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Pam Waits is our guest blogger. Pam is a human resources executive skilled in all aspects of HR. "It’s my passion and I’m great at it!" Check out Pam's Linkedin profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/pamwaits
Have you ever been around a blind dog? I have. As a matter of fact, I live with one.
About a year ago, Ariel, one of my Italian Greyhounds, suddenly went blind from glaucoma. When this happened, we did a number of things to help her adjust to her new world.
· We used scented oils around the house on corners and other objects she might bump into, using a different smell in each room. She learned to identify each room by its unique scent. This helped her to map her environment.
· We bought her a custom made vest that read “I’m Blind” so others would know to watch out for her when we were in public.
· My husband even invented a visor for her to wear that would protect her head when she bumped into things.
All of these actions improved Ariel’s mobility and helped her more easily adjust to being blind. You could say, in a sense, that we provided onboarding to ease her transition. Hmm, see where this going?
I’ve learned a lot about easing transitions over the course of my career. Like with Ariel, there are a number of things companies can do to make the adjustment easier for new hires, aside from the standard new employee orientation.
· It helps to provide an easy to understand overview of the business and to include how the new employee’s job fits in with the organization. This is especially true for entry level positions where the candidate may not have done much company research prior to applying.
· It also helps when tenured employees know who the new people are. They can make them feel welcome, show them where the restrooms are located, and eat with them in the lunchroom. You get the idea.
· For senior level employees, you might want to provide a list of key people to meet. In some cases, providing a standard list of questions is also appropriate.
As Ariel experienced in adjusting to a world without sight, the more assistance you provide up front, the faster new employees will assimilate and become productive members of your team.
· Use “scented oils” to help them map the new terrain,
· Provide a “custom vest” so others know they are new to the organization, and
· offer a “visor” to guide them in the right direction and provide a cushion when they stumble.
The key is that you should do whatever you can to help new employees understand the organization, how they fit in, and who they should meet. Everyone will benefit from these proactive measures – including you.
