Stand Out in the Workplace by Doing THIS!
In this blogpost, we'll discuss why mentoring new hires at scale is an easy way to increase your presence at work!
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The Power of Mentoring New Hires at Scale
During my second full-time job, I discovered the impact of mentoring new hires at scale. I had helped cut down the onboarding time for new hires by around 20% using a series of videos.
This not only made me an invaluable resource for my team but also increased my visibility in the workplace, ultimately contributing to a promotion.
There are three main reasons why mentoring at scale is so effective:
Reason #1 - The Curse of Knowledge
Let's talk about the "Curse of Knowledge." This is a concept first brought up by C.S. Lewis in which he argues:
“…people don't learn best from experts. Instead, we learn best from those who are just one step ahead of us along the same journey.”
This is why most companies have a buddy system, where a new joiner gets paired up with a teammate who joined 6-12 months prior.
Reason #2 - Helping Senior Leadership
By helping new hires, you're doing them a huge favor, and you're also helping senior leadership.
Managers know they're not in the best position to teach new hires operational details. By stepping in, you're adding value to the team and increasing your visibility in the workplace, ultimately making you an indispensable team member.
Reason #3 - Word of Mouth
According to Jonah Berger’s best selling book, Contagious, a key reason why some things get talked about more than others is because of the practical value they bring to the listener.
If you are able to share practical, tangible advice with new hires, a group of people who are encouraged to have 1:1’s with everyone and anyone during their first few months, you will be organically increasing your visibility in the workplace.
How to Mentor New Joiners at Scale
Now let's talk about scalability. Helping 1-2 people is good, but helping a hundred is great. To do this, you can create video tutorials for new hires. By recording your screen and voice, you can teach 20-30 people at once.
Utilizing Free Tools to Mentor at Scale
When I first started mentoring new hires, I used screen recordings to create a series of videos that addressed common questions.
These videos were then shared with each batch of new hires. This method worked well, but it had its limitations, such as the inability to edit videos and the need to redo recordings when I made mistakes.
Introducing Scribe
Today, I'd recommend using a free tool called Scribe. With Scribe, you can easily create step-by-step instructions with screenshots and annotations. This makes it simple for new hires to follow along at their own pace. To get started, simply install the Scribe extension, start recording your actions, and then edit the steps as needed.
In the context of remote and hybrid work, Scribe is especially valuable. It eliminates the need for lengthy emails or screen-sharing sessions and allows new hires to access the information they need on their own time. To maximize the benefits of Scribe, consider creating a central Google Doc repository for all your Scribes and share it with each new hire batch.
Privacy Considerations
When using tools like Scribe, it's important to be mindful of your company's privacy and security policies. Always check with your organization before sharing screen recordings or sensitive information (you can check out their privacy policy here).
Want more tips for the workplace?
Check out my Think Outside the Box playlist!