Running a successful business is all about hiring the right employees. You need to ensure that the staff members feel like important members of the team. As a leader, your efforts should start on the first day with an onboarding process that will make the employees feel at home and welcome. This will set them up for success as they begin their work. With employees working from home for almost a year, it is important to make them feel valued and appreciated. If you have made new hires, you will have to make special efforts to ensure that they feel like an important part of the organization right from the first day. Here are some of the most successful ways to onboard new employees and make them feel welcome.
- Organize a welcome lunch
There is nothing like welcoming your employees with good food and some chill time. Host a welcome lunch on the first day of the new hire and include all the people they will work with. It will help the new hire get acquainted with the team faster and also encourage them to reach out for questions or help during their initial days.
- Understand how they learn
Not all employees have the same personality and they like to learn and work in different ways. You must find out what makes them tick. Try to figure out whether they are introverts or extroverts and how they like their role. Some employees like to learn locked in a study room while many others want to sit with a group and discuss new ideas or do a trial by fire. You need to learn who the new hire is as a person and then set up an environment that allows them to blossom.
- Train them
You must train your new employees and spend time with them through the training. Do not make the mistake of throwing your employees to work without any training. It will do more harm than good. Make it a priority to create a standard operating procedure and train them so they know what they are supposed to do. You can welcome them on the first day of training with customized promotional products like a pen and notepad or a cap and sweatshirt with the company logo.
- Pair them with a mentor
Having a mentor can make a huge difference to the productivity of the employees. Always pair the new hire with a mentor who will ensure that the new employee is successful and has a clear understanding of what is expected of them.
- Always be available
A lot of leaders make the mistake of not being available for their employees after a few weeks of their hire. This can lead to frustration and demotivation in the long term. You must always be available for them and let them know that you are there for guidance or questions. Try to make space for them in your schedule and teach and train them when you need to. Consider pairing them with an experienced employee for more guidance.
- Set clear expectations
To ensure a seamless transition between being a new hire and being an integral part of the team, you need to have clear short-term and long-term expectations. Communicate the basic goals you want them to achieve and state how they should work towards them. When you layout clear guidelines, it helps them understand what they should be working on.
- Give them everything they need to get the ground running
It is essential to give the new hires all the tools they require to succeed. It will allow them to complete the work on time and enhance productivity. If they require a laptop, PC, smartphone, project management software, etc., provide them with everything so they can get the ground running.
- Help ease their nerves
Leaders should never abandon the employee. It is in the first few days that you will get a chance to set their routine for the company and a clear and concise to-do list for the day will put their nerves at ease. Please do not skip the introductions for new employees and join them on the walk-through instead of just sending an email.
- Have clear onboarding tasks and documents
You must set clear expectations and tasks when a person joins the company. It will ground them when they are in a new environment and allow them to meet new people. You must have clear onboarding documents for them to follow.
Follow these nine successful ways to make your employees feel welcome on their first day. Give them time to learn and understand the ways of your business. Always be there for them and have an open channel of communication.
