The Employee Experience. Hire Tough, Manage Easy. We too often hire for skill and fire for behavior.

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1 Hire Tough, Manage Easy We too often hire for skill and fire for behavior. An effective hiring process is another tool that is essential to the journey to excellence. Studies show that a poor hire will cost the employer one and one-half times a person s annual salary (or more), will decrease morale and delay progress towards goals such as quality and growth. Exercise: What is the best orientation or new hire experience you have had? What made the experience good? How did this experience influence your commitment or loyalty to the organization? What is the worst orientation or new hire experience you have had? What happened that made the experience so bad? How did this experience influence your perception of the organization or your commitment and loyalty to the organization? Selection Mindset: The Basics of the Selection Process Hire better than you. Hire better than you have. Pre-Employment Testing There are many standardized forms of pre-employment tests that can be administered to assist in the selection process. Some are specific to customer-service and others are more diverse and/or job-specific. Some will also provide customize and/or pre-set behavioral based interview questions based on the test results. Each additional tool you put in place to aide in the selection process, adds to the better chance of selecting the right new employees for your department and organization. Page 1 of 9

2 Reference Checking Page 2 of 9 The Employee Experience Be the change you wish to see in others Dig deeper than listed references Peer Interviews Employees selecting employees is empowering and inspires accountability. Peer interview panels: Employees who are trained to interview and hire their co-workers are invested in them, model excellent behavior for them, train them, and most importantly - want them to be successful. Human Resources and the hiring supervisor have a role in prescreening applicants prior to the employee panel interview. Have your applicants sign your behavior standards before they get interviewed - if they balk, do not interview them. Behavioral Based Interviewing How a person reacted to a situation in the past reflects how they likely will act in the future. Therefore, behavioral-based interview questions ask how a candidate has acted in similar situations versus how they feel about something or what they think they would do. Determine what you are looking for in an employee based on the needs of your department, the job, and characteristics critical to success in the position. Then tailor your behavioral based questions to meet those needs. Behavior Based Interview questions should be responded to with the following information (EAR): Event describe the event/situation that occurred Action describe what actions they took Result explains what results they got from their actions Employees participating in interview panels should be trained to ask follow up questions if all areas of the response are not provided to the question.

3 Sample Behavior Interviewing Questions 1. When working with patients or family members, tell us how you create an environment that helps them feel informed and cared for? Provide a specific example of when you have done this. 2. Tell us about a situation when you had to speak up (be assertive) in order to get a point across that was important to you? 3. Tell us about a specific situations when you did not have the knowledge or skill to complete a task or assignment. What did you do? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a time when you exceeded a patient s expectations. What did you specifically do to achieve that outcome? 5. Describe how you contributed to the success of a team of which you were a member. 6. Describe a tough problem at work that involved conflict between individuals or departments. What was your role in the situation? What was the outcome? 7. Provide an example from your work experience in which you involved staff in the decision making process. Exercise Pair up. One participant selects a question to ask the other. Ensure that the responder fully answers the question using the EAR guideline: Event describe the event/situation that occurred Action describe what actions they took Result explains what results they got from their actions Page 3 of 9

4 Use a weight-based decision matrix Makes the evaluation of all candidates more objective and consistent Facilitates the decision making process and avoids emotional decisions Sample Hiring Decision Matrix Candidate: Date: /_ /_ Education X Weight = Experience X Weight = Communication X Weight = Perceived Fit X Weight = Interview Questions: Question X Weight = Question X Weight = Question X Weight = Question X Weight = Question X Weight = Question X Weight = Recommend for Position: Yes No Comments: TOTAL SCORE: Panel Member: Page 4 of 9

5 The On-Boarding Process What are the key objectives of a great onboarding process that set your newest employees up for success? 1. Engaging the new employee in the vision and strategies of the organization. This is what we do and why we do it. This is the vision for greatness and this is how every employee, new people included, can contribute. We refer to this as bringing the vision alive at all levels. The strategic plan is not just for leadership or a formal document on a shelf it needs to come alive in everyone. 2. Connecting to the culture of the organization in other words, getting an understanding of the formal and informal norms. This is how we behave, perform and contribute as members of this organization. These are the standards we uphold to achieve greatness. 3. Facilitating the establishment of interpersonal relationships and information networks. It can be uncomfortable to be the new guy in a sea of employees that have bonded. Don t leave this to chance when there are onboarding activities that can assist in relationship building. 4. Increasing clarity, competence and confidence to succeed at the job tasks and performance standards associated with their role in the organization. Employees are hired because there is work to be done set them up for success with comprehensive orientation to increase their mastery of the work they ve been hired to do. 5. Teaching the necessary regulatory, legal, accreditation and policy requirements. Each industry has their own set of these requirements. Which ones are applicable to your industry and how do you get this information to your new employees? Page 5 of 9

6 Make Day One a Special Day Exercise: Pair up discuss one idea for making day one special for your new employees The First Days Checklist This is designed to meet regulatory and accreditation requirements; as well as to emphasis important policies. As implied, this is required within the first days of employment for all new employees. See example in Hiring Solution. Department-Specific Orientation Each department should have an orientation checklist, pathway or plan. This can be accomplished in many ways: A classroom orientation (e.g., Med/Surg 101) in which new employees are grouped together to cover topics such as the Patient Care Model, equipment training (e.g., lifts, pumps, glucometers), etc. If the department has annual competency skill stations that are held throughout the year, then the department may require their new employees to attend the first available offering after their start date. In some hospitals, they are fortunate to have a simulation center (or access to one) and have incorporated simulation into the orientation period. Often, a preceptor is assigned to assist in the orientation process. Select your preceptors wisely (e.g., high performers). Some hospitals require that preceptors attend a Preceptor Training Course. Preceptor Training courses include content on adult learning principles, the hospital's policies and procedures for new hire orientation/training, etc. Organizations may pay a "differential" (e.g., "preceptor pay") to preceptors. Organization-Wide Orientation This is typically a full day scheduled once per month or every other month for all new employees. This is often required to be attended within the first 90 days. The agenda usually includes such topics as the hospital's Page 6 of 9

7 strategic plan and goals (CEO), may include more in-depth content on the items covered in the First Day(s) Orientation Checklist (e.g., infection control, fire safety, occurrence reporting, etc.) and the bulk of the orientation should be related to: Behavior Standards, Communication Standards, Service Recovery, Hand Over Communication and all those key tactics from the journey that you want all employees to know right from the start). Some of our partners call these "Fundamentals" of the Journey. Rounding During the First 90 Days Round with your new employees at 30 days and again at 90 days. These are similar to "Employee Rounding" meetings; but with specific questions for new employees. Leaders usually document these new employee roundings in the same way as other types of rounding. The leader can use the information gathered to harvest recognition (e.g., thank you notes) opportunities for co-workers that have been helpful to a new employee. At 30 Days, ask them: What do you like most about your job? About the organization? Is the position and the organization what you expected? Provide details. Who has been helpful in the orientation period? Provide details. How happy are you working here on a scale of 1-10 with 10 representing the most happy? What would have to happen for that number to become a 10? Is there anything that would cause you to leave us? What type of feedback would you like to receive about your performance that you are not receiving now? Is there anything else that is important to you that we did not cover during this meeting? As your supervisor, how can I help you? Page 7 of 9

8 At 90 Days, ask them: How does the job compare to what you thought it would be? Is there any reason you feel this is not the right place for you? Do you know of anyone who would be a good fit for our organization? Is there anything your previous employer did that worked really well we could adopt? How happy are you working here on a scale of 1-10 with 10 representing the most happy? What would have to happen for that number to become a 10? Is there anything else that is important to you that we did not cover during this meeting? As your supervisor, how can I help you? New Physician Rounding Meet with new physicians in the first days as they usually have great ideas about previous hospitals or frustrations they have not expressed to anyone. Probationary Period Evaluation A formal orientation evaluation signals the end (or extension) of orientation. We encourage leaders to truly do use the orientation period to determine if someone is a good fit (behavior, attitude, skill, etc.). It is recommended to end employment in the orientation period if the orientation objectives are not met; in particular in the areas of behavior. We advise to not routinely "extend" orientation periods unless there is a very high likelihood that the orientation objectives will be met in a short period of time. Celebrating Successful New Employees Organizations should develop a way of recognizing their new employees when they have successfully finished orientation. Another best practice is to recognize the preceptor(s) too...either at the same time as the new employee or an annual award for preceptor-of-the-year (as nominated by new employees). Page 8 of 9

9 Other best practices to recognize successful completion of orientation include: Certificate hand delivered from CEO Employee Badge Change (if probationary tag is used) Gift (voucher for hospital-logo wear) New Employee breakfast or lunch with the CEO Names/pictures in newsletter or bulletin board Keeping Track Research shows that 27% of people who leave an organization, leave in the first 90 days and 50% of employees leave within the first year. Consider tracking the following: Number of new staff who leave in the 1 st 90 Days; 1 st Year Reasons for new staff who leave in the 1 st 90 Days; 1 st Year Number of new staff who have extended probationary periods Number of new staff who leave in the 1 st Year Reasons for new staff who leave in the 1 st Year Employee Satisfaction/Engagement by Years of Service Page 9 of 9