Hiring a New Office Employee? Here’s 5 Ways to Make Them Feel Welcome |

05/09

Can you remember your first day on the job? Were you left awry, or were you greeted by the welcome wagon? The first day on the job sets the tone for the future. If you are disregarded by fellow employees, you would not be too thrilled about going back the next day. Unfortunately, it is common that the first day on the job does not provide the new employee with adequate attention and training. Hiring a new office employee isn’t always easy — and neither is the retention! We all want our employees to succeed, get along, and stay awhile! What can we, as employers, do to change this first-day debacle?

1. Show them the ropes and break out the welcome wagon. Introduce the new employee to their co-workers, at least the co-workers with whom they will be working. Walk them around the building so they know how to get to the bathroom, grab a water, or find the copy machine.

2. Match them up with a mentor. There is no better way to learn the swing of things than from watching it firsthand. Have the new guy or gal sit with one (or several) of your more patient employees while they work. This will encourage open communication and dialogue, and will prompt questions to be asked that may otherwise be asked down the road.

3. Give them plenty of one-on-one time. Sit down with the new hire and chat. Let them know what is expected of them, the normal learning curve, company culture (if not previously discussed), company policies, any upcoming events, etc. Again, this creates dialogue and opens the floor to ask any questions.

4. Train with videos and graphics in addition to a training manual. Safety videos and software trainings are among many trainings that are better seen than read. Try to make it as easy as possible for your newbie to absorb as much information as possible.

5. Fun welcoming. Celebrate your newest team member! Send out a welcome announcement with some fun facts about them and offer well wishes. There are many options for a fun welcoming, whether it is in-person or virtual.