The first day on the job can be intimidating for a new employee. Just as it is important for new hires to make a great first impression, it is just as critical for the business to do the same. The company must focus on making the employee feel welcomed and appreciated rather than immediately burying them with paperwork and other tasks.
The employee needs to feel as though they belong, so be sure to show them more than just the ins and outs of their day to day. Show the employee what the culture is about and how everyone interacts with each other. It’s imperative to make them excited about their future within the company. This will ultimately result in high employee loyalty and retention.
Here are a few ways a company can make new hires feel welcomed:
- Recognition
Start off their first day by taking a picture of them and posting it on the company’s social media pages. This makes them feel appreciated right from the beginning, and it also shows that they are valued. More than most likely, they will also share this news on their social media pages.
Be sure to have everyone in the company, from management down, directly involved with the new hire. It’s not easy being the new person in the office, so making sure everyone interacts with them throughout the day is critical. It will set the tone for the entire day!
- Organization
Having the new hire’s work space prepared shows that you value their success. The area should be clean, prepared, organized and ready with everything they may need to do their job efficiently. Lay out everything that will be needed to login to the computer, their email and whatever tools they may be using. Print this out in a document so they can refer to it easily.
- Take Them Out To Lunch
Often times, the new employee is worried about what they will be doing during the lunch hour. Never let them eat alone on the first day! Make sure to take them out to lunch with the team members they will be interacting the most with. This is the company’s time to learn more about them as a person. While you might have learned what they were able to do in business, and what positions they have held in the past during the interview, now you can hear about what they enjoy doing outside of work.
- Set Expectations
Take the time to show the new hire what is expected of them on the first day, the first 90 days and six months and beyond. This sets the tone for their experience at the company and shows that the organization is invested in their success.
- Mentorship
Assign someone to take the new hire under their wing. It could be someone who is in the same position as them or someone who started out in the new hire’s position. Let them know they can come to this person with any concerns, for guidance or just to have a friendly conversation. The new hire will immediately feel at ease knowing they have someone they can rely on and trust during their duration at the company.
Bill Peppler is managing partner of Kavaliro employment agency and has more than 16 years of experience in the technology, financial staffing and consulting industries. He can be reached at (407) 243-6006. Kavaliro has offices in Orlando; Tampa; Jacksonville; Charlotte; Washington, DC; and Petaluma, California.
