Tips For Starting A New Hire Off On The Right Foot

You have spent a lot of time and money looking for an executive, upper management hire, or other employee so it is a good idea to get them started off on the right foot. After you hire a new employee, the first few days on a job are often more about orientation, learning systems, training, completing paperwork and other administrative tasks. The transition period can be sped up and made much simpler by implementing some of the following tips:

Orientation Day

It is recommended to choose an orientation day before the first day on the job. This day can be used to complete a tour of the office as well as a meet and greet with current employees with whom they will be working closely. This activity will provide the employee with knowledge of the floor plan as well as give them a few recognizable faces on their first day.



The first stop on should be the HR department where they can complete all necessary paperwork and the employee can be added to the payroll and other admin systems. Provide the new hire with the company policy and procedures documents (as well as additional relevant company information) for them to read and sign before they start their job. Doing this will allow them to get started on the actual job much faster, saving time. Orientation day is ideal when hiring more than one employee at a time as it is more efficient to present this standard material to several people at once.

This is also a good time for the IT department to set up an email account and ensure that the new employee is set up on all the necessary systems for them to begin work immediately.

The First Day

Make sure that the office space, cubicle or workstation is prepared and ready for the new recruit. All office supplies, equipment, electronics and other tools should be available and ready to go. Provide them with a list of contacts for who to contact should they require anything.

Take the employee on a second tour of the office - they have probably forgotten most of the layout from orientation day. Focus on where the restrooms, break or lunchroom and other facilities are. Depending on the size of your office or campus, it might be a good idea to present them with a map. Show them where the different departments are located and where management is situated.

The Office Culture

It can be very demotivating and anti-climatic to simply leave the newest member of a team alone at their desk on the first few days to simply get on with the job. To ensure that your employee fits in with the existing workforce and can function as part of that team, take some time to introduce them to the office culture.

Let them know about communication preferences between employees - email, texts, memo"s, etc. Tell them about how birthdays are celebrated and where the staff prefers to go for lunch breaks out of the office and after work drinks. Also, let them know where they can find the best cup of coffee. Office culture is getting to know who to approach for help when you are running late on a deadline or which cranky and grumpy employee to avoid until they have had their first cup of coffee.

It is recommended to set up lunch dates with different employees for the new recruit for them to learn more about their colleagues on a more personal level. Meet with the employee at the end of each day rather than the start and get their impression of the company, it"s workings and answer any questions they may have.

Peer And Mentor Relationship

The peer -mentor relationship is an essential part of introducing a new employee to the office environment and ensure that they can function and provide the most significant value to the company. It also ties in with the tips mentioned above. The peer and mentor should be introduced on orientation day if possible but, most certainly on the first day of work. They should be available as often as the employee needs.

Select a peer who works on the same level as the new employee but does not necessarily fulfill the same tasks or job description. They will share the office gossip and other interesting facts about the company that wouldn"t normally be shared immediately by other coworkers. Choose a peer that is friendly and outgoing.

A mentor should be an employee or manager who has been with the company for a prolonged period and has a good knowledge of the tasks and functions that the new hire will need to fulfill. A mentor should guide, motivate, and encourage the employee to achieve success.

It can take a few weeks to a couple of months for a new employee to find their feet and become fully integrated into the company and it is advisable not to rush the process.

If you are still in the process of recruiting new hires, contact us to streamline your process and find the right talent for your corporate culture and goals. https://www.recruiterie.com