You never get a second chance to make a first
impression. When you have new employees joining your company,
properly orienting them is essential to shorten the learning curve
and provide a smooth transition. On the first day of a job,
new hires are often full of excitement and have and lots of
motivation, so take advantage of this energy to set a positive
impression and tone from day one. A properly executed
orientation provides the tools that the new employee needs to be
successful.
WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA (WCF) offers these solutions to
effective orientations.
Spread Orientation Over Time. It is important to
immediately meet with new employees, but it’s not necessary to
provide all of the details in a marathon meeting. Consider
spreading the orientation over a period of several days or
weeks. Besides an orientation, it is important to give the
employee work to complete as well, so he or she can start to build
ownership of the job. Utilize his or her new energy. It
will help to rejuvenate the overworked team that has been waiting
for the new employee to start.
It’s Not Just HR’s Job. Although it is important
for new team members to meet with the human resources
representative to complete first-day paperwork such as I-9s, W-4s,
emergency contact info, direct deposit forms, etc., the orientation
should also include the person’s manager. This allows the new
hire to become familiar with the manager’s personality and work
style and encourages communication. It may also be beneficial
to provide a mentor, who can offer basic information and serve as a
reference if the boss is not available.
Tour the Office. Leaving a new staff member to
find the restroom or break room on his or her own is not a
welcoming experience. Ease the anxiety that the new worker is
experiencing and present an office tour. Introduce him or her
to all coworkers while providing a brief description of their job
functions.
Communicate Accurate Information. Cover all of the
policies, procedures and specifics and provide an employee handbook
that outlines all information. Include:
- Policies and procedures such as: employment classifications,
introductory periods, attendance and punctuality, working hours,
performance appraisals, compensation program, pay period,
electronic payroll deposit, breaks, overtime, privacy, disability
accommodation, conflicts of interest, substance abuse,
communications, harassment, promotions and transfers, company-owned
items, terminations, rehiring, exit interviews, dress code,
parking, smoking, pay advances, disciplinary, grievance and
discrimination complaints, safety requirements, security, visitors
and reporting injuries.
- Benefits like insurance plans, employee assistance, worker’s
compensation, social security, retirement plans, educational
incentives, staff training and development, travel expenses,
vehicle policies and leave.
Convey the Company’s Corporate Culture. Explain
the company’s history, mission and values; the organization chart
and levels of supervision; the employee’s job description and
responsibilities; the standards of productivity and quality; and,
any information that pertains to the company that the employee may
find useful. Anticipate and address any concerns that you
think the employee may have and share your willingness to answer
questions.
Provide Background on Products, Services, Customers and
Vendors. Help the new hire to completely understand all of
your products and services and how your company differs from its
competitors. Also familiarize the employee with your customers
and vendors.
Share Basic Office Skills. Convey the basic skills
necessary to be successful in the office including working the
telephone, e-mail, and copy and fax machines, the mail procedure
and how to request supplies. To assist your new employee
psychologically, express confidence in his or her ability to
perform well and build the skills that the person will need to take
ownership of his or her role.
Follow-Up With the Employee. Set a time a week
after the orientation to respond to any questions or concerns and
to check the employee’s progress. Consider supplying the new
employee with goals and objectives.
Providing an orientation for new employees shortens their
learning curve and reduces errors so your company can increase its
productivity. It also helps to improve job satisfaction, which
in turn assists in retention.
