Tips for New Employee Orientation

Published: The Hindu
On: June, 2010
At: Hyderabad, India

 Picture this scenario, Sandhya, a project manager had thought she had finally found her ideal job. She was full of excitement when she arrived at work on her first day. Someone from Human Resources showed her the office, left her with a couple of product manuals, and told her to read them. During her first week, she did just that, peruse product manuals. Each day at noon she hoped that a colleague would ask her to join them for lunch. She waited for someone to walk to her desk and talk to her. But, no such luck. Sandhya found the work atmosphere so stifling that she decided to call it quits within ten days of her joining work.

The thought of working in a flourishing work environment is very appealing to most people. It can bring a sad smile on someone’s face whose current company does not measure up. Great workplaces are committed to create a welcoming atmosphere to truly make people feel that they are part of something extraordinary. While there are many qualities in making a great work atmosphere, one key practice is to spend a lot of energy welcoming new employees and making sure they successfully get acclimated to their new work environment.

The following key points will help you get your newest team members up to speed so they can start contributing to your success soon.

Introduction and Tours

Make time for your new employees. Conduct an ‘office tour’ pointing out mailrooms, restrooms, meeting rooms, cafeteria and copy and fax area. Introduce the new ones to other employees. It can be overwhelming to introduce everyone. In a large company, just the department is fine. If you must be away, ‘appoint’ someone in your team to act on your behalf. This person could also be a buddy employee(s) to assist with questions and help them navigate the unwritten rules of the organization.

Make it simple. Avoid making them fill in numerous forms on the first day. Instead, prioritize in making the new employees in your team feel welcome. Encourage them to interact with the key people in their department.

Make an announcement. It could be an office memo informing employees of the new hires and their role in the office. Or, in this technology savvy work environment you could send an e-mail note to their team.

Position Information

Orient the person with the job assignments and training plans. Explain their role and how it affects the organization. Discuss the expected contributions and facilitate in deriving short term goals. Review company policies and procedures including, vacations, timings and schedules. Provide a glossary of company acronyms, terms and Frequently Asked Questions in a manual.

Administrative Procedures

Prepare the new hire’s arrival before time. Arrange for the phone, workstation, business cards (if applicable) and any equipment needed to perform the necessary job functions. Stock their workstation with office supplies. Order applicable building keys and/or security access cards. If the employee will be accessing a computer terminal, contact your help desk to set up security access, email accounts, login and passwords and Intranet.

Make the first day a celebration. It instills trust, mutual respect, a strong work ethic and a sense of fun. An invitation to lunch from their team is welcoming. First impressions of you and your organization, both good and bad, are made on the first day. Continue to monitor their progress and answering questions as and when they arise. A person can take in just enough information for a day. Set a meeting with the new hires once a week to help making an easy transition. Being extra sensitive to their needs and giving time to absorb the newness of the role and environment is helpful and appreciative. These small gestures will go a long way in making the employees feel they have made the correct choice in selecting your company for their career path. When employees feel welcome, they will easily integrate in their teams.

They will readily support and assist the company when needed. Importantly, a happy employee makes a productive employee.