5 Tips for Welcoming New Employees

Just about everyone has detailed processes for hiring and firing, but how effective is your process for new hire orientation and welcoming new employees?

Below are five tips for making your new employee’s first week a success, with a focus on remote work.

5 Tips for Effectively Welcoming New Employees:

1. Show that you've prepared for their onboard-ing.
Have you ever joined a job and found that the devices you were supplied were broken and beat up, or worse–that you were given absolutely no supplies at all? What a terrible way to start! Don't be that business. Instead, put in the effort to make sure your new employees are well set up.

If you are able to work in person, take the time to thoroughly clean your new employee’s workspace. Set up their phone and computer, and grant access to any necessary systems. Make a list of usernames and temporary passwords, and provide them with all the necessary office supplies. Including some extras like tissues, hand sanitizer, folders, notepads, and post-its can go a long way.

If your business is remote, make sure you have accounted for those same efforts: access to necessary systems, devices, and so on. If you want to go the extra mile (which is much appreciated in these difficult times), send a care package to their home where you can include a few small office supplies and a welcome note.

Whatever you can do to make sure your employee knows you are thinking of them and looking forward to having them on the team will be much appreciated.

2. Make the first day a celebration.
Regardless of the size of your company, a new hire should feel important. This sets the tone for their experience with your business. Especially in remote work, this extra effort is important to making your employee feel welcomed.

Something as complicated as a press release or as simple as a quick announcement on a call will do, as long as you make sure everyone in the company or department is aware of the new employee’s existence.

Another nice way to introduce the new employee to their team is with a game of ice-breakers. Check out this list of virtual activities for inspiration.

3. Develop a ramp plan.
It’s never fun to start a new job and be unsure about your responsibilities or unable to perform your job functions due to lack of training. We recommend developing a ramp plan that will account for the first two weeks of your new employee’s time. A ramp plan includes a slow build of tasks and learning activities so the new employee is set up to succeed and grow into their role.

Include any necessary training from mentors and subject matter experts, and make sure the new employee has a chance to be productive on their first day.

One small but important part of this plan should be reliable scheduled meetings. We recommend a daily morning meeting. This way, the new employee knows when they will speak to you next and is given a chance to catch up with the team at a concrete time each week.

4. Introduce key players.
On the employee’s first day, make sure they have a chance to chat their department head or CEO. Schedule some time with their direct supervisor to discuss their position and cover any questions.

Another great resource is a “help list” of people within the company who can answer possible questions in various areas. In a larger company, running through a directory and highlighting key contacts can be invaluable. You may even want to assign a “buddy” for the first few weeks, just to make sure the new employee has a designated person they can go to as they are getting settled in.

If the new employee will be interacting with clients, schedule meetings with key clients in the first few weeks to make introductions. This is beneficial for you too, as you will get to see how your new hire interacts with clients and get a better sense of their personality.

5. Schedule an orientation review.
The first week of a new job can be incredibly overwhelming. Schedule some time at the end of the week to review first your new hire’s first impressions. This is a great time to clear up any confusion or misperceptions before they turn into a problem.

Additionally, you may want to administer an orientation review survey to get feedback on the effectiveness of your process.

Bottom line: prepare to be prepared, and more importantly, don't be a stranger!

Do you have any favorite ways of welcoming new employees? Let us know in the comments, we'd love to hear from you!