How To On-Board New Staff In A Welcoming Way

by | Blog, Employees, Engagement, HR Support, People Development, Performance, Recruitment

How To On-Board New Staff

Looking at how to on-board new staff effectively can have a positive result in the long run for your business.  First impressions are not just a responsibility for the employee, it’s also important for managers to make new staff experience a positive first day. The first couple of weeks in their new job are the most crucial as your employee is still deciding whether they enjoy working with the team. This is your opportunity to show that your business is the ideal company to work for. We have worked with many of our clients to ensure they are putting steps in place so they know how to on-board new staff in a welcoming way.

Welcome pack

Set a positive impression right from the beginning by providing new staff members with a welcome pack.  This can include a welcome card and branded stationary. A welcome card is a great way to give a positive first impression and makes them feel like a valued member of the team. Encourage other members of the team to sign the card to show that everyone is looking forward to working with them. This is a great starting point to a positive working relationship. Branded stationary will give the employee an idea of the brand and helps them to feel part of the company.

Employee handbook

An employee handbook will allow you to set expectations and ensure you’re legally compliant. This includes core values of the business, Disciplinary Procedure, Adverse Weather Policy and many more.

Your employee handbook also gives your new staff a direct point of reference for all information they may possibly need. Whether you decide to provide your team this in paper form or give them an online copy, this is a great way to access useful information.

You can download our employee handbook template in the shop section on our website now!

Get To Know The Team

The most crucial part to the success of your business is the team who are running it. It’s important that you have a team that knows each other well and are comfortable enough to support each other. A great way to initiate this is to encourage staff to get to know new members. This can include going for lunch or a coffee.

For the first couple of weeks, you can provide new employees with a fun booklet with other staff members details.  This can include contact details for members of staff they may have to get in contact with. You can also include fun facts about each member of the team to add a little fun to the leaflet. This can include information such as hobbies, pets and favourite places to visit. A leaflet is also a great way to take the stress out of learning everyone’s name on the first day.

A Work Mentor

Assigning a work mentor to new members of staff is a great way to ensure the first weeks of learning the job is a smooth process. New team members will have someone they can rely on to ask questions and give additional support. Introducing a work mentor can also be a great way to build trust within the team and gives employees confidence to ask for support.

Staff Days Out

If your team is growing and you have new members joining the business, it can be effective to organise a staff day out to get the team to bond. This also shows that their introduction to the company doesn’t just have to involve endless paperwork. It can be intimidating when you start a new job and you don’t know anyone. Organising a staff day out can put the employee at ease and help to welcome them in a fun way. In the past, our clients have taken their staff to escape rooms and team building activities to encourage the team to work together.

Contact us now for further information on how to on-board new staff in a positive way.

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