage of adaptation, about six months from the start of work. The individual assimilates all the rules of the organization. He copes with his responsibilities and becomes a full-fledged specialist.