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Does this sound familiar?

After a multilevel recruitment process that involved an exhaustive resume search (utilizing both state-of-the-art computer analysis and painstaking human investigation), three interviews conducted by a total of seven staff members, two practical skills tests and a lengthy hard-fought debate, you have finally found the perfect candidate for an important position you’ve had open for months. And now that they’re hired, you’re just going to have them shadow another employee for two days and call them “trained.”

Often companies invest significant thought and resources in their recruitment process, only to ignore an equally important step: training.

Training sets the pattern your employee will follow for their time with the company. We’re talking years, maybe decades. The habits they develop and the assumptions they form will shape their tenure at the company. Here’s a few tips to keep in mind to make the most of the training opportunity:

Don’t Treat Training Like a Chore

Oftentimes, the training process seems like a hinderance, a useless period between the hire date and the time a new employee becomes productive. But that’s a costly way to look at it.

Instead, view training as an opportunity – one you never really get again. The employee is new, fresh, excited, open to instruction and unencumbered by assumptions. Take the occasion to build for the long term.

More Than Learning a Job Description

Training protocols can easily become too narrow. Because managers are doing what they can to fast track the process, they try to keep the focus limited. But by spending a little more time and looking at a longer horizon, the benefits of training can get extended across an employee’s time with the company.

Include information about internal promotion policies. Let new employees know about your incentive programs and the long-term vision of the company. Let them spend time with different divisions, allowing them to get to know the company as a whole. Get them excited about the future.

This will help with retention. You can use the training process to build a stronger connection between the new employee and your company.

Teaching Your Culture

Another key component that goes beyond an employee’s day-to-day duties: culture. You want an employee to stay a long time. You want them to go above and beyond. You want them excited and motivated every day.

Start them out right by making culture a key component of the training process. Allow the new prospect to spend time with other employees. Tell the company’s story. Make them feel part of a team and included in the overall mission. You’ll increase their excitement level once the real work begins – and improve your chances of keeping people for the long term.

Partner With PrideStaff Bend

Before training, you need to find the right employees. PrideStaff can help. Using their industry-leading staffing services allows you to build the best team possible. Contact our Bend, Oregon recruiters today to find out more.

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