Expanding your team is exciting for any company. It signals the growth of your business and gives you the opportunity to bring new talent onto your team. On a new employee’s first day, you want to make a positive impression and properly welcome them into your work environment. Just as a first impression says a lot about a person, an employee’s first day in the office teaches them a lot about your company and how it operates. Make sure you’re always ready for the arrival of your new employees with these tips for welcoming them!
1. Establish a Company Process for New Hires
Establish a formalized process for welcoming new employees into the office. By having a company-wide process in place, you will avoid any confusion and keep things consistent across the board. Often times new employees begin their first day on the job in the Human Resources or Training departments. Find what works for your company, make sure your entire leadership department understand the process, and keep it consistent.
2. Be Transparent
What are your goals for your new hire? And what standards will they have to follow? Knowledge is power, so educate your new employee on your expectations for them and your team as a whole so they are set up for success from day one. Tell them about your company’s mission and how they are a valuable piece of the whole picture.
3. Have their Work Space Ready
Will your new team member have their own work space? Make sure it is ready for them. Clean their desk and make sure all equipment is set up and ready for their arrival. You of course want your new employee to feel welcome and like you’ve been anticipating their first day. Make sure their new work space reflects that. Complete their new desk with a desk plate or engraved cubicle sign so they know you’re considering them a permanent part of your team.
4. Tell your Current Employees
Let your current team know there will be a new member of your team joining so they too can make them feel welcome. Some companies like to send their new hire emails to read on their first day or have an ice cream social so everyone has a chance to get to know them. Instead of having your employees wonder who the new face in the office is, prepare them for their arrival so they’re ready to introduce themselves.
5. Give Them the Tools They’ll Need
Consider what tools they will need in their new role, and have them made and ready for them before they arrive. If your new employee will be interacting with customers, make sure you have a new name tag ready for their first day. Not only will this help them when they’re engaging with your customers, it will also help your current employees remember their name faster and make conversation easier.
6. Take Them to Lunch
An employees first day can be a little intimidating and even overwhelming. There are so many new things to learn, and so many new people to meet. Make their first day easier by taking them out to lunch! And while you’re at the restaurant, leave the office and work behind and get to know them on a more personal level. Give them a break from learning all the ropes and instead show them you genuinely care about them as a person and are happy to have them on your team.
7. Follow Up with your New Employees
Don’t wait until their 90 days to ask them how everything is going. Check back in with them often and ask how their training is going and if they’re getting the hang of things. As we mentioned, starting a new job can be overwhelming because it’s a lot of information to process and retain. By following up with your new employees, you’ll show them you care about their individual welcoming and training experience and want to set them up for success.
Now that you have your established new hire system in place, you’re ready to welcome your new hire! Making a great first impression to your new employees is key to your success as a company, but as long as you prepare yourself ahead of time and do your best to make them feel welcomed, they’re sure to love their new work environment.