You just spent so much time searching for new employees and working through the hiring process, but now what? Now it’s time to welcome them!
Remembering to give new employees a warm welcome is a great way to introduce new hires to your company culture as well as get them acquainted and comfortable with their new coworkers. Everyone from upper management down can be involved in your welcome strategy. A good welcome sets the precedent for good work.
So, here are 10 effective ways to greet a new employee to your team!
1. Send Out a “New Employee” Announcement
Sending out a “new employee” announcement or email is a great way to make the new employee immediately feel like part of the team. The announcement can include some facts about the new employee and basic details about their job and when they’re going to begin working.
There are few things more awkward than showing up on your first day of work to blank stares and confusion. A warm welcome message allows the rest of the staff to be ready and make sure their new colleague doesn’t take them by surprise.
2. Have Them Start Late
It may sound strange, but having your new employee start late or on a Tuesday is going to be very beneficial in making both them and the rest of your employees feel comfortable. It will also benefit you!
First thing Monday morning, you and your team will most likely have many things to do to start the week, like emails to check and meetings to attend. You don’t want your new employee to be stuck standing around awkwardly waiting for you or your team to acknowledge them and show them what to do.
Having a late start will ensure that enough time is available for everyone to be able to do the necessary onboarding activities and welcome rituals.
3. Have a Clear Work Plan for Their First Day
While you don’t want to overwhelm your new employee on their first day, you don’t want to underwhelm them either. It’s always better to have a little too much for them to complete or get started on than not enough. It would feel very awkward to them if they got stuck standing around wondering what to do next on their very first day. They want to feel useful and be able to find their way in the work so they feel like part of the team.
4. Prepare Their Space
Before your new employee starts, make sure their workspace is clear and set up with fresh tools. The first few days or weeks of work are also an assessment of you, too. Your new employee is trying to see if this job is a good fit for them, their lifestyle, and their career path.
You want them to feel comfortable, welcomed, and as if they already have a place here-and that starts with a proper place to work. With a prepared workspace, you want to tell your new employee that they are here to stay!
5. Prepare a Welcome Kit
First of all, who doesn’t like free stuff?! To create an immediate affinity for the company brand and the job, give your new employee a welcome kit filled with both information and gifts!
These welcome kits don’t have to be elaborate or expensive. Simple marketing materials like t-shirts, notebooks, or other items with the company logo can be included-they also help to build company pride in the employee. Including a gift card to a nearby coffee shop or restaurant that the rest of your staff frequent is also a great idea.
If there are materials pertaining to the job itself, like a company laptop or phone, this is also a great time to make them available.
6. Give Them a Map
A small, yet much-appreciated thing you can do for your employee is to provide them with a map of the surrounding area, especially if they’re new to the city.
Point out good coffee shops, restaurants, and any other insider tips on the map. Knowing what’s what and feeling like you know little local secrets or company favorites always makes a new employee feel good.
7. Assign a First Day Buddy
Enlist a more seasoned employee to show your new employee the ropes on their first day as if they’re taking them under their wing. You’re likely busy and in and out of meetings, so it’s helpful to assign someone else for the employee to go to with tedious questions.
Make sure the employee you assign to them is told of their job in advance so that they have ample time to prepare. This will help them be welcoming and patient with onboarding and will save the new employee from feeling like they are a bother when they ask questions like “Where is the washroom?”
8. Make Training Fun and Engaging
Training is not only about employees learning how to do their job, it’s also an opportunity for you to set expectations and introduce them to the company culture. Use training to introduce your new employees to quirky office rituals, interesting facts, and group dynamics.
On their first day, a new employee will be looking for cues from others about how to behave and what is appropriate. If you have a fun and holistic approach to training, it will help them come out of their shell much sooner.
9. Have Judgement-Free Open Door Policy
Make sure that your new employees aren’t afraid to ask questions or give feedback just because they’re new. Though feedback should always be welcome, it is especially important on an employee’s first day.
There are going to be a dozen tedious tasks and questions in the employee’s first days and weeks of the job, so be patient and understanding. What might seem obvious to you may not be so obvious to someone new to your company.
New employees also come with a fresh perspective and vantage point that you don’t have, so be open to what they have to say.
10. Take Them to Lunch With Their Team
A team or company lunch is a great way to introduce a new employee to the rest of the staff in an environment that is casual and will make for less intimidating introductions.
It’s easy to forget what it’s like to be the new person in the room. It’s important to immerse new staff in your company culture as soon as possible in order to set a strong tone for their first days of work and instill them with confidence.
Providing a welcoming environment for new hires will encourage swift integration and make sure that new employees know that they are supported on their journey to becoming a seasoned member of the staff!
What do you do on a new employee’s first day to make them feel welcome? Let us know in the comments below!
If you have questions or would like more information, we’d be happy to help. Please send us an email, and someone from the team will get in touch with you!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been edited for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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