You’ve been down the long recruitment road and you’ve found a new recruit to join your office. You’re sure they’re the right ones for the job and you want to help them settle in as quickly as possible, effectively hitting the ground running.
However, it’s important to remember that a new person joining the office is a huge deal in many ways. Firstly, it’s a huge thing for them. They’re joining an established team, sitting at a new office chair, and surrounded by a space they’ve never been in before. They’re bound to be nervous!
Your current employees may also feel unsettled at the thought of someone new coming into the office. Not many people like change and this can often cause anxiety if not handled in the right way.
For the business, a new employee means the potential for lower productivity in the first couple of weeks, as they get used to their role and start to familiarise themselves. This is to be expected, but obviously shouldn’t go on for too long.
So, how can you make sure that the first few weeks go as smoothly as possible and reduce all of the above workplace problems?
- Identify a start date and make sure everything is in place - Make sure that they have an office chair, desk, and everything else they need on their start date. That includes access to computer systems, etc.
- Inform your employees of the person’s arrival - Before their start date, make sure you inform your current employees about their arrival. Tell them the name of the person, the role they’re going to be doing, a little background information. This all helps to calm the waters of anxiety.
- Make sure someone is there to greet them on their first day - When the new recruit arrives on their first day, make sure someone is there in the reception area to meet them with a smile.
- Introduce them to everyone - First things first, introduce them to everyone in the office and get them a coffee!
- Have an induction programme in place - You should make sure that an induction programme has been set up for them, covering their first few days. This can also include any formal training they need, e.g. health and safety training, etc.
- Identify a mentor/someone to help them - It’s a good idea to identify someone to help them as they settle in. This could be someone sitting next to them at their office desk or someone else entirely, but it gives the new person someone to ask if they have a specific question and makes things a lot easier.
- Involve them as much as you can - Be sure to involve your new recruit as much as possible in the first few weeks. Ask their opinion, invite them to work social outings, etc. This will help them to settle in more quickly.
- Check in with them regularly - Be sure to check in with your new employee on a regular basis and make sure they’re okay. This will mean that they feel they can approach you and they’re more likely to tell you if there are any specific problems that need to be dealt with.
The most important thing you need when welcoming a new employee is patience. By taking your time and allowing them to do the same, they’ll settle in quickly and becomes productive as possible.