It may have been a long time since you last started a new job so it may feel a little bit removed for you to remember stress of what it’s like to start a new position. So when you are thinking about in new employee joining your team, I encourage you to think about what you can do to make the first day a great start for them!
Before they step foot in the front door, I recommend that you have well planned out first day on the job., I understand that you have a lot of things going on and don’t want to have to micromanage the person’s first day, it’s still brand new to them to be at your company. So don’t underestimate power of helping them understand the lay of the land that your company.
I bet that on the first day, your new hire starts off talking with human resources to make sure they have all of the necessary paperwork in order. This paperwork might be a w-2 form, benefits, nondisclosure agreement, etc. Hopefully you have a desk ready to go for them. I’ve honestly seen companies who don’t even have a desk built for the new person, requiring the new employee to assemble it themselves on their first day – perhaps not the best reception for the new hire. Just saying…
OK, now they have their human resources paperwork done. They know where they sit. Now what?
- Maybe some training.
- Maybe shadow another employee.
- Maybe you have the employee spend a few hours on the company website.
- Make sure they have a lunch meeting with someone from the team.
There are a lot of things that you can do to help your new hire get up to speed. But, it’s really important that you think about what they need as a new hire. They’re part of your team, so what do they need to know to be successful?
What do you do with your new hires?