How to Make a New Employee Feel Welcomed

New Employee Orientation

Preparing an effective and welcoming greeting and initial orientation

An employer has a well-thought-out approach to welcoming a new hire

Most new hires are nervous and unsure of how well they will fit in It is the duty of HR department to have a step-by-step plan in place in order to assure a smooth entrance for the new hire

The supervisor's checklist must be thorough: make the new hire comfortable

>Before the new employee arrives in the building:

Tell everyone that a new employee is arriving and what that person's job and duties will be

Have a very interesting first day of activities all planned out in advance; make fun tasks to orient the new hire to the culture

Have a printed 3x5 cards ready with job description, performance standards, organizational chart

Be certain that new employee's work station is totally prepared, clean, organized, and the software and all computer technologies are set up in advance to be used immediately

Never make the new hire sit and wait for an IT professional

Draft a thorough training plan for the first few months of the new employees' on-the-job duties and responsibilities

>On the first day the HR supervisor should:

Warmly welcome the new employee

Give a tour of the facilities, provide keys, and introduce the new employee to other staff members; assign a "buddy" to assist the new employee and answer daily questions

Point out restrooms, refreshments, break areas

Arrange to have lunch with the new employee, during which time the job description can be reviewed and the organizational chart for the department can be presented

Present specifics: email, phone, internet use; resources in the office; accountability; confidentiality; staff meetings; customer service philosophy and company mission statement; ethics

>During the first week of employment:

Set up a meeting between new employee and department head; complete all the required paperwork

Review all personnel policies and procedures

Present all details as to benefits, health insurance; complete paperwork

Explain time cards, vacations, sick days, parking pass, weekend and after-hours access to facilities

Review office safety issues and office supplies, mail, copy machine and fax usage

THREE: Some principals and ideas for best possible new employee orientation

>A very good employee orientation includes:

Making the very first day a celebration for the new employee -- this is the first day and that's cause for joy!

Targeted immediate goals for the person to strive for, along with an understanding as to how other new hires have been trained effectively

Introducing the new hire to other new hires, to those employees that have been on board for a long time, and to all department heads; if appropriate, introduce the new employee to the CEO of the company