First 90 days

Starting a new role is a nerve-racking experience for most people, not only do you have to get to know a new group of people you might need to learn a new set of skills.

When you recruit a new staff member, put yourself in their shoes.  The busyness of most practices can make a detailed induction programme seem taxing, but in the long term, the time taken to properly orientate your new employee will lead to:

• More confident employees
• Quicker productivity
• Better staff relationships and teamwork
• Making sure that performance expectations are established from the beginning
• Lower turnover rates
• Better risk management

A buddy system to help a person learn a role is a great introduction but requires patience for the person coaching the new employee.

How to make the most of the early days:

• Brief the new persons buddy and make the plan together so that expectations are clear
• Check in with the new employee and their buddy frequently
• Review the induction plan and progress daily
• Make sure they have something to do
• Encourage then to take notes – both of your expectations and for questions they need answers to
• Provide them with resources that will assist them
• Detail specific training that they need to complete
• Make time to listen to them and to answer their questions

If you have done all the above but after 4 – 6 weeks their performance isn’t where you expected it would be, meet with them, find out how they are finding things and share you concerns.

If you have a 90-day trial period and have fulfilled all the criteria we would expect that you would:

• continue to meet with the employee regularly, at least weekly, identify any further training that you can provide and again make the practice expectations clear. You should give the employee the opportunity to improve. All conversations should be documented and kept in the employees personnel file.
• if you are not seeing the improvements you need, then after several weeks, advise the employee of your concerns and reaffirm your expectations. It would be fair to advise them that you are considering termination under the 90-day trial period, but don’t leave this until day 88. Notice of termination must be given during the 90 days, although the notice period can be outside of the 90 days. Please be in touch with the HealthyPractice team if you wish to discuss this process.

If you were unable to use the 90-day trial period, then you should follow a more formal performance management process.  Starting with a non-disciplinary meeting and agreeing on a documented performance improvement plan for a defined period.  It is important that you make time to follow through with the process and give the employee the chance to meet your expectations. If despite all your best efforts, you may need to elevate to a disciplinary process.

Please give us a call or email business@mas.co.nz at any stage of the process if you need help.