Onboarding A New Hire
Knowing how to onboard a new hire is important for them and ultimately for your business. An employee’s initial impression of their job, organization, and manager determines how engaged they are in the workplace, so you need to focus on the right things to effectively onboard new employees.
New hires joining your team can bring an injection of energy and fresh ideas to manage even the most challenging of situations. For organizations that are just starting out, your employees are highly valuable assets when it comes to getting things off the ground.
In this article, we’re going to cover 5 important onboarding tips to ensure new employees are as engaged as possible, which in turn, will guarantee your success.
1. Offer a Pre-Work Holiday
We know that this may sound counter productive, but it’s quickly becoming the new craze; give your new employees a chance to unwind before actually starting the job.
Nowadays, several tech companies are giving their new hires a pre-start holiday once they agree to become part of the team as part of their onboarding a new hire process. In some cases, they will even provide them with a set amount of money or the time to go on holiday to relax, with the ultimate goal of letting them enter the new role refreshed and prepared.
We know some businesses may not necessarily have the resources of a multi-national tech company, but you’re always able to give people some time out.
2. A Later Start
If you don’t already offer this when onboarding new employees, it’s time to start. Allow new hires to start after 9am, closer to around 10 or 11 in the morning. Not only does this remove any feelings of anxiety about the journey during rush hour, but it also allows your employees to get their tasks out of the way before meeting the new hire.
A first day should be all about getting to know their colleagues and place of work. Invite them out to lunch somewhere close by, get to know each other, ease them into their new position, so they build up positive feelings about the role.
3. Make the First Day Feel Memorable
Speaking of the first day, it’s important to make it as memorable as possible. When onboarding a new hire, don’t dive right into a business as usual attitude. Instead, show them around the office, take time out and introduce them to everybody, and plan something super fun and exciting.
In addition to this, try your very best to avoid boring them to death with overwhelming and extensive presentations, but don’t throw them into the deep end with no guidance either. Try to meet somewhere in the middle, and provide with them just enough information to feel welcome.
4. Never Underestimate the Value of an Unexpected Gift
Who doesn’t love swag? We know we do -and your new hire will too! Use this onboarding tip as a sign to get out and invest in some fun company swag. Whether it’s hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, or even something fun like a massager or game -there are so many ways to put a smile on a new employee’s face, and make their first day something they will never forget!
5. Bust the Jargon
Last but not least, make sure you bust the office jargon. There isn’t a company out there that doesn’t have its own language. Whether it’s through pesky acronyms that people always use but have no idea how to explain, or inside jokes and phrases – it never hurts to create a translation dictionary. With it, you’ll be able to share some context for all the jokes being thrown around, so your new hire is able to join in on the laughter, and never worry that it’s something that is being directed at them!