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3 Ways to be a Good Mentor to Your New Hire

3 Ways to Be a Good Mentor to Your New Hire

After hiring a new employee, it’s often easy to think that all of the hard work is over.  However, our job as managers has just begun.

Whenever you hire someone new on your team, it is your responsibility to not only be a leader to your new hire, but also a mentor.  When thinking about previous mentors I’ve had and what made them great mentors, there are 3 things to consider when being a mentor to a new hire.

1. Remember how you felt when you started

Before you put together a plan of action, think about the types of questions that your new hire will have.  The best way to do this is to reach back in your memory and think about how you felt and what questions you had when you first started in the business.

Make a list of the things you believe your new hire will need to be introduced to throughout the first few weeks of starting.  Be sure that you incorporate all of these items into your training plan and make sure that you allow for times when your new hire may have additional questions.

2. Provide detailed, hands-on training

Once you have determined the key items that you will focus on during the training period with your new hire, consider how much of that training is going to be hands-on versus classroom style training.

While classroom style training is needed on certain topics, hands-on training is the most important part of your training plan.  Hands-on training is the fastest and most efficient way for your new employee to learn a task and quickly become productive.

It is clear, based on the Bowling Green Study from Hands-On Training, that your employees will be most successful when receiving hands-on training.  For example, the Bowling Green Study proved that by providing hands-on training to your employees you will “reduce training time by 76% over traditional on-the-job training.”

Of course, your ultimate goal as a manager is for your department to operate more efficiently.  What better way to do that than by reducing the amount of time it takes a new hire to learn the job?

By getting your new hire up to speed faster, not only are you increasing productivity in your department, but you are also increasing the confidence of your new hire.  When you give your new employee the tools and methods needed to be successful, you are an excellent mentor.

3. Have confidence in your new hire

One of the most important traits in a good mentor is the confidence he or she has in a  new hire.  Of course, you believe that your new employee is going to be successful in the job, or else you would not have hired him!  Be careful not to lose this confidence in your new hire during the training period.  It’s important to realize that not all employees learn the same way.  You may need to adjust your training plan for different individuals, but it is always important to allow time for each new employee to learn and pick up skills.

When you display trust and confidence in your new hire you are telling that new employee that you believe in him.  This confidence will boost your new hire’s self esteem and belief in himself.  Without this belief, your new hire may give up to feelings of discouragement.

What are some other ways we can be good mentors to our new hires?

Image: Wavebreak Media Ltd/BigStock.com

Julia Weeks

Julia is a skilled Recruiter with over 8 years of experience in sourcing, interviewing, and hiring within many industries globally. She works closely with hiring managers and job seekers to understand needs and desires, while offering guidance and ensuring the right fit. When not recruiting or writing, Julia enjoys spending time outside cycling, taking her dog for walks, or honing her sailing skills.