How to Give Your New Hires the Best First Day
By Marga Salvador on August 8, 2016
One would think that a recruiter’s job ends when the candidate signs the contract. Nope. Your new hire’s on boarding process is (or should be) part of your job because you need to make good on the expectations that you set during the application process. While it might not be your actual job to ease them into the company, it’s a kind gesture to make sure the new hires adjust alright.
The new hire’s first day seems like any other day in the office to the oldies but to them, it’s a big deal. You need not be elaborate welcoming them to the team but giving them a great first day goes a long, long way in terms of how they perceive the company, their comfortability, and ultimately, their productivity. These are a few ways you can make the new hire’s first day one to remember.
Be on time
After signing, the candidate will ask when s/he is expected to come in for their first day. Regardless of the time you set for them, make sure you are there when they arrive. It’s likely that you are one of the only people they know at the office and obviously, they won't know their way around yet. Give them a tour of the office, introduce them to the team, the early birds, and ease a bit of the tension they’re feeling. Helping the new hires feel a little less lost on Day 1 is a huge step in finding their place in the company.
Really welcome them
We’re not talking about just saying “Welcome!” or “Glad to have you on board!” If your company doesn’t already have some sort of welcoming gimmick for new hires, it’s definitely not a bad idea to start the tradition. Have a department lunch out, let the new hire pick the dress code/color of the day, have a welcome box on their desk or a video on their computer. If word gets out about little culture quirks like this, jobseekers are immediately impressed. For the new hires, it’s a nice gesture and helps them feel more at home. Do you need more of a reason?
Offer answers
No one wants to spoon feed any of their employees and we don’t expect you to do so. However, it’s good to note that your new hires will be hesitant to ask questions for fear of looking like even more of a noob. Ask them if they are alright every now and then, explain things and processes even if they don’t ask, start conversations with people in the office or about operations and just get the work ball rolling. Some candidates willingly ask question but others don’t. Regardless, you’re on the same team now so it’s all for one.
End the day right
You’re busy, we get it, but don’t forget about the new guys and girls. Checking up on them before the day ends—asking how the day went, if it was what they expected, what surprised them, what the hardest part was, etc—closes the loop in a way we fail to realize. Debriefing the new hires is strategic because it helps them process the day and you get feedback that will definitely be useful in human resources. Change is constant but improvement should be too.
It may seem petty or unnecessary but these gestures are investments. Just as much as a candidate’s first impression affects their employability, a new hire’s first day sets the tone for how well they could do at your company. Creating employees who feel included is the first step to happy employees. And we all want happy employees, don’t we?
