Strategies to Make New Hires Feel Welcome

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You know that old saying about never getting a second chance to make a first impression? As an employer, you’re probably used to hearing it in terms of interviewees. You’d be surprised how much you can do to decrease turnover by applying it to your workplace. When you make new hires feel part of the team from the first day, you go a long way toward convincing them to stay for the long haul. Here are three can’t-lose strategies for making new hires welcome from the beginning.

Preparing the Team for the New Arrival

Believe it or not, the best thing you can do for new hires is brief their potential co-workers long before the new person arrives. Give them a quick background sketch of the new hire, including his accomplishments, education and work history. You don’t have to go into the entire resume or repeat the interview verbatim, but giving co-workers a little information about new hires helps break the ice before it’s had time to form. It also creates buy-in for employees, who’ll thank you for making an effort to ease their transition to a new co-worker.

Getting the Workspace Ready

Nothing makes a new employee feel less appreciated than a workspace cluttered with the department’s castoffs and outfitted with the worst equipment the organization has to offer. Preparing the workstation for a new hire means clear out all the junk that previous employees accumulated. See to it that the workspace is clean and tidy, and that all must-have materials and tools are available and in good working condition. For shared workspaces, enlist the assistance of the other employees who’ll be sharing the space when it comes to evaluating whether any furniture, tools or technology items need updating or replacing.

Make Time for the New Hire

Perhaps the most important thing a manager can do to make a new hire feel welcome is to be there for her when she arrives. No matter how detailed the job description or thorough the onboarding process, new employees always have questions about their job duties, the organization, and your expectations for their performance and success. Schedule time at the end of the first day and the first week to answer questions and have discussions with new employees, and make sure all your employees know you are interested in their questions and concerns. It’s the best way to make them feel a part of your organization, and to show that you are interested in their success.

Is onboarding new hires taking up more time than you and your team can spare? Let Staffing Partners’ recruiting professionals simplify your recruitment and onboarding process. We’re ready to provide you with a steady stream of prescreened temporary and temp-to-hire employees — are you ready to take recruitment to the next level? Call us today.

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