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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Monday, July 9, 2001

60 Seconds
'Sink or swim' means many drown

By Drake Beil
President, Solutions Inc.

Do you know people who are thrown into jobs with little or no preparation?

The sink or swim approach means they're under real stress every day as a result of poor managers and worse communication.

The old joke was that you educate people and train animals, but one of the five most important aspects of a healthy workplace is the presence of orientation and training in an overall career development program.

Companies that have achieved the most tangible results in creating a healthy work environment have always emphasized the importance of employee education as a means of increasing productivity.

What are some keys to success upon which you can build? Use the following questions as a guide:

1. Do you offer an orientation session to new employees?

2. Does your company provide such things as tuition reimbursement and sabbaticals?

3. Do you offer career counseling opportunities such as mentoring, shadowing or executive coaching?

4. Do you offer specialized education for supervisors and managers? What about supplementary programs in areas such as managing diversity, performance management and coaching skills?

The Hawai'i Psychological Association offers information on these areas at www.hawaiipsych.org.