training new starters

[matgrf]

A colleague of mine has recently resigned from her post and with any luck a new member of staff will be joining the existing team shortly.

The structure of our team is somewhat complex in that although we work as a group of six and support each other where we can, each of us is individually responsible for coordinating the administrative services of one Faculty on the Campus, each significantly unique.

When our new colleague arrives the assumption is that we, or one of us, will have to train him or her to carry out the requirements of the post; we have done this on previous occasions with temporary staff that have joined us to take up one of our posts that has been unfilled since September 2005. As you can imagine this is incredibly frustrating.

Would you be prepared to train the new starter on top of the already demanding and time-constrained workload, or would you draw the line and refer to your contract of employment and job description that makes no reference to training new additions to the team?

All comments appreciated.

Matt Griffin AffIQPS, ALIAV

[spitfire78]

I'm in the U.S., so I don't have a contract.  However, even though it's not in our job description, we are expected to train the new staff.  Our supervisor has a different job altogether, so she really would be unable to train the person in the nitty-gritty of the position.  So, when someone new starts, we just take a deep breath, count to ten, and dig in!

[Jackie G]

When I was at the BBC you expected to be able to pick up a job from day one with the assistance of the office bible which had been started by the first incumbent, and updated by those who followed.

As a temp in the BBC's pool, I found these invaluable as sometimes there wasn't anyone else around to ask for help on specifics.

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[matgrf]

Hi Jackie

That's a very good idea and something we've done from the outset, although this is not always practical and entirely comprehensible to someone with little to no knowledge of FE systems and practices.

Perhaps it could be amended to make it read like an idiot's guide, for want of a better phrase.

Matt Griffin AffIQPS, ALIAV

[raindance]

It's a good idea to have a company policy on how new staff are treated.  There is nothing worse than arriving in a new job (stressful enough) and feeling as though you are just not wanted and no-one has time for you.

In my company, we either have "bibles", which each member of staff compiles and updates from time to time, or a period of handover training with the current postholder handing over to the next postholder.  I would certainly be prepared to do that, if at all possible.

I have a basic handbook for my own job, which I hand to interim workers and which covers every aspect of my work.  It also has a map of the offices - who sits where and what they do, and a map of the locality with important things marked (post offices, banks, sandwich places etc).  With new members of staff, I also ensure that the desks they will occupy are tidy and stocked with all the things they will need.

Induction sessions are useful, too.  Some companies have very formal induction. We organize a timetable for all new members of staff, and every new person has a meeting with all the other departments, and as many members of staff as possible.  The meetings are no longer than half and hour and just give an opportunity to find out what every one does.  We are a small company, and this approach would not work in a large company, but in a larger company visits with key departments are always helpful.  This means that new people have a basic grasp of company structure and so on.


Raindance

[raindance]

And another thing ...

I am extremely busy and manage a very busy CEO's office.  Training new members of staff is not in my job description, but there are many things I do that are not in my job description.  To me, it's all about making new colleagues feel welcome and happy in their jobs.

Raindance

[ecogirl]

I have been writing my own a 'training manual' this year.  When I started here, all members of staff in this small department had handed in their notice and with only two weeks to go were not interested in training anyone new and there was no such thing as a training manual.  The other staff outwith the department could not have been more unhelpful, probably because they felt it was not in their job description.  With no knowledge of the job, never having worked in this field before and being the only person in a department previously with four people,  I obviously made mistakes and had to put up with what could probably be described as bullying by certain regional managers.  I was shouted at for being incomptenent, stupid and called many other things but when I complained to personnel I was more or less threatened with the sack and given a written warning for my attitude.  By the end of last year I would rather have driven my car into a brick wall than come into work.  Unfortunately because I was reduced to such depression I was in no fit state to apply for other jobs and although I tried, I actually to burst into tears during one interview.

For this reason I shall make sure there is a manual ready for the next person as I have no intention of staying here any longer than necessary and I do not want anyone to go through what I had to.  Please consider how you treat someone before dismissing their training needs as not part of your job description.

caroleanne

[raindance]

I'm not sure whether your post is directed at me, although I see you have clicked "in response" to me.  If you read both my posts, you will see that I am advocating quite the opposite to "dismissing their training needs as not part of your job description".

Best wishes,

Raindance

[Jackie G]

Raindance

I'm sure like everyone Caroleanne's post is directed at the group rather than you.

I think most of us simply click reply on the last post in order to make our own postings.

Carole, things are obviously getting bad again.  Get out!  I would!  People who treat others like that deserve to be left in the lurch - and talked about outside so that a big well known company like yours then gets the reputation that they should have - for mistreating their staff.

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[tiffanyctd]

Oh, that's rough! Very professional of you to be willing to leave your successor with more reference than you had, especially under the circumstances.

I always am willing to train new people. It's a great way to build up rapport with them, and you never know when you'll need their help. It's also a great way to brush up on your own skills. I've written a "bible" for whoever takes my place, since I'm not sure whether I'll still be here when they're hired (and who remembers everything they were told in their first week anyway???). It reads a lot like a dummies manual, so anyone could pick it up and start doing the work, if necessary.

[matgrf]

These are all very informative posts, many thanks to everyone.

I would never dismiss a colleague who sought my help regardless of how they have been there; the point I was trying to put across is that it has been expected of us time and again for temporary workers, as HR - for whatever reasons - have still not advertised our vacant post going on 8 months now.

It's becoming somewhat frustrating having to train people who only stay for a few weeks - will see what happens though.

Am definitely going back to work with a view to putting together a more comprehensive 'how to' guide.

Matt Griffin AffIQPS, ALIAV

[countrigal]

And since this appears to continually happen with temporary posts, you might bring that to the attention of HR and your supervisor, as it is affecting your work capacity continuously rather than once in a while.  This may give them a thought to either keep one temp over a day or two for some training, or at least allow this to be some avenue towards a bonus or something for those of you continuing to do this while maintaining your own workload.  (This does not apply for those occassional bouts that we've all been in, where we help train someone just because...)

Good luck, no matter what... and hopefully you'll get someone in permanently soon.

CountriGal
Peer Moderator

[spitfire78]

Our department went through this for a while.  We used to hire a temp service when one of the secretaries was on vacation.  It became a real pain in the you-know-what to train over and over.  It would take 3 days for them to be comfortable enough on the phones that you could leave them and start to do your own work again, and then they'd be gone in another 2 days!  It was ridiculous.  we finally convinced management to hire a full-time person who was a "floater".  She covered whenever one of the secretaries was away (and with 10 secretaries and a very generous vacation package, she had plenty of coverage to do!).  On the rare occasions all secretaries were in, she helped pick up dictation, make copies, do mailings, etc.  It worked really well for a long time.  Then business hit a slump, and of course, that was the first position to go!

[Jackie G]

I've remembered the BBC name now ... secretarial will.

I suppose it was because it was what you left behind when you'd gone.

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[yc1]

Hi Matt

So far I have trained 3 temps and know what you mean about it being frustrating, I also under the college's policy of work placement have a learner from one of our NVQ courses every year (and thats even worse) however, as the sort of Oracle of the office I don't seem to have much choice.  The College I work at has a Mentoring scheme for new staff which helps them settle in and extensive Induction training which goes through all the Policies and Practices incl. H&S, Dealing with learners etc. Unfortunately tho it does not show them where the post goes, what curriculum area does Learning Development come under; etc.  

I feel however, that part of my job is to make sure that the team I work with all help each other, get on well and understand the needs of the department.  Basically, if you don't show new learners and help forge that team who will and the impact of not training them might be even worse.

With more and more cuts in FE budgets at the moment and the Government concentrating on new priorities the situation is not likely to get any better.

Basically Matt I think we have to grin and bear it - you could perhaps raise the issue at your next appraisal.

Yvonne