What do you do if your new team members are struggling to adapt?

This requires open communication and observation. Schedule one-on-one meetings with new team members to discuss their concerns and experiences openly. Encourage them to share any challenges or uncertainties they may have, and actively listen to their feedback. By understanding their individual needs and perspectives, you can tailor your support and assistance to help them adapt more effectively to their roles and integrate into the team.

Adaptation is the task of new members AND existing team members (who have to work together). Managers role is to create a space where team can figure things out; this way, team has to create solutions. My favorite approach with teams, who need to onboard a large amount of newcomers: 1. New and old members come together, the topic is "How to make sure everyone who can contribute feels welcome". 2. All (in small groups) are sharing their best experience of being onboarded (does not matter when or where, can be experienced 20y ago) 3. Making a summary together - what stands out from those stories 4. Agreeing together on what is important to make onboarding work in this team. 5. Commitments to act: Who, What, By When

This training could encompass a range of approaches, from formal sessions on company policies and procedures to hands-on guidance in their specific job functions. Tailoring the training to the specific needs and challenges of each new team member ensures that they receive the support and resources necessary to succeed in their roles effectively.

Integration into the team is indeed crucial for new members to feel comfortable and perform well. Encourage existing team members to be welcoming and helpful by establishing a buddy system or mentorship program. Pairing new team members with experienced colleagues can provide valuable support, guidance, and camaraderie as they navigate their roles and acclimate to the team culture. This fosters a sense of belonging and facilitates knowledge sharing, ultimately enhancing team cohesion and performance.

Assign tasks based on individual strengths and weaknesses eg, a new team member struggling with technical aspects could benefit from more hands-on training. Foster a supportive culture where team members feel comfortable asking questions. Sharing a story of how a team rallied around a struggling member can inspire cohesion. Ensure clear communication channels to address concerns promptly. A story of how open communication resolved a similar issue. Pair struggling team members with experienced mentors for guidance. Sharing a mentorship success story can highlight its impact. Establish a feedback loop for continuous improvement. A story of how constructive feedback helped a struggling team member excel can emphasize its value.

Most new team member issues originate from: 1. Lack of good onboarding: Make sure they have a knowledgeable and willing buddy to help them through the first few weeks 2. Team culture and psychological safety: People need to feel safe and supported to come out with innovative and diverse ideas, challenge the status quo and hence bring the "new value and impact" that they were hired for in the first place. Creat a culture if trust and safety for your team. 3. Lack of regular objective situation based feedback. Without this you new hire has no validation of whether they are doing the right things or need course correction 4. The most important one is lack of clearly defined outcomes,objectives, KPIs and vision.