The first day of any new job can be very overwhelming and it is important that as an employer you put your best foot forward for new employees.
Onboarding isn’t just about first impressions, it sets the foundations for your new hires and their ability to perform effectively in their new role.
Here are five ways you can make a new employee feel confident on their first day.
1. Have Everything Ready
Welcome a new employee to the team by ensuring everything is ready for them when they arrive on their first day.
You don’t need to pull out all the stops, but if you have the new employee’s work station prepared with all their necessary tools such as computer, phone, email they will feel appreciated and ready to go.
2. Give Them An Office Tour
There is nothing worse than starting your first day and not knowing where the bathroom is located.
New employees should be shown all the facilities and introduced to colleagues on their first day. Introductions to other work colleagues will allow a new employee to have confidence approaching that person again, and they will be able to understand the company culture better.
Even if your office space is small, by helping your new recruit familiarise themselves with their new surroundings, it will help them feel comfortable and more at ease on their first day.
3. Provide On-The-Job Training
In order for a new employee to feel confident about their role and contribution to the company, on-the-job training should be commence from day one.
It is ok to start small, ensuring you do not overwhelm your new employee, and then you can gradually disclose more information as time progresses.
On-the-job training ultimately ensures you have happier employees, who are more committed to your company and maintain a mind-set of “always learning.”
4. Set Small Tasks
Set your new employee small, manageable tasks when they first arrive to help them get their feet wet and see what type of work they will be doing.
In addition, a small assignment will give a new employee a sense of purpose on their first day; you don’t want them to become bored and lose their focus.
5. Get The Paperwork Done
Planning ahead is key part of the employee onboarding process, and ensuring that all the paperwork is complete and out of the way will help new employees be more productive more quickly.
To avoid making a new employee spend the entire morning filling out forms, if you can, try to keep the process quick. Consider using a paperless solution or emailing the employee the forms before their first day so they can familiarise themselves with the paperwork.
May 1, 2016
By Florence Kenefick
