Employee and Subcontractor Training

Orienting suppliers and subcontractors to the workplace and their jobs is the most neglected function in many organizations.  

The most frequent complaints about new orientation are that it is overwhelming, boring, or that the person is left to sink or swim. The result is often a confused supplier who is not as productive as could be. 

With an ongoing labor crunch, developing an effective orientation experience continues to be crucial. It is critical that programs are carefully planned to educate the supplier about the values, history and who is who in the organization. 

A well thought out orientation program will help not only in retention of suppliers, but also in productivity. Organizations that have good orientation programs get new suppliers up to speed faster, have better alignment between what the suppliers do and what the organization needs them to do, and have lower turnover rates. 

Purposes of Orientation 

Employers have to realize that orientation isn't just a nice gesture put on by the organization. It serves as an important element of the recruitment and retention process. Some key purposes are: 

• To Reduce Startup Costs: Proper orientation can help the supplier get "up to speed" much more quickly, thereby reducing the costs associated with learning the job. 
• To Reduce Anxiety: Any supplier, when put into a new, strange situation, can experience anxiety that can impede his or her ability to learn to do the job. Proper orientation helps to reduce anxiety that results from entering into an unknown situation, and helps provide guidelines for behavior and conduct, so the supplier doesn't have to experience the stress of guessing. 
• To Reduce Supplier Turnover: Supplier turnover increases as suppliers feel they are not valued, or are put in positions where they can't possibly do their jobs. Orientation shows that the organization values the supplier, and helps provide the tools necessary for succeeding in the job. 
• To Save Time for the Supervisor: Simply put, the better the initial orientation, the less likely supervisors and co-workers will have to spend time teaching the supplier. 
• To Develop Realistic Job Expectations, Positive Attitudes and Job Satisfaction: It is important that suppliers learn as soon as possible what is expected of them, and what to expect from others, in addition to learning about the values and attitudes of the organization. While people can learn from experience, they will make many mistakes that are unnecessary and potentially damaging. The main reasons orientation programs fail: The program was not planned; the supplier was unaware of the job requirements; the supplier does not feel welcome. 

Supplier orientation is important - orientation provides a lot of benefits, and you can use feedback to make your orientations even better.