Change Management: How to Manage Transitions Between Exiting Employees and New Hires.

Change Management: How to Manage Transitions Between Exiting Employees and New Hires.

There are times when new employees are brought onboard prior to the exit of the former employee. Effective transitions between old and new employees can be challenging, especially when the old employee is responsible for training the new employee. This can be a very smooth process when parameters and expectations are set between all parties. It is vital that managers set clear training standards and are involved throughout the process so both the new hire and the old employee feels supported during the transition. Without leadership, communications break down and other challenges may arise.

It’s essential to plan the transition ahead of time to ensure that both the old and new employees have enough time to prepare. Schedule a time for the old employee to train the new employee, and make sure that the old employee has enough time to complete their tasks before leaving. It is vital to have a definitive start and finish date–not vague moving targets.

Document all critical processes and procedures so that the new employee can refer to them as needed. This can include written manuals, process maps, and video tutorials. Many organizations-especially smaller organizations do not have effective processes or procedures written. These are called SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures). These help cut down on the training needed by the former employee and aids the learning of the new employee.

Allow the new employee to shadow the old employee as they perform their job duties. This will give the new employee an opportunity to observe and learn the job tasks firsthand. Asking questions and placing tasks into context is vital for the new employee. This should be scheduled by the manager and the exiting employee with a list of things the new employee needs to learn on a checklist. Mangers must encourage open and clear communication between the old and new employees. This can help to ensure that the new employee understands the job tasks and expectations and can ask questions as needed.

Finally schedule regular follow-up meetings with the new employee to check their progress and provide ongoing support. Provide feedback and support to the new employee during the training process. Encourage them to ask questions and provide regular feedback on their progress.

Transitions are not always smooth. There are several challenges that can occur when exiting employees must train new employees:

1. Limited time: The exiting employee may have limited time to train the new employee, especially if they have other job tasks to complete before leaving. This can make it challenging for the new employee to learn and understand all the job tasks.
2. Communication breakdown: Communication breakdown can occur when the exiting employee assumes that the new employee has a similar level of knowledge and understanding about the job. It can also occur when no regular meeting schedule is agreed upon and the exiting employe expect the new hire to figure out the questions to ask. This can lead to misunderstandings and confusion, which can impede the training process.
3. Lack of context: The exiting employee may have developed specific ways of doing things that are not documented, making it difficult for the new employee to understand the context and rationale behind certain job tasks.
4. Information overload: The new employee may be overwhelmed by the volume of information they need to learn in a short period. This can lead to frustration and anxiety, making it difficult for the new employee to learn and retain the information.
5. Different learning styles: The exiting employee may have a different learning style from the new employee. This can lead to a mismatch between the training method used and the new employee’s learning style, making it difficult for them to learn effectively.
6. Different personalities: The exiting employee and the new employee may have different personalities, which can impact the training process. For example, the exiting employee may be more assertive or passive than the new employee, which can create communication challenges.
7. Emotional impact: The exiting employee may have an emotional attachment to their job, making it difficult for them to let go. This can impact the training process and create emotional stress for both the exiting and new employees.
8. Sabotage: The exiting employee may have second thoughts about leaving and begin to undermine the new employee. This may take the form of correcting the employees work among others in the group without informing the new hire of the error, exacerbating issues without proper context, and fabricating perceptions about the employee’s ability, desire, or interest in performing the particular tasks. A red flag to consider is if conversations center around vague specifications (i.e. “they are not ready.” without context) versus a checklist of what the employee has to master or has yet to master (i.e. They need to learn x, y, and z by exit date).

By understanding these challenges, organizations can take steps to address them and create a more effective training process for new employees. Leaders can help ensure a smooth transition between old and new employees. Leaders set the tone in regard to communication and expectations for the exiting employee and ensure the new employee has the proper training resources and support. This can help to maintain productivity and ensure continuity of critical job tasks and ultimately retention of employees in the role.