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The importance of new-employee networking
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The importance of new-employee networking
Building a network is probably not naturally one of the first things a new employee is instructed to do in his or her early days on the job - but it should be.
Newly hired employees increase their ability to solve problems independently when they proactively build relationships and seek information from new colleagues. No activity can help a new team member accelerate on-the-job knowledge better than seeking the help of peers in the organization. It`s a survival skill that helps people learn from their successes rather than their mistakes.
Despite its benefits, purposeful, courageous networking - a proactive relationship-building and information-seeking behavior - does not come naturally to all people. Fortunately, even if a person isn`t a natural networker, the networking skills that lead to job success are trainable.
Talent managers should emphasize networking because courageous networkers seek advice from others before performing unfamiliar tasks, build relationships with influential people in the workplace, take action on feedback from colleagues or leaders, seek information about internal politics and often seek out mentors.
The challenge for leaders is to encourage a strong start toward courageous networking. Yet many don`t, even though it clearly impacts how quickly employees become proficient in their jobs. It`s easy to assume the new hire has all the information he or she needs and that if the individual needs more, that person will find it or ask the right questions of others. Not so.
However, there are a few things talent managers and other leaders can do to encourage networking that will improve performance.
a) Starting with the job interview, leaders should ask questions to draw out details about an individual`s past networking behavior and identify areas for improvement.
b) Integrate networking into the orientation process by emphasizing the need to get to know people and to seek the help of others.
c) Assign a peer coach for team members to help the new employee navigate the organization and reinforce the importance of networking.
d) Promote interactions by setting up informal gatherings with the existing team and new team member or by assigning new team members projects that require assistance from others.
e) Help the individual focus networking efforts by identifying key contacts so he or she will know who to approach for particular tasks or problems.
After a person is settled in his or her job, networking with people outside of the immediate work group becomes more important. Often, people within a team have the same information, so there isn`t a lot new to share. The big payoff comes from people networking outside day-to-day contacts with those who can provide a greater organizational perspective or different technical specialties.
The benefits of courageous networking can extend beyond new employees. For instance, those new to leadership and management roles need to be courageous networkers to make their transitions into new roles smoother. Yet, leaders at all levels often fail to network as much as they should for a variety of reasons, including the perceived time commitment, geographic distance from colleagues and negative past experiences in their relationships with others.
Another reason leaders may not network is they have become isolated in their organizational silos and therefore are hesitant to invest the time and effort in an activity that does not appear to directly support attainment of their teams` goals. Managers of leaders need to be attuned to the degree to which their subordinate leaders are or are not networking and encourage the former.
Remember, seeking information and building skills is only half of networking. The other half is opening a mutual channel of sharing. Networks won`t last unless networking is a two-way street.
Newly hired employees increase their ability to solve problems independently when they proactively build relationships and seek information from new colleagues. No activity can help a new team member accelerate on-the-job knowledge better than seeking the help of peers in the organization. It`s a survival skill that helps people learn from their successes rather than their mistakes.
Despite its benefits, purposeful, courageous networking - a proactive relationship-building and information-seeking behavior - does not come naturally to all people. Fortunately, even if a person isn`t a natural networker, the networking skills that lead to job success are trainable.
Talent managers should emphasize networking because courageous networkers seek advice from others before performing unfamiliar tasks, build relationships with influential people in the workplace, take action on feedback from colleagues or leaders, seek information about internal politics and often seek out mentors.
The challenge for leaders is to encourage a strong start toward courageous networking. Yet many don`t, even though it clearly impacts how quickly employees become proficient in their jobs. It`s easy to assume the new hire has all the information he or she needs and that if the individual needs more, that person will find it or ask the right questions of others. Not so.
However, there are a few things talent managers and other leaders can do to encourage networking that will improve performance.
a) Starting with the job interview, leaders should ask questions to draw out details about an individual`s past networking behavior and identify areas for improvement.
b) Integrate networking into the orientation process by emphasizing the need to get to know people and to seek the help of others.
c) Assign a peer coach for team members to help the new employee navigate the organization and reinforce the importance of networking.
d) Promote interactions by setting up informal gatherings with the existing team and new team member or by assigning new team members projects that require assistance from others.
e) Help the individual focus networking efforts by identifying key contacts so he or she will know who to approach for particular tasks or problems.
After a person is settled in his or her job, networking with people outside of the immediate work group becomes more important. Often, people within a team have the same information, so there isn`t a lot new to share. The big payoff comes from people networking outside day-to-day contacts with those who can provide a greater organizational perspective or different technical specialties.
The benefits of courageous networking can extend beyond new employees. For instance, those new to leadership and management roles need to be courageous networkers to make their transitions into new roles smoother. Yet, leaders at all levels often fail to network as much as they should for a variety of reasons, including the perceived time commitment, geographic distance from colleagues and negative past experiences in their relationships with others.
Another reason leaders may not network is they have become isolated in their organizational silos and therefore are hesitant to invest the time and effort in an activity that does not appear to directly support attainment of their teams` goals. Managers of leaders need to be attuned to the degree to which their subordinate leaders are or are not networking and encourage the former.
Remember, seeking information and building skills is only half of networking. The other half is opening a mutual channel of sharing. Networks won`t last unless networking is a two-way street.
