5 Tips For Onboarding New Hires

5 Tips for Onboarding a New Hire

 

The onboarding process is exciting – but it can also go very wrong if certain steps aren’t taken.  So much effort goes into recruiting and selecting the right people for your company, but often extreme turnover occurs within the first three months of employment.  With unemployment rates in Canada at an all-time low, retaining your new staff is critical to saving yourself a heck of a lot of trouble, time and money!  Here are some quick tips on how to successfully onboard new team members!

Have Employees Complete A Welcome Orientation Before Their First Day

Many companies provide staff with a information package or video link with vital information about the business or facility prior to having them start on their first day.  This allows them to know any basic health and safety rules, put faces to names (include information on your organization chart or key players they will be meeting in their first day).

It is also beneficial to do a tour of their work area before starting, so they get an idea of what the working conditions are like, they can meet their Supervisor and teammates etc.

 

Create a Process        

The first day/onboarding process should be something your new employee will appreciate!  Take the time to come up with a first day plan outlining all of the items you’d like to review with the new staff members.  If you just wing it, or pass the person immediately off to someone else, you are missing out on a great opportunity to bond with a new employee! Ensure your training plan is detailed and that it is introducing the staff to not only the job itself but also the company and the culture that has been created there!

 

Roll Out The Welcome Mat

Make sure the new staff feel welcomed and valued.  The first few minutes/hours of your interactions with them will really set the tone and impressions of the company.  Even if it’s a situation in which you have temporary staff coming in just to help for a short amount of time, really welcoming them and showing your appreciation will go a long way in ensuring good job performance.

Some companies will also show their appreciation by giving out swag packages on their first day (tshirts, pens, name tags etc) as a ‘Welcome To The Team’ offering!

 

 

Have A Buddy System

Our associates who are placed on various assignments say they do better in environments that buddy them up with an experienced employee for the first few days/weeks of their assignment.  Have one of your strong performers be a “New Hire Champion” who can show them the ropes and be available for any questions they may have.  A good best practice is to use someone who maybe started in the company as a temporary associate and got hired on permanently because they were a rock star!  This shows the new employees that there is room for growth and advancement within the company.  Sometimes new people are more comfortable coming to someone they are working side by side with on a daily basis vs. asking a member of management, so this buddy system allows for people to feel less pressure and stress during these critical training days.

 

Create an Open Door Policy

Ensure the new employees know that your door is open for any questions or concerns they may have.  Ask for feedback and really listen to what they have to say about their experiences with the company. Employees that know they are valued and listened to will be more likely to stick around for the long haul!

 

Are you interested in learning more about how People Store can assist with your onboarding process? Email info@peoplestore.ca and see how we can help!

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