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No one knows everything when they start a new job. If they do, then they are overqualified for the role.
For example, there are many jobs that don’t require a ton of tech savvy, but that do depend on certain basic systems to keep things moving. If you have just hired someone for a sales job, this person may have great credentials for selling, however, she may not have all the ins and outs of Outlook down, or a ton of knowhow with Excel.
What’s important is that as this person’s new manager, you make space for her to be honest about what she doesn’t know. You could ask her about her familiarity with different pieces of technology that she’ll need to use in her role. If she tells you she’s comfortable with it, ask her some basic questions to really assess her working knowledge. Then give her a simple task to do, like send you an invite for a meeting later that day. If she is able to do it well, then you don’t need to spend much time training her on it.
However, if she gets stuck, or if she tells you in the first place that she’s really not confident with it, take the time to train her. First assure her that this is a learnable tool and you’re sure she’ll excel quickly. This will help her feel confident about her ability to learn and succeed. She’ll be entering your training session in a good space. Then give her an overview of how you’ll need her to use the tool. Finally, give her small tasks in the beginning until she demonstrates use with ease. This will also help the new skill solidify in her mind. Provide feedback quickly and often during this initial stage.
As a manager, your life becomes easier if your new employees own what they don’t know. You could create an on-boarding plan based on the appropriate training, instead of assuming they know things that they don’t.
How do you create an comfortable environment for new employees? Share with us in the comments below.