Starting a new job is a lot of things: exciting, nerve-wracking, scary, awkward, and…fun? We all know that the first few weeks of a new job can be challenging, both for an employer and an employee – that’s why there’s a whole wealth of articles, research, and even webcasts that discuss how to do it right and the risks to the organization if you don’t.
Since I personally just experienced this process firsthand, I paid attention to all of the details so that I could share some best practices from our own team here at HCI.
Cover the Basics
If your new employees show up on their first day and they don’t have all the tools they need to perform the basic functions of their jobs—STOP what you’re doing right now and establish a process for this. Assign responsibilities to the IT department, Office Manager, and whomever else you need to ensure new employees have somewhere to sit, an email address, log in information, a parking space, etc. Although these may seem like little details, they have the potential to make or break a new hire’s first impression of the organization.
HCI passed the basics with flying colors – my computer was set up ahead of time with my email already loaded and I had step-by-step instructions with my password and log in information specific to me. Thank you, Phil!
Provide Thoughtful Starting Assignments
The first few days a new hire is trying to figure out how to use the printer, make coffee, and fill out new hire paperwork. Give him or her the extra time to acclimate before piling on projects as if the new hire has been working at your company for years. Don’t forget that your company has a whole slew of acronyms, nicknames, and shortcuts that sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher to the newly hired. And these are the elements that are critical in communicating the organizational culture.
Organizations vary in the way that they assimilate new hires into the organization – some employers subscribe to the “sink or swim” mentality; others might ease new hires into their role – making sure to set them up for success. From personal experience, these first assignments can set the stage for the longer-term employment experience.
My first days with a former employer, were not as smooth as my experience with HCI—I hadn’t even gotten my email address assigned and I was already given projects and asked questions as if I’d been working there for years. Being assigned projects and deadlines before I even knew where the bathroom was made for an uncomfortable and quite stressful beginning.
l felt like I was set up for success at HCI – I was given projects to try out with comfortable or flexible deadlines. I even ended up blogging my first week because I was given the space to try.
Connect with Internal Brand Champions - Both Organizational and Technical
If possible, give your new hire time with a company expert—someone who knows the ins and outs of the job functions is important—but an employee who is well-versed in your brand is essential. The best expert to put with a new hire is someone who lives and breathes your company culture and is excited about sharing.
I lucked out at HCI since we’re a smaller company and pretty much everybody fits this description, but one person stood out who not only knew everything about how our systems work, but also had all the extra information about how those systems came to fruition. Spending the day training with her helped to solidify the expectations of my new position, and gave me a better idea of why the systems were set up in a particular way and who to go to get things accomplished.
Make Onboarding a Personal, Customized Experience
No one wants to feel like a number when they’re already new. Even if you work for a large corporation and have pre-made welcome packets or notes, try to take the time to craft a personalized note for a new team member. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, just helpful. It’s one thing to read the employee handbook and brand book, but it’s a whole lot better to be addressed by name with helpful tidbits about the office, surrounding community, and maybe even fun facts about each team member—particularly if your team is spread across multiple offices. It will go a long way in making new hires feel welcome and comfortable, and employees who feel comfortable will be able to do their best work.
I showed up to my first day at HCI to a personal note on my desk from one of my new team members. She took the time to type up and color-code (bonus points for that!) a note with helpful information for my first week. I immediately felt welcome and connected to each of my team members, most of whom don’t even work in the same office with me.
Onboarding is a critical step in an employee’s lifecycle at an organization. There are certainly a variety of methods that organizations use to effectively integrate new hires into the organizational culture. The key is to make it stick, to make it authentic, and really engage the new hire in the first moments of their experience with the organization so that they too can become instant brand champions.
Photo: alborzshawn
i think the first weeks for new employer and employee need scientific work to satisfy the customers and attractive them.