The employee wants to be committed to learning the job and satisfying the 90-day probationary period, and the company wants to ensure they are properly training and preparing the new-hire for the job. Your employee benefits communications should support and enhance the Orientation and Evaluation period.
Making the Crucial First 90 Days a Success
The first day on the job is much like being the new kid on the block or school for most new-hires. It can be a little nerve-racking for many new employees. Michael Watkins, a professor at the Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland and author of The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels provides suggestions in the book to help employers and new employees make this 90-day transitional period a success in the workplace. When new hires are successful in the beginning, companies will reap the rewards and benefits later.
Offering Good Employee Benefits Make Employees Want to Stay
Many employees use their first 90 days to see if the company is a good fit for them. Companies can use this time to make sure new hires stay for the long haul. One way of doing this is to present employee benefits communications that explain perks that make employees want to stay past the first 90 days. At most companies, employee benefits do not start until after the 90-day probationary period ends. Benefits that employees often want include:
- 401K or Pension plan
- Medical & Health Insurance
- Dental & Vision Insurance
- Life & Disability Insurance
Other benefits that you may want to offer your employees to make them more loyal to your firm may include: wellness benefits, child care benefits, elder care benefits, counseling programs, employee discounts, or remote work opportunities.
You can create an employee benefits communications corporate video designed for new-hires during the 90-day period that includes an overview of employee benefits and your commitment to their well-being. This video can help you recruit and retain new employees in the company as well.
Helping Your Employees Make a Long-Term Commitment to You
Making a new-hire feel comfortable and a part of the team can be a difficult task, but it is a crucial one you must master. You do not want good talent to jump ship before the first 90-days. Onboarding is a vital process that lays the foundation for long-term commitment and success. You need to make sure you are keeping your new and old employees happy, and it starts with their first day on the job.
Jon Picoult of Watermark Consulting assists companies in helping their employees make it through the first 90 days and beyond by promoting the concept of brand advocates. According to Picoult’s firm, companies should design an employer brand and recruiting experience that attracts the best people to your company. You should establish a brand that inspires top talent who are a part of your team. Employees that are inspired and motivated on the job are more likely to stay and produce their best work for you.
You should look at your 90-day probationary period as the honeymoon to the business relationship. As you both figure out if you are a perfect fit for each other, make sure the company is doing everything it can do to keep employees satisfied, valued, trained, and engaged so they will want to stay in the relationship for the long-term. Let the first 90 days be the beginning of a business relationship that will last for years.
