Do you have a system in place to onboard your new employees? I’m not talking about the routine tasks of filling out new hire paperwork and learning about your company’s benefits.
I’m referring to a system to create the best first impressions of your company and to quickly make them feel like they’re part of your team.
For example, do they have a (clean) work space that they can call their own, or is it more of a makeshift desk? (This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many new employees are relegated to a temporary location because their manager didn’t consider their arrival until they actually showed up.)
It’s up to you to create a work space appointed with the equipment and supplies they need to do their job. Even if your office is “space challenged”, you can carve out a nook that they can call their own for the time being. This simple action makes them feel welcome instead of like an unwanted guest.
Do you have a plan to train them on how to do their new jobs successfully at your firm? If you have a formal training program, great! If you don’t, create a 2-3 week on-the-job training program so they can begin to put context and structure around their new jobs.
And what about informal training? The opportunity for them to get the lay of the land of your company, become acquainted with your culture, and to learn “your way” of doing a job that they may have done elsewhere?
Informal training is as important as anything that you provide new people. By inculcating them from the beginning, you’re providing insights into your policies, processes, and your brand.
Whether your new employee is a senior level manager or an assistant, this onboarding will go a long way to begin new and productive relationships and to assimilate them from the start.
Have a great day!
