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Set your new employee up for success, starting with day 1.
You've found the perfectly matched candidate and you hired them as your next star employee. Now they'll be starting and you need to orientate this new employee to your unique team and company culture.
The first day on the job for the new hire is a nerve wracking yet exciting one for them. If you’re a small company, how do you help make the first day an easy transition for them?
7 steps to help your new employee settle in for success on their first day:
1. Assign a buddy.
It helps to have someone they can go to who can help them understand work dynamics, but more so it gives them an instant co-worker they can rely on. This person can help them settle into their new space. Introducing them to the key people they will be working with in the departments will help them remember who to look for when they need to deal with them.
2. Lunch with the team.
Take the new employee out for lunch with the team. This allows the team and the employee to get to know one another. Be sure to try and relate commonalities between the rest of the team. If you can’t go out, ordering lunch with the team in the cafeteria or board room works just as well.
3. Go over a list of job responsibilities.
Likely they aren’t going to remember everything that was on the job description from when they applied. Spend the time going through what they new employee is responsible for and making sure they understand and are comfortable with the tasks at hand. Set up some starter goals and key projects to begin working on.
4. Give a strategic overview.
This includes the team goals, company objectives, how the company is pacing and how they fit into the picture. Share some relevant history that will help the new employee understand where the company came from and why it’s going where it’s going.
5. Set up weekly follow up check ins.
These touch points are a good way to see if they are understanding their responsibilities and if they have enough resources and support to do what they need.
6. Review any health and safety policies.
Show them where the fire escape is and who they need to contact in case of an emergency. They are part of the building now and need to know how to be safe.
7. Have fun getting to know the new team member.
You chose them because they matched the best to the role and the culture. The results of your assessment of their personality will give you a clear indication of how to interact with them.
Integrating the new hire into your culture is an important part of orientation. You hired them for who they really are, so you want to make sure they are armed with what they need to feel like part of the team.
They have a lot of great things they are going to accomplish!
How can we help? Please let us know how we can support you or your business?
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