Why Being Systematic Guarantees Performance Daily

Once again, I just returned from a trip where I heard horror stories about woefully poor training of new hires. It seems that even the very best companies are not immune to the problem of ignoring their new hires. This time the culprit seems to be the belief that if a new hire is smart enough, or has some experience, or just seems eager enough to strike out on her own, then training is not necessary and might even be a waste of time, money, and energy.

People used to believe in a flat earth, too.

In the space of a half day, I heard stories about new-hire training that could be summarized by these statements:

• "My boss handed me a map, the keys to the company car, and a list of customers. Then he said, 'Start by calling on the Smith account. Good luck.'"
• "We were given a book to read, some questions to answer, and then sent out to get the job done."
• "I spent three weeks watching Sam eat doughnuts and answer the phone. Then he told me I was good to go."

Why is it that so many companies, even large and successful ones you think would know better, give the training of new hires such minimal attention? I don't know for sure. What I do know is that as the pace of business accelerates, the pressure on managers to "bring the new guy up to speed" is increasing as well. I also know that fruit trees and vegetable gardens will grow faster and produce more fruits and vegetables if they're given regular care and feeding. A little fertilizer and water right after planting goes a long way toward making a bountiful harvest.

I know one other thing about this that should matter to you: high-performing new hires will improve your ability to compete in your marketplace. No savings of time or money can offset that advantage. Everyone has turnover. Reducing the time it takes to bring a new hire to complete proficiency can give you a competitive advantage if your competition is lazy and wastes their time waiting for their new hires to learn a job on their own.

If you're troubled by the current slowdown in the business cycle (more on this below), remember this: there are many factors that affect your bottom line. The efficiency of your staff contributes to many of them. Why would anyone think that it saves money to scrimp on training when a lack of training so clearly reduces the output of the staff? Instead, look for ways to keep the staff working at peak power and efficiency.

So yes, it does take some discipline to train your new hires right, even when it seems costly in terms of time, energy, and money. And yes, it can be a challenge when you're short-handed or under great pressure to keep up with the everyday demands of doing business. Still, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Doing effective on-the-job training is as simple as remembering this: Being Systematic Guarantees Performance Daily.

Being Systematic Guarantees Performance Daily

The most effective training done on the job uses a simple, five-step approach. Use the mnemonic "being systematic guarantees performance daily" to remember the key steps. The first letter of each word (BSGPD) stands for the key word for a step in this proven approach to on-the-job training, where one person trains a new hire to do an important procedure.

1. Big picture - Begin by giving the new hire the big picture. Start by explaining the outcome of the procedure ("When we complete the opening procedure, the store will be completely ready for the first customer - no matter what the customer wants or needs.") Then tell the new hire in a general way what happens within the procedure.

2. Show - Next, show the new hire the entire procedure. As you proceed, explain both how to do each step and why the step is done that way. This second part is absolutely crucial. To do a job consistently well, you have to understand why you're doing it. Otherwise, it's much too easy to take shortcuts that could be dangerous or reduce the quality or level of output.

3. Guide - Once the new hire has seen you demonstrate the procedure, guide her as she does each step in the procedure by herself. At this stage, ask the new hire to repeat back to you the same explanation you gave: how to do the step and why it's done in the way you taught it. Give her help as she goes to make sure she does each step correctly and can explain it completely.

4. Practice - At this point, the new hire should be given time to practice the procedure on her own. Let her practice until she thinks she can do the procedure and explain it without any help.

5. Demonstrate - Last (and most important), have the new hire demonstrate to you that she can do the procedure independently. She should perform each step flawlessly and in the right sequence. When she's done, you should be able to say to yourself, "I could count on her to do this right without any further practice. Even if she is the only person working here tomorrow, I will not have to worry about how well she will do this part of the job."

That last point bears repeating. Training a new hire to perform an important procedure is not done until you can honestly tell yourself you are fully confident the new hire can do the job when working alone. Too often, managers take the easy way out and skip one, two, or even four of the five necessary steps of on-the job training.

Doing a quick demonstration or allowing a new hire to watch someone else do a job for a short while just isn't enough. That isn't training. That's just laziness disguised as wishful thinking.

So you have a choice - or so it appears. You can elect to do minimal training of new hires and let them stumble along until they become partly proficient. Or, you can insist on doing the training right and enjoy the benefits of having your new hire working at a high level very soon.

I guess it really isn't a choice after all, is it?

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