The adaptation period for a new employee - how long is it and what should the employer do during this time?

A new job offers opportunities and challenges. A person is interested and difficult, he compares work with the previous one, and is afraid of not meeting management’s expectations.

The newcomer, the boss and the HR manager must make every effort to ensure that the adaptation period is successful.

During the first few months, an employee joins the team, masters basic responsibilities and shows first results.

The manager and HR manager evaluate whether the person is suitable for the company, whether he is able to work in a team, and whether he shares corporate values.

We talk about preparing for the arrival of a newcomer and the rules of adaptation. We ask Mikhail Pritula, HR Director at Preply, how to introduce an employee into a position and win his loyalty.

Psychologist Dmitry Yakim explains how a person can cope with the workload of a new job, and how a manager can support a subordinate.

Preparing for a new employee

Even before the person arrives, show that the company is waiting for him. The workplace should be ready, and all useful information should be at hand:

Create a work manual. Describe the organization's history and values. Write briefly about the company structure, work programs, personnel and organizational details. Leave contact details of colleagues who will answer additional questions.

Provide the employee with the necessary resources. Set up your workplace in advance and install the software.

Leave some extra time. Schedule the newcomer's appearance on a day that is not busy with meetings. The time you go to work on the first day should not coincide with the start of the working day. If problems arise, you will have the opportunity to correct them.

Methods for successful adaptation

Employment practice knows several methods for adapting new employees. The most famous are:

Informal support – consists of direct support of the employee. The method requires a lot of time and energy for the HR manager to acquaint the employee with all the intricacies of his work
Corporate PR – involves the development of a manual that will collect all corporate rules and standards
Instruction in departments - introduction to each department separately with the help of accompanying persons
Introduction to the nuances of the company
Mentoring
A website is an increasingly popular adaptation method. The site allows you to collect together all the information about the company’s activities, methods, tools and work rules
Team training – involves joint discussion of mutual claims, grievances and discontent, during which solutions to various controversial issues are sought, employees get to know each other better

With a detailed examination of each type, you can see all their advantages. Let's take a closer look at mentoring. The method has gained popularity since ancient times. Its effectiveness has been proven over time, and the advantage is considered to be the least labor costs, as well as strengthening relationships within the team. The essence of the method is that company employees independently train the newcomer and organize his activities.

There is another adaptation method - coaching. Unlike mentoring, coaching is designed to reveal a person's potential abilities and thereby achieve maximum impact from him.

The method is based on the fact that an employee’s potential is much greater than it manifests in life. The coach's activities are aimed at unlocking this potential for the benefit of the company.

This method also saves time, since coaching is not carried out during a specially designated period; time can be devoted to this during the main work period. Mentoring and coaching are different methods, but in no case exclude each other, but rather complement each other. In tandem, these two methods show excellent results.

Mikhail Pritula:

“What we call adaptation consists of 3 stages: onboarding, induction, adaptation. Onboarding is the process of introducing an employee to a company, like on an airplane. At this stage, the person is provided with primary information.

Many HR systems allow you to prepare for going back to work. You can enter your data into the system, read the employee handbook, set up mail, messenger and other tools for work.”

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Understand the processes

To understand how to act and who to turn to for help, study the company's internal traditions and business etiquette. Colleagues or a mentor will help you better understand all the intricacies.

“If I go to another employee with a question for the first time, then the boss is with me. We walk in together, but he doesn’t introduce me, because visually everyone is already familiar. Then we discuss some work issue. And thus, in the presence of my manager, I become the person with whom I can continue to work. Next time I know who to go to and at what level to communicate,” says Andrey.

A newcomer who has not yet fully grasped the work tasks may face a biased attitude from more experienced colleagues, says Maya:

“Senior employees in Russian companies initially treated me with distrust and were not ready to assign complex tasks. In an international company, connection to complex tasks occurred already in the first week. I believe that increased attention from colleagues and control from superiors in the early stages helps to avoid such situations. If there is no support, the adaptation process slows down. Because of this, the speed of solving problems decreases.”

The quality of adaptation depends equally on the openness of both the newcomer and the company, says Sergey Rogulev:

“The more rigid and closed one of the sides is, the more difficult the first steps are. Even a very flexible person will gradually tire of having to adapt. Likewise, a liberal organization will at some point begin to demonstrate its limits if the newcomer is too persistent.”

Rules for the first working week

In the first 3 months, the manager, HR and the employee himself must put in a lot of effort. The newcomer is worried that expectations from the place of work may not coincide with reality. The more insecure a person feels, the more difficult it is to work.

To help integrate into the company, the boss should support the employee. The first week is the most important for adaptation.

Introduce the employee to the team personally. Send out an email so that those who missed the new person can find out about him. Mention the newcomer's previous experience and responsibilities. Introduce the employee to clients, if necessary. Make the first day an easy version of a normal work day.

Tell us about the products and customers, show the organizational structure of the company, explain which colleagues are responsible for what.

Outline the employee's area of responsibility and your expectations. Explain how tasks are set in the organization and their implementation is monitored. Give some tasks for the current week.

Familiarize the newcomer with the team rules, work schedule, corporate traditions, team building, vacation and lunch schedules.

Tell us in which areas you are ready to provide support. If you see that a person does not share his difficulties, ask a recruiter for help.

First month of new job

After an exciting first few days on the job, it's time to settle into your role. The goal of this first month is to learn how you can apply your skills to the challenges and opportunities facing this organization.

Adaptation to a new team in the first month of work includes the following steps:

Get to know your team even better . It's important to continue making new connections and allowing other people to learn more about you. Simply being on your new team and closely observing how everyone works and collaborates will give you valuable insight into the company and team culture.
Get organized and establish good habits . This job is a new start and a good opportunity to get rid of old routines. In these first weeks, think about how you want to organize your calendar and to-do lists, how you will manage your time and the skills you want to develop.
Discuss your tasks with your manager . During the first few weeks, you and your manager should take the time to discuss your shared expectations. This includes understanding how you will work together, how you will obtain the resources needed for your work, and how the effectiveness of your efforts will be measured.

Here are some guidelines for these conversations:

Prepare yourself and use your time effectively. If you require information or instructions, you must take charge of this conversation.
Put yourself in your manager's shoes. If you find that your expectations do not match, try to look at them from his point of view and find a compromise.
Decide on those goals that will bring you quick victory. As you learn more about what your manager values, prioritize tasks that will earn you praise.

Be humble . When we are humble, we recognize that we cannot go it alone. Thank the people who support you. And most importantly, listen more than you talk.

How to help a person join a team

“Adaptation takes about 3 months for an employee with 3-7 years of experience and 2-3 jobs during this period. For students - up to 6 months, for those who have more than 7 years of experience - up to a month. If a person has not changed jobs for more than 5 years, even with ten years of experience, adaptation may take 4-5 months,” notes Mikhail Pritula.

The next stage is Induction - introduction to the position. The employee is given a tour of the office and is helped to make a corporate signature in the mail. Explain how to work with organizational tools, such as Jira and Confluence.

He is introduced to the team, shown his workplace, given a computer, and told the basic rules. The task of this stage is to show the company’s concern, relieve the stress of the first day, and help you integrate into the work environment.

The third stage - Adaptation - the period lasts on average 3 months. At this time, a person gets used to a new place of work.

The Adaptation stage includes:

Physical adaptation - the employee becomes familiar with the position of the office, the ergonomics of the table and chair, and the type of lighting.

Social adaptation is getting used to colleagues, their values and interests.

Cultural adaptation - the employee accepts corporate rules. This is similar to the sensations experienced by a person in another country.

Psychological adaptation - the employee adapts to everything new, the level of general stress from changing jobs decreases.

Professional adaptation - even if you are a professional, the processes are different in each company. You have to remember something or learn something.

The purpose of this stage is to help the employee get used to work as quickly as possible so that he becomes as effective as possible. This is facilitated by clear tasks, a mentor, regular discussion of progress, feedback on work, and informal meetings with the team.

The manager needs to speak with the subordinate every week in a one-on-one format. It is important to evaluate the results together and set goals for the next period. Further, the frequency can be reduced to 1 time per month.

Organize personal meetings between the new hire and each employee so that people can talk about themselves. You can present yourself in front of the whole team.

For example, make a presentation of 7 slides:

Biography - a short story about the place of birth and study, facts about the family.

Professional life - previous positions and places of work.

Expertise - what a person understands better than others.

Personal life - hobbies, recreation.

Working principles - how to structure your work.

Personality - what character qualities are inherent.

How he sees his mission in the new organization.

First 90 days of a new job

The goal during the first few months is to take ownership of your new role. During this period, you must psych yourself up to do your job to the best of your ability.

Adaptation to a new team in the first months consists of the following points:

Challenge yourself . In many situations we have more power than we feel.

As Harvard psychology professor Ellen Langer said, “Social psychologists argue that who we are always depends primarily on the context in which we find ourselves. But who creates this context? The more mindful we are, the more we can create the contexts in which we find ourselves. When we create context, we are more likely to be authentic. Mindfulness allows us to see things in a new light and believe in the possibility of change.”

Set ambitious goals for yourself and work to achieve these goals. Repeat this process constantly, aiming for better results each time. You may not always achieve your goals, but the process of work itself will give you significant personal and professional growth.

Set boundaries . You may have spent the first month of your new job compromising your personal time. Maybe you started coming in early and finishing later than everyone else, maybe you took on extra projects to help others. This is a natural process in a new environment.

However, in the first few months of your job, you should begin to reestablish boundaries that allow you to do your core job. While you must continue to be a team player, learning to say no will help you stay focused on your goals and manage your time effectively.

Discuss your three-month progress with your manager . In some organizations, 90-day screening of new hires is common practice. Even if your employer doesn't have this practice, you can ask your manager for an informal review.

This is a simple way to check yourself that you are on the right track and meeting expectations. In your review, you can provide an update on the goals you set in the first months. It will also be useful for you to know what your boss expects from you in the next three months or even a year.

Reconnect with old colleagues . Now that you've settled into your new job, it's time to reconnect with former employees and see how they're doing. Maintaining your professional network is a good way to keep your finger on the pulse of the job market.

Indeed.com research shows that 65% of employed people are looking for new jobs again within the first three months of starting work!

Believing in yourself is the key to success in a new job . You will undoubtedly encounter disappointments and make mistakes. Don't focus on what you still have to do. Instead, focus on how far you've already come and where your hard work will take you.

If you have more ambitious plans for your new job, and you are striving to gain leadership in a new team, then we advise you to read our article “How to become a leader in a team. Practical actions."

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How a manager can help a subordinate

Some people adapt quickly, while others need time to get used to new conditions. The best option is to provide clear and detailed information about responsibilities and introduce them to colleagues. It is important to maintain a dialogue with the new employee and be attentive to him.

Be respectful of the beginner's pace. If he doesn’t catch everything right away, there’s no need to rush it too much. In the beginning, failure is normal. A person has little experience, he is worried and may do something wrong. The first sign that an employee is not coping is that he is not given the job even with your help and after correcting mistakes.

Look for the causes of conflicts. When you can’t find a common language with a new employee, pay attention to when contact is lost. What in the employee’s behavior and reaction confuses you and interferes with communication. Certain nuances should be discussed as early as possible so that they do not spoil the relationship in the future.

Provide stability. This applies to basic working conditions - place of work, monetary payments, schedule and responsibilities of the subordinate. To be trusted, you need to be a reliable leader. Provide all amenities, pay salaries on time and do not reduce them. Be consistent in your instructions and requirements. Don't make promises you can't keep.

Adjust the load. It is worth listening to the employee. Even if he does not speak openly, you may notice fatigue, decreased motivation to work, and constant mistakes. Perhaps the person is working to the limit and is close to burnout. Such things are highly undesirable, they worsen the condition of one employee and negatively affect others.

First week at a new job

Successful onboarding in your first week with a new team is all about balance: you want to make great first impressions, but you don't want to put too much pressure on yourself to make sure everything fits together. Your goal is to learn more about your workplace and begin to feel comfortable in the overall ecosystem.

So, how to adapt to a new team in the first week:

Introduce yourself . Research has shown that anxiety in a new job stems in part from uncertainty about how to introduce yourself to new colleagues. It's a natural feeling - when you're new, you don't necessarily want to draw attention to yourself. But in your first days at a new job, you want your enthusiasm to be visible.

Find the right time during work hours and quickly meet people you don't already know. If meeting new people is especially important to you, you can ask other employees for help. Let your manager know that getting to know your coworkers is a priority and ask for a list of people you should meet. You can also ask the meeting organizer to give you some time at the beginning or end of the meeting to introduce yourself to the team.

Here are some tips to make your dating experience easier:

Prepare your greeting lines in advance so you have a script ready when you meet a new face.
Pay attention to your surroundings and other people. Don't interrupt a meeting to introduce yourself or talk too loudly in public. When you introduce yourself, notice how the other person reacts. If he seems distracted, then simply introduce yourself briefly and go about your business. If he is more open, then you can get to know this person better. You can make a great first impression by making someone feel heard.
Try to remember the names. You can do this by repeating the person's name and writing yourself a short note about them as you say goodbye. If you've forgotten someone's name, honesty is the best policy: “Sorry, I've learned a lot of new information in the last few days. Could you remind me of your name?”

Ask timely questions . Research has shown that new employees perform better when they ask more questions. By turning to team leaders or colleagues for new information, you will quickly gain momentum. But in the first week, you need to know how to find the right time to ask questions. Here are some guidelines on how and when to ask:

Think about what you want to know. In some cases you may need permission, and in other cases you may need advice or confirmation.
Prioritize the information you need. For example, if your computer or work access card does not work, then you need urgent help. If you don't know the exact quarterly goals for your team, you may want to wait to talk to your manager about it in the coming weeks.
Write down your questions so you don't forget them. You can raise these issues during a 1-on-1 meeting with your boss. You should find out your manager's preferences: Does he want to receive questions via email or in person? If you have a lot of questions for one person or group of people, consider organizing a meeting. In the meeting invitation, you can list your questions. This will give them time to prepare their answers.

Find a friend . Once you've introduced yourself and have a feel for who you'll be working with, ask your new colleague to have lunch or coffee together. This could be the person sitting next to you, or another newbie who started at the same time. By developing trusting relationships, you adapt faster to a new team. In fact, research has shown that having social connections at work can make us more productive.

During the first week, you may not find your best friend. But finding someone you can relate to even in the short term will provide some needed stability.

Learn to navigate the area and enjoy your new workplace . Find restrooms, coffee and water, stairs and elevators, a place where you can eat lunch and take a break, and find any other amenities your new company offers. If you haven't been given a tour, consider asking one of your colleagues.

In the first week, you can also experiment with your commute: find a good time to leave the house and try out different routes or modes of transport.

Experience of foreign companies

Leading organizations often use the experience of foreign companies in their work, using the following adaptation methods:

Secondment. The method involves the exchange of employees between different departments or organizations. This is done to exchange experience, improve qualifications, and learn new skills.
Buddying. The method is considered social and consists of mutual support and assistance in completing tasks. As a result, relationships within the team improve and performance increases.
E-learning. Training is carried out using electronic gadgets that are adjusted to the level of knowledge and skills of the employee. As a result, the beginner receives only the level of information he needs at this stage, which speeds up the development of the material.
Job Shadowing. With this method, a newcomer is assigned to an experienced employee, accompanies him throughout the day and discusses all work issues with him.

From such an abundance of adaptation programs, each company chooses the one that is suitable only for it.

Sociological surveys show that some companies (8%) spend unforgivably little time onboarding a new employee, while another 12% are just beginning to think about this issue. But still, most companies perceive adaptation as a necessary element of doing business.

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How to make adaptation more effective

It is important to monitor the effectiveness of adaptation and improve and improve its methods and models so that it brings the results you expect. Let's discuss how to do this.

Collect feedback

Timely information will help make an analysis, improve the adaptation mechanism and retain future employees in the organization. Adaptation should be done not FOR the employee, but TOGETHER with him. It may happen that the newcomer did not like something, but was embarrassed to say it. He left the company, and you never found out why. Therefore, ask how he feels in the company, what he likes and what he doesn’t like. And make changes to your work if necessary.

It is convenient to collect feedback on the Unicraft platform through regular reviews of completed courses. As a result, you will see where your system sags, and the employee will be pleased that the company takes his opinion into account. It’s great when they ask you, listen to you and make changes to the work system.

Monitor your efficiency

You can evaluate the effectiveness of training not only with the help of reviews. Conduct staff knowledge assessments to understand what knowledge they have acquired. Set specific goals and criteria with quantitative indicators. They are usually determined during the planning and development phase of the program. For example, the deadline when an employee must produce a full-fledged product for the first time. There can be many metrics.

Don't skimp on your emotions

We live in an era of developing impressions. This is not about technology or globalization. And about impressions, because that’s what people come for. Emotions are a valuable currency. The onboarding process should create emotions and impressions.

Problems of adaptation of young specialists in Russia

Today in Russia the problems of adaptation of young specialists are particularly acute. This is due to the importance of questions about choosing a life path. Most students who graduate from universities cannot find employment in their profession. Therefore, young people often have to change professions, adapting to the demand in the labor market.