Jenae Kain
OJT- Company Culture, History, Mission, &
Outlook
Overview:
During on
the job training, possibly in the orientation portion, it is highly beneficial
to set a new employee with the culture of the company, history, mission
statement, and business outlook. These give the employee an idea of the
environment they will be working in and provide them with ease as they
transition into their new position. These key points demonstrate to the new
employee the values and goals of the company and how each individual contributes
to the culture and outlook of the business. New employees feel valued when they
are presented with information that helps them better understand their new work
environment and feel less lost once they are finished with their training and
working on their own.
Relevance:
Companies
strive to obtain a low turnover rate for many reasons. “High employee
turnover hurts a company’s bottom line. Experts estimate it costs upwards of
twice an employee’s salary to find and train a replacement. And churn can
damage morale among remaining employees,” (Wall street journal, 2009). Turnover rate can be directly related to job
satisfaction and wellbeing because the more satisfied an employee is with their
job the more likely they are to continue long term. Lowering turnover helps
to keep valued employees, who contribute the most to the company’s positive
culture.
Key Points:
Culture: A positive atmosphere and accepting culture
present in a workplace promotes long-term employees and growth within the
company. As employees play a large role in the culture of the company, one of
the ways to develop a positive work environment is to obtain employees of good
fit for the company. Employees of good fit will have similar knowledge, skills,
values, attitudes, and ethics that fit in to the company’s needs. Other aspects
of positive company culture include trust, integrity, leadership, innovation,
adaptability, communication, and supportive employees. These factors add value
to the culture and environment of the workplace and encourage employee’s job
satisfaction, keep turnover low, and help to minimize costs. Including key
points on the culture of the business for a new employee during on-the-job
training helps to develop their character to fit in with the rest and gives the
new employee a warm welcome.
History: Providing new employees with historical
background can validate the company’s dedication to success, pride in their
progress, and expresses value in employees. Describing the birth of the company
and maturing process can indicate the value the company puts on success and the
hard work they are willing to put forth. This sets expectations up for the new
employee to be just as hard working and driven as the company is. Discussing
any negative events from the past and reviewing how the company handled those
challenges demonstrates the growth and
knowledge the company contains as a whole.
Mission
Statement: A mission
statement defines the company and its motives, values, goals, and reason for
existence. It often states the company’s competitive advantages, framework, and
philosophies. Some mission statements go further into details of specific
products or services, customers, geographical locations, and community. “An
effective mission statement defines the fundamental, unique purpose that sets a
business apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope of the
business’s operations in product and market terms,” (David & Pearce,
1987). As the mission statement is
included in on-the-job training or orientation, the new employee uses the
statement as an introduction to the job and structure of the company. The
recognition employees receive in the mission statement is perceived by the new
employee and in turn they develop passion and commitment to fulfill the mission
statement.
Business
Outlook: Offering
insight to the new employee on future projections and expectations of the
company can promote enthusiasm, hard work, and dedication in order to meet
those goals. When an employee is introduced to the business outlook they tend
to feel held accountable for the future and will strive for success. Sharing
this information that some companies would consider private opens the door for
communication and shows a trusting relationship between employer and new
employee. By building this relationship the employee feels valued, which
increases job satisfaction.
Relative & Take away points:
To start
on-the-job training introducing the new employee to the company culture,
history, mission statement, and business outlook can provide the new employee
with great insights to their new company. An employee who understands the
culture of a company feels more comfortable in the new environment and can also
contribute positively to the culture. The history of the company provides a
sense of dedication to growth and the new employee will be motivated to help
the company continue to mature. The mission statement sums up all aspects of
the company for the new employee and the business outlook sets goals in which
the employee wishes to obtain. “The most important principle to convey
during an orientation is your commitment to continuous improvement and
continual learning. That way, new employees become comfortable with asking
questions to obtain the information they need to learn, problem solve and make
decisions,”(Brown, p.2). One of human
resource management’s main focuses as discussed in class, is employees
long-term development. Each and every one of these key points ensures that the
employee understands the company’s values and goals, welcomes them kindly, and
shows acceptance, but also motivates them to reach their full potential and
continue to grow with the company. Job satisfaction from day one is present
when all employees understand and work together to meet common goals. All
contributing factors and employees themselves create a positive work
environment, which helps to develop long term employees and aid in the growth
of the company. As students soon to begin careers, we must focus on meeting the
goals and expectations we have set for ourselves and creating our own personal
mission statement in which our future will carry out.
Works Cited:
Brown, J. (n.d.) Employee orientation: Keeping new employees on board. Retrieved from http://www.digicast.com.au/Portals/59176/docs/Employee%20Orientation.pdf
Brown, J. (n.d.) Employee orientation: Keeping new employees on board. Retrieved from http://www.digicast.com.au/Portals/59176/docs/Employee%20Orientation.pdf
David, F.,
Pearce, J. (1987, May). Academy of management executive. Corporate mission statements- the bottom line. 1(2), 109. Retrieved
from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4164734?uid=3739728&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21102047369681
Unknown
Author. (2009). The wall street journal. How
to reduce employee turnover. Retrieved from http://guides.wsj.com/management/recruiting-hiring-and-firing/how-to-reduce-employee-turnover/