I received excellent training for my current job as a barista at a cafe. The company’s approach to ADDIE prepared me for the position. Executives analyzed the tasks employees in my position performed so that they could design a training program that would adequately prepare me. They developed plans for who would conduct the training (my general manager), and what topics would be covered (drink recipes, caring for machinery, and customer service). The training was efficiently implemented when multiple new employees could be trained simultaneously. After training was completed, new baristas were evaluated using a written test and by making one of each item on the menu. This training program was a week-long, and because multiple new hires were trained together, I felt socially accepted in the company. New research shows that companies with long orientations are shown to retain new hires and report measurable profit growth. Additionally, feeling socially accepted is integral to newcomer success in organizations. Perhaps this is because new employees are comfortable seeking out information about the job when they feel connected.
Conversely, I received poor training in a similar position with a different company. There was no orientation period or training program. Instead, new employees received on-the-job training from collegial peers. Because I was working in food service, I sometimes felt uncomfortable with how my coworkers prepared items intended for customer consumption, but I did not feel socially comfortable speaking up. Tools were not always correctly sanitized, food was not stored for freshness in a consistent way, and there was not a company-wide customer service “script.” As a result, each employee made food and beverages differently and sometimes delivered poor customer service. There was also a high turnover. I believe that the quality of the cafe would improve if executives implemented a more extended orientation period and a group-based training program. Extending the orientation period would improve retention by promoting communication between managers and employees. Meanwhile, group-trainings would improve socialization among employees and improve the consistency of how tasks are completed.
Ellis, A., Nifadkar, S., Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2017, July 20). Your new hires won’t succeed unless you onboard them properly. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/06/your-new-hires-wont-succeed-unless-you-onboard-them-properly
