Easing young people into the workplace

The transition from leaving school and going into full-time work can be a daunting prospect, especially for young adults who haven’t yet decided which career path they want to take. There’s an awful lot of pressure on children to have their future goals all mapped out by the time they leave school but in a more realistic world, they have barely got to grips with understanding themselves. 

Following a study published by the British Chambers of Commerce Workforce Survey, HRreview highlights the following findings:

“88% of businesses believe school leavers are unprepared for the world of work, in comparison to 54% of businesses that think graduates are unprepared for the workplace."

"More than half of businesses (57%) said a lack of soft skills, such as communication and team working, were reasons why young people were not ‘work ready’.”

What can you do to ease the transition?

As an employer, you have a duty of care for the wellbeing of all employees, regardless of their age. If you accept a young adult into your place of work, whether on a training scheme or in permanent, full-time employment, there are various ways you can help them adapt. 

Although the government does offer help to businesses that employ school leavers, and they will have been given career advice prior to leaving school, as an employer you can still contribute to their wellbeing.

Induction training

An induction is an essential part of the transition and gives the employee a better understanding of their role and what is expected of them. By being patient and allowing for mistakes during the process, they will feel comfortable enough to ask questions that will help them get ahead. 

Don’t micro-manage

As tempting as it may be to constantly check everything they are doing, try to give them some leeway to take responsibility for themselves. Hovering over someone and scrutinising their work on a daily basis can be intimidating and put them under more pressure. 

Offer training

As we saw from the BCC report, school leavers starting out in full time employment often lack soft skills so by offering ongoing training for their personal development, they will have the opportunity to develop skills such as communication and time management.

Make them feel valued

As an inexperienced employee, one of the scariest aspects is wondering whether they are doing their job properly, if their position is secure, and if their boss is happy with their work. By offering regular feedback, praising their efforts (even if they’re not quite up to scratch yet) and listening to how they are feeling will give them more confidence and motivate them to improve.

Offer incentives

One of the most difficult parts of the transition for school leavers going into full-time employment is getting used to working longer hours with less breaks and fewer holidays each year. To avoid absenteeism, lateness, and a lack of motivation, offer incentives such as days off in lieu or a monthly/annual bonus.

Integration

To make them feel like part of the team, plan social events so that they can get to know their colleagues on a more personal level.

Career progression 

Talk to your employee about career progression within the company, not only so they have something to aim for but also to make them feel more secure about their position in the company.

Why soft skills are important for workplace wellbeing

Often in busy work environments there is so much pressure placed on achieving goals and hitting targets that the wellbeing of employees gets forgotten. There could be many reasons why this occurs but ultimately, this kind of responsibility lies with the management and their ability to use soft skills to nurture, inspire, and motivate their workforce. In a study by Gallup, it was found that "about 50% of the 7,200 adults surveyed left a job to get away from their manager".

In order for a business to retain and maintain the wellbeing of staff, it’s vital for employees to feel a level of trust and respect towards their line manager. For many of us, we are much more likely to enjoy job satisfaction and go the extra mile when we are given support not only within our role but also for our mental wellbeing.

How to improve leadership soft skills?

Let’s not forget that managers are also human and might need assistance from time to time to improve their soft skills in order to ensure a happy and positive workplace. Being given help to better their emotional intelligence, communication skills, and interpersonal skills will stand them in good stead for being a respected leader that can maintain a healthy and inclusive workplace culture.

Get to know your team

Although it’s important to have a professional relationship with your employees, it’s equally as important to understand them on a personal level. Finding out what motivates a person, how they respond to stress, or understanding how they communicate with others can help you manage their workload and environment effectively.

Learn to listen properly

Especially when our jobs are busy and stressful, it’s easy to neglect the wellbeing of others, but by taking time out to listen to your staff’s needs or feelings, you can manage workloads much more effectively.

Give considered and empathic feedback

Not only can constructive feedback be beneficial to employees, but it can also help managers understand how they can improve workflow and productivity. It may be that a member of staff is struggling with one particular role, so rather than reprimanding them, ask them if there’s another area they feel they would excel in. Not only does this give them more job satisfaction, but it also gives them the confidence that you have considered their wellbeing.

Developing your own soft skills

Become more aware of an employee’s emotional needs by looking out for any subtle signs that may arise from personal issues, stress, or anxiety. Is someone quieter than usual, are they interacting less with others, do they look tired, are they more agitated than normal? These can all be signs that a member of your team is off-kilter and might need to air their thoughts to you in a private and confidential environment.