Welcome New Employees to an Aisle Seat

Employers spend a lot of time and resources recruiting talented workers, so it only makes sense that these same employers create onboarding programs that provide the opportunity for new employees to be successful. Having a good program in place also makes employees feel like valued members of the team. Here’s what you can do to welcome new ones to the team:

Before Day One

• Make sure your company’s website effectively communicates the organization’s mission, culture, and brand so that potential hires know who they might be working for. That way there are no surprises—for either party.

• Who wants to spend the first day on the job drowning in paperwork? Send out employee handbooks and legal forms that can be reviewed and filled out ahead of time.

• Just like you’d prepare your home for expected guests, be sure to prepare a new hire’s workspace (don’t forget the nameplate!) with the needed tools before his or her arrival date.

The First Day—and Beyond

• This is simple but it needs to be said: Relay the very basics to the newbie (copier, lunchroom and restroom locations, passcodes, etc.) so that he or she is not left needlessly wandering and wondering.

• Take the new employee to lunch with other team members. Also, consider giving the new hire a gift card to a nearby coffee shop so that he or she can treat his or her colleagues to a latte and get to know them better.

• The new employee will have questions or concerns. Be available to answer them. Or assign a mentor.

• It might take a few months before a new hire feels acclimated. Create checkpoints at scheduled times such as at the end of seven days, thirty days and ninety days.

JD Coaching & Consulting helps companies with their onboarding programs. Have some other great tips for onboarding employees? Share them with JD Coaching & Consulting in the comments section or on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear from you! Let’s keep the conversation going.