Hello, Summer Employers!
I am sure your J1’s are beginning to arrive in waves and your onboarding process is in full effect. Luckily, if you and your sponsor have prepared well in advance you know exactly what to expect and your summer J1 employees have been given the run-down on orientation, social security processes, uniforms, expectations etc.
We find that when our team sends the same e-mail 10x usually does the trick!
Here are some tips that will boost the team energy and get you off on the right foot for summer:
- Energize your Orientation : the first impression is always the most important. Make sure your managers convey, by example, how energetic professionals get things done. A fun icebreaker is highly encouraged. When we have meetings with the students we ask them, “What is the first difference between America and your country that you noticed?”. The student states their name, home country and their answer. Explain the rules and expectations with positive and upbeat language. Believe me, this impression will feed their future behavior.
- Explain the program to your staff (or have your sponsor organize a day to educate them): Sometimes we have very knowledgeable executive HR staff, who know everything about the program and love the students but the Shift Supervisor is clueless and without information can sometimes view the students as a burden or threat and this causes a major breakdown in operations.
- Involve your Sponsor: There is no better person to call when you have a question or slightest issue. Your sponsor will get involved on your/or student’s behalf quickly. I encourage my employer to call me for anything outside the realm of company issues. Example; call me if the student is late, I’ll fix it. Call me if the student doesn’t show up, I’ll definitely fix that. Call me if the student is asking about housing, I’ll fix that. Tell the student to call me with social security, medical, personal, traveling issues. Our employer can answer questions about the uniform, schedules, and pay info. Other than that, the sponsor should act as an extension of your HR team for all other matters. When in doubt………. Call your sponsor.
“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.” – Anne M. Mulcahy
For more information on the Work and Travel Program, Summer/Winter/Spring Hiring visit: chinet.org/wt or email me directly: chistephanie@chinet.org
