All too often, the decision is made to put a new employee to work right away, simply to fill a gap. While this may seem like a reasonable solution to a staffing problem, the reality is often anything but reasonable. Unfortunately, without exposure to policies, procedures, standards, culture, and proper training, new employees can become anxious and frustrated rather than being able to provide good customer service.
Remember Eugene’s Western Wear Outlet Store? We looked at Eugene’s “Help Wanted Ad” and talked about some concerns with EEOC regulations in the Week One assignments. In this assignment, we look at the circumstances faced by the person Eugene hired for the open position during his first day on the job.
Instructions
1. Read the following scenario:
• Ralph showed up for his first day on the job at Eugene’s Western Wear Outlet Store. He was very excited that he had landed a job at the store. He loved western wear ever since he was a boy, and he also enjoyed providing good service to others. He knew he could help the store’s customers and he looked forward to his orientation so he could learn more about the company. Eugene met Ralph at the door and welcomed him. Ralph filled out the appropriate paperwork to get started and get to work. After he finished the paperwork, Eugene showed Ralph the cash register, showed him how to place an order and ring up a sale transaction, and gave him a brief walk through the store.
• Eugene introduced Ralph to Ben. Ben had worked at Eugene’s Western Wear Outlet Store for three weeks and was Ralph’s designated go-to person for any questions he may have. Eugene explained to Ralph and Ben it was going to be a busy day; a big product promotion was starting and many of the store’s products were on sale. Eugene told Ralph and Ben to expect a crowd of customers as soon as the store opened for business and not to be surprised if they would have to forgo breaks and take a late lunch, since the store was still short-staffed. Ralph was nervous and apprehensive; by noon he had helped many customers to the best of his ability, but he couldn’t answer many of their questions, made several mistakes ringing up sales, and Ben and Eugene were too busy to help him. By the end of the day, Ralph, who really needed the job, wondered if his new position at Eugene’s Western Wear Outlet Store was the right job for him.
2. Contemplate this scenario, considering this week’s focus as you write a comprehensive summary (400-500 words) answering the questions and prompts below. Review the content in this week’s readings and videos, and conduct additional outside research as needed.
a. Critique the new hire orientation process at Eugene’s Western Wear Outlet Store and explain which elements of an effective orientation were missing.
b. As you have learned, orientation of new employees can take a significant investment of a manager’s time. Develop a recommendation that supports this investment.
c. Identify two challenges faced by managers when new hire orientation processes are ineffective. Develop two solutions to address these challenges.
d. Why are onboarding and orientation processes imperative for a company’s success?
