Everything is not decided on the first day but almost. . . When you hire a new employee, it is not long before he/she gets a general idea of what the company is like. This first impression is not without consequences on the involvement of the new recruit in the company, and hence on his/her immediate productivity. Paradoxically, orienting a new employee is often not high on the list of Human Resources priorities, a bad habit which can be corrected by following a few basic tips.
- Prepare for the new hire’s arrival before his/her first day
Warn your team a few days before the new person is to start, and set up a short presentation meeting. From the person’s co-workers, pick someone who will be in charge of showing him/her the ropes and guiding him/her on the workstation. Check that the material conditions (desk, computer, tools, etc.) are ready and in place on the first day of work. As required, arrange for training for the new person so that everything is ready on time.
- Make the person’s first Monday a day of discovery
The first Monday should not be devoted to paperwork and administrative formalities, which is likely to dampen any motivation the person showed in the hiring interview. Instead, take advantage of the first day to introduce him/her to the company’s various departments. Using specific examples, show the new employee how these different functions are related to his/her position. If possible, have the person meet the key people in your organization such as the CEO, department heads and so forth. This is a way of personalizing the company, and of associating faces with names and positions. From the very beginning, the new employee should grasp “who does what, where and why.”
- Give him/her a dose of corporate culture
Once contact has been made, focus on “educating” the new employee. Put yourself in his/her shoes: just off the boat, he/she knows nothing about the company’s history, its values, rules, schedules or even its safety standards. Internal rules, the computer policy, the procedures and methods guide, glossary of acronyms used. . . It’s up to you to provide all the necessary information. For basic rules, favour written documents. Oral recommendations are often quickly lost in the flood of information the new hire needs to absorb. Corporate culture also includes time-honoured customs. So if your company does casual Fridays, be sure to warn the new person, so that he doesn’t show up in a three-piece suit the first Friday!
- Get the person up and running by giving him/her some responsibility
As soon as the new person starts work, give him/her responsibilities. Remind the person of the tasks he/she will have to carry out over the first few weeks, and be very clear on the objectives. Together, plan the time needed for the person to become proficient in the position, then set regular meetings to follow up on his/her integration progress. Keep in mind that devoting a bit of time to an employee at the beginning is likely to pay off in the long run.