When you hire a new employee, it’s vital that you don’t underestimate the importance of welcoming them into the business.
For a candidate, it can be quite a scary process – having to meet dozens of new people and trying to learn the ins and outs of the job.
In the first few weeks, you should look to help them:
– Build strong relationships with fellow colleagues.
– Understand the expectations of their role.
– Feel comfortable so they start to form a loyalty for your business.
However, the only way to achieve this is by implementing a comprehensive welcome plan.
Have you got one in place?
If not, don’t fear.
We’ve got you covered!
Here are our top seven ways you can make a new starter feel welcome and ensure they start their journey with your business in the right fashion.
Let your staff know 🗣
There’s nothing worse for a new employee than being greeted with confused and blank faces.
Even if your other current employees aren’t notified or used during the interview process, they should be informed prior to the new employee’s arrival.
Do this and you won’t have any awkward introductions.
Always be prepared 🤓
While the first few days aren’t always fast-paced, this doesn’t mean that you can slack off when it comes to preparing stuff for your new employee.
Before they arrive, make sure that they have any documentation they might need to fill out, a place to work (including a computer and stationery) and all passwords to access software.
If you don’t do this, the new employee may feel unappreciated and think that your business is unorganised – which isn’t the greatest way to start off your relationship.
Allow them to start late ⏰
Letting your new employee start later in the morning is a highly effective way to make sure that you can give them your complete attention when they arrive.
For instance, if they start on a Monday, you might find yourself inundated with emails you urgently need to address.
Giving yourself a few extra hours will give you an opportunity to catch up with admin jobs and remove the awkward moments where the new employee just sits there twiddling their thumbs.
Buddy up 👯♀️
It’s a classic way to help a new employee form instant relationships with a colleague.
Simply nominate someone within their field to talk them through everything and show them the ropes.
This will undoubtedly make the new employee feel at ease.
Their buddy can also give them a proper introduction to the whole team, instead of a stuffy “hello/bye” one from senior staff.
Invite them to lunch and drinks 🥂
Work isn’t always the best chance for your new employee to get to know their fellow colleagues.
So when they arrive, arrange a team lunch.
If they have to eat alone, they may feel a bit alienated.
Whereas a tasty lunch as a team can create a sociable and fun atmosphere from the start.
You could even arrange Friday night beverages to help your team celebrate their arrival in style.
Carry out an end-of-week review 😊
After the new employee’s first week, always look to give some valuable feedback to them.
Remember, there’s a lot to take in, so it’s important to check whether they have any questions, have any concerns or require any assistance.
Your feedback should always be positive, as this will make them feel happy about their decision to come and work for you.
Give them a formal induction programme 👨💼
If you’re being very thorough and want to go the extra mile for your new employees, try creating a formal induction programme.
This could include:
– A welcome pack
– Health and safety documents
– Training materials
– A list of expectations, performance metrics and reviews
If possible, try to make this induction programme fun and don’t overload them with masses of documents to wade through.
You’re all set 👍
If you follow these key points, you’ll have everything in place to make sure that your new starter feels welcome on their arrival.
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Once you have them settled in, don’t forget to focus on creating a strong work culture to increase staff retention.
For more recruitment tips and advice, check out our free blog site!
Enjoy!😊
