Give new managers a jump start
Posted by Kim Provencher at 2:07 PM

With the pressure on more than ever today for new hires to get off to a fast start, you might want to take a look at what your company is currently doing to ensure this happens. Managers in particular not only have to tackle the business issues, they need to navigate the political landscape as well. Creating an orientation process that expedites their ramp up time will create a win-win for both your company and your new hire. Take a look at this month's article from Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge for some helpful tips on how to make this happen.

New managers who are rapidly "onboarded" are poised to generate value for their organizations much more quickly than colleagues who follow a slower or more casual orientation path. Rapid onboarding has become particularly vital as workplace turnover rises.

But despite the increasing importance of a fast start, new managers face daunting obstacles in getting connected. For one thing, many senior executives assume that new managers have the social skills and understanding to tap the organizational network themselves, so they invest little time in introducing new managers around. But without some initial support and a framework for learning, many managers find it difficult to reach out to new colleagues themselves.