Starting a job is a lot like your first day at a new school. It can be stressful and often, kind of scary. And if things go wrong at the start, it can be tough to recover.
- If a new employee gets off to a rocky start, it can significantly increase their time-to-productivity, as well as the chances of them leaving your company. So, make it a priority to help ease their transition into their new role. Studies have shown that employees who feel immediately welcome are happier and more likely to stay with a company for the long term.
Your new hire’s success depends in large part on you steering them in the right direction. Here are some tips:
Start communicating early.
Reach out to your new hire as soon as they accept your offer, and maintain contact up to and beyond their first day on the job. Assure them that you’re there to answer questions and make their onboarding process as smooth and easy as possible. This includes getting as much hiring paperwork done ahead of time as possible.
Have their new workspace ready to go.
Take time to fully prepare a new employee’s workstation so they can hit the ground running when they first sit down. Have everything – from phones, online connections, and passwords activated to copies of policies and procedures, organizational charts, and other key documents at their disposal.
- As an added touch, why not leave a gift basket on their desk, filled with company swag, snacks, their new business cards, and even a welcome message from the staff?
Assign them a mentor.
It’s natural for a person to feel unsure of the specifics during their early days at a new job. Help them deal with this uncertainty by assigning them a mentor. This should be someone with experience at your company, who can answer their questions, offer advice, and generally help them acclimate.
Give them a manageable task to complete.
Start your new hire off strong by assigning them a task they can complete quickly and successfully. This will allow them to quickly settle in, give them a sense of purpose, and build their confidence. Offer plenty of detailed instruction, so they don’t feel overwhelmed.
Take them to lunch.
Speaking of the first day of school … there’s nothing worse than eating alone on your first day of work, in a room filled with other people who already know each other. You can be six or 60; it’s still horrible. So, take your new hire to lunch to show them that you’re genuinely interested in their success. You don’t have to hold their hand for long, but come on. It’s Day One. Roll out the welcome mat.
PrideStaff Fresno’s services are designed to match skilled professionals with the best-respected companies in the Central Valley area. This includes direct recruits as well as temporary and temp-to-hire staffing in administration, customer service, IT, finance, legal support, healthcare, and production and distribution. And, we’ll help you ensure a successful onboarding experience once the hiring process is complete. Read our related posts or contact us today for more information.