You’ve hired a new employee, and you’re excited to get them started. Of course, you’ve got a lot of work to do, but that’s okay—so does your new hire! But how to welcome a new employee? How do you make sure the experience goes well for everyone involved? Here are some ways to customize your onboarding process so that your new employees feel welcome, comfortable, and ready to do their best work.
Plan a personalized and fun orientation.
When an employee is welcomed to the company for the first time or as part of a new team, you must ensure they feel welcome and comfortable. A new job can be an intimidating experience at first, but by giving them everything they need to succeed from day one, you will be helping them adjust more easily and quickly.
If your company is large enough to have multiple departments, it may make sense for each department head or manager to give their orientation. It could also be helpful if department-specific policies need explaining when someone joins your organization; one person could cover those while another handles everything else related purely on an individual basis.
Keep it positive.
When new colleagues join your team, making them feel welcome is important. Try the following tips:
- Offer a warm welcome.
- Be positive about their role in the company and how they will contribute to its success.
- Show them the ropes so that they can hit the ground running from day one.
- Take them out to lunch or invite them to an event at your office as part of your welcome package.
- Introduce them to people who can help them succeed in their job (e.g., mentors and senior managers).
Provide a training schedule for new hires.
- Provide a training schedule for new hires.
- Explain the importance of training.
- Show them how to perform their new job duties.
- Please let them know how long it will take to learn the ropes.
- Explain what they will be learning and why
Give them a buddy.
- Give them a buddy.
A buddy is someone who can help your new employee get settled in. This person should be someone who has been around for a while and has a good grasp of company culture and workflow. It’s also good if they’re close to the new hire’s position—having somebody available with whom they can commiserate will make the transition easier for both parties. A good buddy must be willing to answer questions and show them around the office. Introduce them to coworkers who might have similar interests or goals, give advice on how best to navigate their role here at [Company Name], etc., all while being fully committed to helping this person feel welcome here!
Set reasonable expectations for their first day on the job.
- Set reasonable expectations for their first day on the job.
It’s important to set realistic expectations for your new employees’ first day on the job, so they can handle the workload and are satisfied when they realize how much they have left to learn.
- Refrain from overloading them with too many tasks and goals. For example, wait to tell them that in six weeks, you expect them to be able to do everything an experienced employee does now, including managing social media accounts and maintaining company websites. Instead, break down these tasks into smaller chunks over a longer period: “At first, I’ll teach you about social media by showing you some basic strategies that worked well for us last quarter.” Then once those are mastered: “Then we’ll move on to content creation.” And finally: “Finally, we’ll discuss how different people use different platforms depending on their needs.” By gradually increasing the amount of responsibility given each week or month as your new hires become more comfortable with their jobs (and other responsibilities), this approach will help prevent burnout while also ensuring that any mistakes made are minor enough not to cause major damage before being corrected
Help them feel like part of the team right away.
When your company hires a new employee, they need to feel like they’re part of the team immediately. Here are some ways to help them feel welcome:
- Welcome them warmly and sincerely. Make sure they know that you’re happy they’re joining your team and will do whatever it takes to make them successful in their new role.
- Please give them a tour of the office so that they can see where everyone works and get to know people.
- Introduce them to colleagues who work in their department or interact with them often (like an administrative assistant).
Please give them a small but meaningful gift.
A small gift is one of the best ways to welcome a new employee. A thoughtful gift shows that you value the person and their contributions to your team and can help build long-lasting relationships between coworkers.
Many companies give gifts when someone begins working with them, but it’s common for people to receive gifts when they leave or retire from an organization. If you want to give a meaningful token of appreciation, these are some ideas:
- Something that represents your company culture or values – For example, if your company is known for its creativity and innovation, buying something related to this could be perfect for them (e.g., a book on how famous companies come up with new ideas).
- A personalized item could be as simple as adding their name or initials inside something (e.g., on their coffee mug) so that they know it’s theirs!
A great onboarding experience will help your new employee feel more at home.
A great onboarding experience will help your new employee feel more at home at your company, and your company will benefit from getting the best work out of this new person.
When welcoming new hires to the team, making them feel like they belong is important. It can be hard to do this if you’re coming in with a lot of existing relationships among employees, but there are ways to accommodate them anyway:
- Keep things informal. When possible, avoid making introductions through email or written documents like job descriptions or job postings; instead, introduce yourself in person so they can get a sense of who’s around them and how they fit into the larger picture.
- Do research their interests so that you’ll have something interesting and relevant to talk about when you meet up in person—and don’t forget to ask them questions about themselves!
Conclusion
Welcoming a new employee is a team effort; you should treat it as such. Many people can help you welcome a new employee, from HR to the hiring manager. The most important thing is to ensure everyone has clear instructions on their role in the onboarding process before they begin working with the new hire.
