If it were up to me, I would have every single employee take one day a year to evaluate what they do and see if every single task actually needs to be done, and if it does, if it needs to be done that way.

As a new employee myself, the tactic I have taken is to ask, specifically, why something is done a particular way. Failure to give a good reason has led me to examine it and see if I could propose a better way. My good bosses have actually let me make changes to make the organization more efficient.

The bad bosses? Well, let’s just say they got the minimum out of me after they “put me in my place” and I put my talents to better use elsewhere, preferably sooner rather than later.

I agree that a little research on the new-hire’s part would be prudent, but in my opinion there’s nothing wrong with a set of “fresh eyes” offering their thoughts and opinions. They are — inadvertently — asking “why” without actually saying “why”.

Further, your comment that the “upshot” is that the person shoots themself in the foot and suggest that they immediately lose credibility. It sounds (and I apologize if this isn’t how you meant it to sound) as if you’re happy when they “spout off” and lose credibility. With a newly-hired person, they’re excited and eager — the perfect time to listen to what they have to say and, more importantly, educate them on current policies, etc., of the company they just joined.

I completely agree with you that there are far too many people in the world who are offering opinions and coming off as an “expert” when they’ve got no more education and experience than anyone else out there.