As a new hire the initial phase is termed the “Orientation Phase”.  During this phase the focus from the employer perspective should be:

Ø      How efficiently can we educate the employee on the specific tasks associated with the job.

Ø      Is this employee a “good fit” for the position they were hired for?

Ø      Are we communicating everything that is needed to insure error free results?

Ø      Are we making the desired impression on a new hire; reassuring them they have made the correct decision for their future?

Once orientation is complete and the employee has reached an acceptable productivity level and knowledge base, the next phase is termed the “Career Phase”. 

CAREER PHASE:

From the employers perspective the longer an employee remains in the “Career Phase” the greater the contribution the employee can make to the organization.  During the “Career Phase” it is important for the employer to develop the employee with a consistent application of training and educational material, while also accessing the employee’s potential for “career elevation”.  The training should not be restricted to the specific job or task the employee is currently involved in.  The training should incorporate aspects from all areas the organization is engaged in.  This approach to training will not only provide greater appreciation for the jobs coworkers are providing, it will also ease migration of employees into alternative departments when the need arises.  While there are employees that remain in the “Career Phase” for their entire employment, at some point one of two paths can be followed – one positive, the other negative.

REVERSAL PHASE (Negative Phase):

The reversal phase begins when either the employee has failed the organization or the organization has failed the employee.  Productivity, quality of work, attitude, and ambition are all potential areas that can take a turn for the worse.  Often times if an organization is not monitoring these areas the undiscovered lost productivity can have a significant impact on the bottom line.  Once deficiencies are finally discovered the employee is either terminated or resigns.  However, by consistent monitoring of these areas, the employer gains the ability of early detection and can, when it makes economic sense, council the employee and migrate them to a different opportunity within the organization.

TRANSFORMATION PHASE (Positive Phase):

The reward to the organization in successfully guiding an employee through the “Transformation Phase” is exponential.  The basis of this statement is that by migrating employees to increasingly more challenging positions they retain the knowledge of their previous positions and thereby have a deeper scope and understanding of the organization and how each of the parts integrate and impact each other.  This understanding can only come with time and exposure to the intricacies of each area.  Once a successful “Transformation Phase” is completed the employee enters a “Career Elevation Phase” and hopefully continues the cycle of “Transformation Phase” to “Career Elevation Phase” again and again.

CAREER ELEVATION PHASE:

This is the most rewarding of all the phases.  It is exemplified by the story of the mail-room employee that worked their way up the ladder to become the CEO.  While these individuals may never have had to traverse through a “Reversal Phase”, their ability to complete multiple “Transformation Phases” successfully is indisputable.