Logo mug versus paper cup

Merit Gest //February 22, 2013//

Logo mug versus paper cup

Merit Gest //February 22, 2013//

In a recent Vistage presentation, Chair Phil Liebman, posed a question that sparked an interesting debate about the distinction between a probationary period versus an onboarding period.

The conversation came about as I was sharing my top 10 list of tips to instantly improve your onboarding process.  Number five on the list is “create a care package of your company logo gear, wrap it and have it waiting on the new hire’s desk on day one, or send it in advance of their start date.”  

One of the CEOs said that he gives one logo item on day one, but they don’t get the water bottle until day 30 and on their one year anniversary they get the sweatshirt (and he proudly added that it comes wrapped).  Essentially, he has created a probationary environment.

You can onboard people into your company from two distinct perspectives.

  1. Prove to me that you are good, and then I will invest time and money into you.
  2. I will invest time and money into you now so you can prove that you are good.

The challenge for business leaders today, especially self-made successful leaders, is that they were not onboarded well themselves, and yet they still thrive.  From our vantage point we did it, so they can too.  Why should I have to have a formalized onboarding plan? I didn’t need one.

Maybe you don’t need a formalized plan for onboarding.  Maybe you have a brand that attracts top talent and you have managed, but not excessive, turnover.  Or maybe you have those things because you have a formal onboarding plan.

Imagine you are a new hire.  You walk into ABC Company for your first day, excited about your new position and are immediately introduced to several co-workers, each holding a logo coffee mug.  They hand you a Styrofoam cup and inform you that you’ll get your own mug if you make it after 30 days.  How would you feel about your new job?  If they said, “You’ll earn your own mug after 30 days” would that make you feel any better?

A mug costs $5.  After all the expenses incurred in the recruiting process it seems silly to try to save the price of a mug.  Give them the mug and the water bottle.  In fact, give them everything you can as soon as you can because that’s where your buzz will begin out there in the marketplace.

Every new hire knows there is a probationary period.  If you wait until they pass your test, sink or swim, you may save the cost of the mug, but you may also discourage a potential top performer.

In any small way you can make your new hire feel like part of the team, do it.  The sooner they feel connected, the sooner they will put in the effort you are looking to see during the probationary period.

You will get more out of a person by demonstrating evidence that you value them than you will trying to incent them with aspirations of their own logo mug.