Onboarding a new manager can be an overwhelming experience for both the new manager and the employee doing the training. Not only does the new hire have to learn the organizational culture and procedures, but they'll also need to meet and establish a rapport with their team.
The best way to set up a manager for success from day one is to implement a thoughtful, thorough onboarding procedure. Here, seven Young Entrepreneur Council members share their best tips for onboarding new managers, so these hires can be successful from the start.
What's one tip you have for onboarding managers in a way that will set them up to succeed from the start? Why is this effective?
1. Invest time in training the "why"
It’s not just about processes and procedures. You also have to be sure to engrain the “company way.” Managers play a key role because they also shape the team of employees that they manage. By investing the extra time in also training on the “why,” you empower the manager to lead. This sets up a manager for true success to manage a team of employees to work toward one goal. —Bill Mulholland, ARC Relocation
2. Trust them from the get-go
If you treat managers like they are in a trial period, they will start in a defensive posture. Communicate that there is inherent trust and room for error and that you chose them for the long haul. This is a good strategy for more than management. Everyone wants agency. Give it to them, and see not only your bottom line grow, but also your brand loyalty. —Matthew Capala, Alphametic
3. Let them get hands-on experience
Get their hands dirty while they learn about the product. If they're in sales, have them sit in on sales calls. If they're in marketing, let them dig into the analytics, watch buyer call recordings, etc. While they're actively going through the typical onboarding checklist, getting hands-on with your product or service and joining calls as an observer will quickly get them up to speed. —Andy Karuza, NachoNacho
4. Be clear about expectations
One primary way to set up your managers for success from the start is to be crystal clear about expectations. It's absolutely critical that your managers are certain about what you expect from them at the very beginning. The benefits of this are long-lasting. Setting expectations prevents misunderstandings and ensures a good cultural fit by informing them of what your teams will expect from them. —Richard Fong, Assured Standard
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5. Provide proper training
The best way to onboard managers is to have a proper training session in which you tell them about the company culture, how things happen, what they are expected to do in certain situations, and more. Training them right in the beginning is a great way to set them up to thrive without fail. —Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
6. Create easily accessible documentation
It doesn't matter if you're onboarding a new writer, social media marketer, or manager—proper documentation makes all the difference. We have a comprehensive list of documents created by existing team members that new hires can access if they want to learn more about their roles and get step-by-step information on performing specific tasks. —John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC
7. Share seemingly "counterintuitive" skills and knowledge
When onboarding, it is paramount for new hires to have a deep understanding of their role so they know what skills or knowledge are necessary to do well. While many things can be learned on the job, prioritizing lessons and trainings on concepts that may be counterintuitive or hard to pick up will help new managers thrive quickly. —Akshar Bonu, The Custom Movement
RELATED: 3 Administrative Onboarding Tasks You Must Do When You Hire Someone New
