We have all been new employees at least once in our careers and for some of us several times. When thinking back to our experiences, what job transition was the best compared to the others?
Effective Onboarding for Clear Expectations
Having an onboarding process with checklists and regular check-in meetings is a best practice, but the overall process can take between 90 days and a year depending on the length of the new employee probationary period.
Beyond normal work-related processes, new employees also want to understand the culture of the organization, where to find answers to questions, resources available, and most importantly expectations of them from supervisors and managers.
I was fortunate early in my government career to work with a colleague who was a sage in her industry and had extensive experience in developing and supporting teams of various skills, abilities, knowledge, and education levels worldwide and across multiple time zones.
She was a great source of advice based on her career experiences and life-long dedication to professional learning. She once shared a document with me described as the “ten things to know about me as your manager” and encouraged me to duplicate its use in my own operations.
The single-page document in conjunction with an initial one-to-one meeting with each new employee significantly reduces their anxiety with joining a new employer and shortens the time it takes to feel that they are a contributing member of a new team.
The most important impact in its use has been that it sets up expectations for each new employee and is a concrete statement of who you are and what you believe in as a fleet manager or supervisor.
The document and onboarding one-to-one meetings prevent new employees from guessing who you are, how to best communicate with you, your expectations, and the level of support they will receive as a new member of your organizational team.
Below is one example to consider to facilitate new team members integrating quickly into your organization and its culture that is mutually beneficial for a cohesive work culture.
Ten Things You Should Know About Me as Your Fleet Manager
There are Two Primary Reasons Why I am Here as Your Manager:
Basically, to run “our business” in an efficient and effective manner and to ensure that the objective goals of the organization are achieved; (2) that day-to-day business is run smoothly; and (3) to remove obstacles along the way.
Most importantly, I am here to provide the support that team members need for their professional development to achieve success in their current role and potentially as future leaders.
10 Things to Know About Me as Your Manager:
Balance: The work we do is important, demanding, rewarding, and fun. In all this, balance is critical; we work to live and not live to work.
Questions are good: There are no stupid questions save the important ones left unasked. My door is always open (unless it is physically closed).
No surprises: I do not like being surprised by a business situation (fun things yes). Informing upper management as appropriate is very important.
Challenges and solutions: Bring an idea for a possible solution with every challenge; take initiative and be proactive.
Learn: Remember to sharpen the saw; learn something new every day if you can.
I ask that you seek first to understand and then to be understood.
“Thank you” and “I’m sorry” are two powerful phrases when they are used with sincerity.
I believe in professional growth through networking to improve our own skills and knowledge base. To be the best, you must learn from and compete against the best. Membership in professional associations and entering award competitions is very important to achieve professional growth.
If we are not making mistakes, then we are not trying hard enough to improve and grow as individuals, a team, and an organization.
Life is all about how you handle Plan B. How you respond when Plan A fails is more important than developing it in the first place. The road to success is built upon being resilient when adversities are encountered.
My One Pet Peeve
Arriving late to work. Your fellow team members, our customers, and the community we serve at large depend on all of us arriving to work on time every day. It is a lack of respect for their time that is bothersome for me.
Sayings That I Embrace
“A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish”
“It’s Never Crowded on the (B)Leading Edge”
“People that Believe in I, Will Never Find Success in a Team”
“Leaders Shouldn’t Do Their Employees’ Jobs for Them. It’s my job to help people be successful; it’s not my job to make them successful.”
“Happiness is a Direction, Not a Destination”
“To Accomplish Great Things, We Must Not Only Act, But Also Dream, Not Only Plan, But Also Believe”
“Luck is the Culmination of Opportunity, Preparation and Risk, this Is Not Seen by Onlookers”
The use of the document must be part of one-to-one meetings with all existing employees prior to its introduction to each new employee. Your entire team needs to be under the same understanding of what your role is in the organization, who you are, your expectations, and what you believe in.
Just distributing the document to team members to read is a disservice to them and yourself. In the long run, people don’t remember what you said, they remember how you made them feel.
Meet with your team members and spend the time explaining what the document means, why it exists, and answer their questions. You may find that they share some of your values and have their own mental list of what you need to know about them.
About the Author: David Worthington is the fleet manager for the County of Santa Clara, California. He was named the 2024 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year.
