Creating Effective Employees

Orienting Employees to Your Company

The Ten—Minute Orientation Package

 

Key Concepts:    Having People Know the Rules

                           An ounce of prevention…

Process: 

1.               Have each employee read the explicit laws of the culture.

2.               Sit down with the employee and have him/her summarize the cultural rules.

Our Company Culture

Welcome:

You have been hired to represent our company, PsiThinking.  In hiring you for this position, PsiThinking has determined that they needed someone with your skills and experience and that you were the best person for the position.

Know from the start that we consider you a professional and strive to have you consider yourself a professional.  During the course of your employment, you will be asked to perform many tasks and projects.  You will have multiple opportunities to confirm that we have made a good choice in hiring you.  In that regard, we expect you to comport yourself as a professional.  The expectation that you will Always Be Professional carries with it a set of expectations about specific behaviors.  Rather than leave these expectations vague, we have chosen to set out specific expectations and the rationale underlying each one. 

Rule # 1: Trust

We strive to create an environment of Trust, leading to a psychologically healthy work environment.  It is your job to work with us in this regard.  Therefore, we ask you as a professional to always address every human being you encounter with dignity and respect.  That implies No gossiping and No insulting.

Research proves that excluding another human being from a group or making negative comments about a person has the same effect on the brain as kicking a person.  We would not allow one person to kick another…we cannot allow other unhealthy behaviors either.

Furthermore, we instruct our managers to speak with both parties simultaneously regarding any complaint or conflict.  If you have an issue with another person at work, you are to both meet with the manager to resolve it.  Once you leave the manager’s office DO NOT DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH ANYONE.   This is what we mean by “being professional” and creating an atmosphere of Trust.

A corollary to this rule is:  Politely refuse to listen if someone else tries to speak negatively about another person.  Make the statement “I am not comfortable listening to this.”  Often what sustains negativity—and creates more negativity—is a belief that listening to someone’s negativity is supportive.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Rule # 2: Initiative

As a professional, you are expected to show Initiative.  This unequivocally leads to one foremost responsibility that may never specifically be asked of you but that you need to keep in mind.  In every manner of speaking, this is our Ultimate Expectation:

 

Always do what needs to be done without waiting to be asked.

As an employee of P-s-i it is your job to remember The Ultimate Expectation.    Make it a guiding principle in your work—the rule that drives your thoughts and actions.  Even if we never state this principle again, understand that this principle will not change.  As long as you are employed with us, you have permission to act in our mutual best interest.

More than mere permission, you have the responsibility to act in the mutual best interest of this company by always living by the Ultimate Expectation.  People have their specialties, but humility echoes an attitude essential to success.

The Ultimate Expectation seems simple.  Do not confuse what sounds simple with what is easy to do.  Learn the Ultimate Expectation not by memorizing it, but by applying it on a daily basis to your work.  Accepting this challenge is at the core of your success with us, in your career, and in your life.

Rule # 3: Loyalty

As a professional employed by us, we expect you to feel and show loyalty.  We chose you.  We provide you with a workplace committed to Trust and Autonomy.  We reward you with more than a paycheck.  We expect loyalty.  Our Ultimate Expectation is Do What Needs to be Done, and our next greatest expectation is:

Be Loyal

Loyalty is essential because it allows people to set aside differences and personal preferences in order to attain overriding common goals.  

The unwritten and unspoken role for those in authority is to create a climate of Loyalty.  Trust demands—and creates the conditions for—Loyalty.  This climate transcends mere loyalty to a person, and becomes loyalty to the values or principles of an organization.  Loyalty is crucial. 

Alliances are formed and decisions made based on the word of others and the expectation of their loyalty.  A person is either loyal or not.  Loyalty means:

                      Keeping one’s word.

                      Adhering to the principles of our company.

                      Acknowledging the benefits of serving our company.

                      Recognizing the work and worth of what we do.

Does Loyalty mean agreeing with everything the Leader says or does?

No.

Does Loyalty mean agreeing with and supporting our policies and products when in the presence of others?

Absolutely. 

The phrase, “Loyal Opposition” refers to the right to disagree with a particular decision.  However, once the decision is made, “loyal opposition” must support the decision and do everything possible to make the decision work.

Rule # 4:   Accountability

As a professional you are Accountable.    You must ask yourself whether you are giving 100% of your energy and ability to your job—every single day.

If a supervisor gives you something to be done by a certain time, get it done!  Just do it!  This requires a certain level of trust in a number of ways and avoids the entire realm of rationalization and excuse making. 

This is the core of accountability.  When you are accountable, you are demonstrating that you are able to be trusted with responsibilities that the organization has deemed important.

You show your initiative by giving the company your all, and in turn you are being loyal to the company.  As a result, they can be expected to be loyal to you.

Hold yourself accountable for more than just your work!  Consider this: to the world outside, you ARE the company

Rule # 5:  Impartiality

We expect you, as a professional, to accept what happens in this work environment in a business-like manner.  As you manifest Trust that the company is making the best decisions and Autonomy—Accountability in doing your work, avoid taking issues personally.

During the course of your employment you will have multiple opportunities to confirm that we have made a high-quality choice by hiring you.  You may come to feel that you deserve a salary increase or promotion.  In this regard we expect—as we do in others—that you will comport yourself as a professional.  If you have questions about a choice or decision, ask about it.  Listen to the response and accept that their response represents an objective analysis.  If you need clarification, go with your supervisor to the next level of management if you need further clarification regarding the decision.

Rather than regarding this from a negative perspective, we offer a more uplifting statement: BE POSITIVE ONLY!  I know most of us have heard the old adage “if you cannot say something positive don’t say anything at all.”  This is how we choose to live. 

One primary rule is this:  If you have a problem with someone, go to that person to discuss it.  If the two of you cannot resolve it, the two of you should go together to a supervisor or manager.  Every supervisor and manager has been instructed to only discuss issues concurrently with all parties involved.

Rule #6: Nurturing

Be caring and considerate towards others.  Empathy is an excellent virtue.  This skill builds strong attachments and ties with co-workers.  Build togetherness within the company by promoting the independence and self-realizations of others.  Fostering growth among and between people increases productivity and a general sense of self-worth.

Rule #7: Enthusiasm

Poise and confidence are motivational factors for you and to others around you.  Those two factors combined indicate enthusiasm for your work.  Others pick up on positivity and enthusiasm and tend to enjoy their work environment more.  Enthusiasm definitely gives you an edge to motivate all those with whom you come into contact with. 

Use your positivity as a model for our company culture.  A high level of enthusiasm is contagious, especially when passed from management to surrounding staff. 

        Keep these company rules in mind as you enter our workplace. 

        Manifest the company culture in your work and your life. 

        As everyone does his/her part to maintain this culture, we will thrive.  

        Always be a part of the solution.

Welcome to Our Company

Make it Yours!